Vietnam’s success in fighting COVID-19, maintaining growth a miracle: Japanese expert

Vietnam has made an impression on the international community as a safe country with great economic potential, and its success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining economic growth has been miraculous, a Japanese expert has said.

Director of the Vietnam Economic Research Institute (VERI) Hiroyuki Moribe. (Photo: VNA)
Director of the Vietnam Economic Research Institute (VERI) Hiroyuki Moribe. (Photo: VNA)

Director of Japan’s Vietnam Economic Research Institute (VERI) Hiroyuki Moribe made the comments in a recent interview with a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Japan, during which he said that one of the most important factors contributing to Vietnam’s economic achievements is that the country did particularly well in controlling the pandemic.

Though COVID-19 broke out again in HCM City, Vietnam has kept it under control, he noted, stressing that this is a very important factor in the context of the US and countries in Europe and South America recording an increasing number of infections.

Drastic measures to respond to the outbreak, such as border closures, and Vietnamese people’s strict compliance with preventive measures contributed to the country’s success in keeping the pandemic under control and maintaining economic development.

Vietnam is one of only a few countries to have sustained positive growth in 2020, he said, adding that Japan must learn from Vietnam measures to contain the spread of the disease and promote economic activities.

Once the epidemic is under control and the vaccines are widely introduced, travel between countries will be easier and the number of foreigners coming to Vietnam will rise, contributing to boosting international trade as well as the country’s economic growth, he went on.

By making good use of innovation, Vietnam’s economy can grow stronger in the time to come, he said.