Douang Khongkeo, from Lao National Television, said to VOV: “I have been present in Hanoi since the first day of the Party Congress. I often report on events at the congress. The opening of the congress was broadcast in the 7pm news and current affairs programme of Lao National Television.”

Douang said cheerfully that he had also visited five museums and made a trip to Ha Long Bay. “In 2010, when Vietnam assumed the ASEAN presidency, I frequently travelled to Hanoi. I found new changes each time. I do believe that your country will further develop after this congress, which is both democratic and serious.”

Journalist Tulayphe Phimmeuang from Laos’ Paxason newspaper expressed believes that this year’s Party Congress will boost the socio-economic and cultural development. “In recent days, I have continuously reported on the activities of the deputies to the Congress and my reports have been published everyday.”

Meanwhile, Charly Morales Valido, from Cuban News Agency Prensa Latina said: “The developing and innovative Vietnam is always on my mind. With the 11^th National Party Congress, I believe you will have a bright future.”

Valido, who is Cuba’s correspondent in Hanoi, added that Cubans know a lot about Vietnam’s 11^th Party Congress. Granma, the newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party, also published many articles by Prensa Latina.

The Cuban journalist said the Cuban Communist Party is going to organize its 6^th Congress in April so they are highly concerned with information about the Vietnamese Communist Party’s Congress. Valido said Cuban’s president Raul Castro had mentioned Vietnam many times in a recent speech at the Cuban National Assembly. “The Communist Party of Cuba regards Vietnam’s renewal process as a good example and precious experience for undertaking reforms in Cuba. Vietnam has successfully reformed its economy without renouncing socialist goals, principles and viewpoints.”

Shamee Faizee, Secretary of the Indian Communist Party and Chief Editor of the New Age, praised Vietnam as an example for Indian communists to follow. He said his party is encouraged by the socialist line of the Vietnamese Communist Party, which continues to take Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought as its ideological foundation.

Faizee also attended the CPV’s 11^th Congress as representative of five other Indian-language newspapers. In recent days, these papers have reported the Congress news on their front page.

Faizee said the Indian Communist Party has close ties with its Vietnamese counterpart and his party pays special attention to Vietnam’s building a socialist-oriented market economy. He said he not only covered the Party Congress but also sought to know more about Vietnam’s development directions and the differences between socialist market economy and capitalist economy.