Vietnam reported economic growth for 2021 of just 2.58 percent on Wednesday, beating a 30-year low set last year as the pandemic continues to take a toll.
The communist state has long been a success story among Asian economies, posting a growth of seven percent in 2019.
But shutdowns caused by coronavirus have battered the export-reliant economy, sending GDP growth plunging to 2.91 percent in 2020 — the lowest reported in three decades.
The General Statistics Office (GSO) in Hanoi said fourth quarter growth was at 5.22 percent, but the annual figure was dragged down by a contraction of 6.02 percent in the third quarter.
