(VOVworld) – Prior to the New Year 2016, President Truong Tan Sang granted the press an interview on Vietnam’s opportunities and challenges in the future. VOV summarized his major remarks on Vietnam’s reform and sustainable socio-economic development.

President Truong Tan Sang grants an interview to Vietnamese media. (Photo: Nguyen Khang/VNA)

For Vietnam’s key socio-economic accomplishments in 2015, President Sang said despite various difficulties inside and outside the country, the Vietnamese Party, State, and people have worked hard together to obtain positive socio-economic development results, ensure a stable macro-economy, and improve national economic potential. Vietnam signed many free trade agreements in 2015 which will help expand export markets.

President Sang said amidst deep integration, Vietnamese workers have to improve their competency and adjust their working style. It’s necessary to raise the competitiveness of products, enterprises, and the whole economy. Vietnam has to continue improving state management to meet the requirement of trade liberalization and global integration. He underscored a principle of integration while maintaining an independent and self-reliant economy. Vietnam has advantages to attract foreign investment. It’s important to select foreign invested projects to benefit its economic reform, Sang said.

Answering reporters’ questions about challenges to national sovereignty and territorial integrity, President Sang said the national unity is the mainstream power in national defense. He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy to befriend with all countries for peace, cooperation, and development. International support for Vietnam’s construction and defense is a great source for Vietnam to firmly protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

President Sang said 2016 is an important year of the National Party Congress, the National Assembly, and Government, and the beginning of the 2016-2020 soico-economic plan. The Vietnamese party and people have to strive further to accelerate the national reform, target resilient socio-economic development, reinforce defense and security, deepen the integration process, build a strong Party, perfect state management, and improve people’s living conditions.