Spring comes with the arrival of the Lunar New Year or Tet, and we wish each other a happy new year. However, there is a question to ask, what will the old year hand over to the New Year?

This 2007 spring witnessed the change from the Binh Tuat to Dinh Hoi lunar year and has an important significance in terms of development opportunities and trends in the renewal process. It can be said that the Binh Tuat lunar year in 2006 saw major events and successes.

First of all, the Party successfully held its 10^th National Congress. The Congress made a strategic determination to strive to “Strengthen the Party leadership and fighting power, promote the national strength and accelerate the comprehensive renewal process to lead the country out of less development in five years” from 2006 to 2010.

Second, the implementation of the 10^th National Party Congress’ resolutions obtained spectacular results within the first year. The 2006 socio-economic development plan was successfully realised. Most major targets were obtained and surpassed. GDP increased by nearly 8.2 per cent, exports were valued at nearly US$ 40 billion, foreign direct investment, FDI and official development assistance, ODA, about US$ 15 billion.

Third, in external and international economic integration activities, four impressive events took place at the end of the year. Vietnam joined the WTO; successfully organised and chaired the APEC Summit 14; was nominated by Asian countries to be the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2008 – 2009 term; and the US ratified the Permanent Normal Trade Relations, PNTR, and withdrew Vietnam from the list of countries of special religious concern.

The Binh Tuat lunar year handed over to the Dinh Hoi lunar year all the achievements, major opportunities and new development trends that had taken shape in the year.

The 10^th Party Central Committee held its 4^th session at the end of the old lunar year where it discussed further implementation of resolutions of the 10^th National Party Congress and worked out tasks for the Dinh Hoi lunar New Year. They are:

- To make some major guidelines and policies for Vietnam’s rapid and sustainable development after becoming a WTO member.

- To give opinions to Vietnam Strategy on the Sea until 2020 in order to further promote the role of the sea in the national industrialisation, modernisation, and defence and construction process.

- To make preparations for the election to the 12^th National Assembly, ensuring that elected deputies will really represent the people’s will and aspirations, closely tied to the people, have sufficient knowledge, capacity and condition to be a NA deputy and to join the decision making process.

- Adjust the time necessary to organise the national Party Congress, and the elections to the National Assembly and the People’s Council at all levels, with the aim of holding these events within the first year of the five-year plan.

- Renew and consolidate Party and State agencies, making them streamlined, efficient and effective and ensure each organisation in the political system will fulfil its tasks.