STRONG LEADERSHIP: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

Would you tell us about some of the achievements Việt Nam recorded in the first half of the Party's 13th tenure?

We all know that since the 13th National Party Congress, the situation in the world and the region has experienced many rapid, complex, and unpredictable developments, with more new challenges than forecast. With a strong will and high determination and the spirit of “the superior initiates, the subordinate follow”, “one voice calls, a hundred respond”, “one mind from top to bottom”, and “smooth sailing across both length and breadth,” the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have drastically and effectively led, directed and organised the harmonious implementation of the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress. Our country has steadily overcome many difficulties, continuing to achieve great and satisfactory results in many fields.

After three years of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, we have focused on preventing, fighting, and controlling epidemics, while pushing the socioeconomic recovery and development; building an independent and self-reliant economy associated with intensive, extensive, and effective international integration.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS: Delegates vote at the13th National Party Congress. VNA/VNS Photo

Our country's economy remains a bright spot, the macroeconomy is fundamentally stable, inflation, public debt, and state budget spending controlled, and major economic balances ensured. The 2021 economic growth was recorded at 2.56 per cent while many economies worldwide posted negative growth; the 2022 figure was 8.02 per cent, much higher than the plan of only 6-6.5 per cent. Last year, it topped 5 per cent, a high level compared to other countries in the region and the world. For the first time, our country's GDP hit US$430 billion, ranking third in the ASEAN and standing among the 40 largest economies in the world, and the 20 leading economies in terms of trade and foreign investment attraction.

Despite a host of difficulties, the cultural and social fields have received further attention and investment, achieving many important, marked results. Notably, during the fight against COVID-19, the tradition of heroism, patriotism and "loving others as if loving yourself” and the superiority of our regime advanced to a new level.

The Politburo and the Secretariat have been very active in preparing and organising national cadre conferences to implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress at the National Assembly, Government, and Vietnam Fatherland Front agencies, and such sectors as home affairs, national defence-security, culture, and foreign affairs.

The Politburo has also issued, elaborated, and implemented six new resolutions on socioeconomic development, and ensuring national defence and security in all the six socioeconomic regions of the country. The organisation has been done concertedly and methodically right from the beginning of the term, setting clear the right directions for revamping, building, and perfecting the law-governed socialist State of Việt Nam, and consolidating and strengthening the great national solidarity bloc. This is an outstanding result, contributing to the achievements recorded in the 13th tenure.

The fight against corruption continues with great success. Could you please tell us more about this?

The fight against corruption and other negative phenomena has been continued resolutely, with many new, in-depth, and effective methods. The previous central steering committee for corruption prevention and fight has had its functions and tasks supplemented and expanded, including steering the prevention and combat of both corruption and other negative phenomena, focusing on preventing and combating the deterioration of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle among officials and party members, considering this to be the root of all problems.

At the same time, provincial-level steering committees to prevent and combat corruption and other negative phenomena have also been established in all 63 provinces and centrally-run cities and started their operation, gaining initial but good results, thus helping to gradually address the situation of superiors not having their instructions fully carried out.

The Politburo has issued Regulations 114-QĐ/TW, 131-QĐ/TW, and 132-QĐ/TW on controlling power, preventing and combating corruption and other negative phenomena in personnel work and those of inspection and audit, and investigation, prosecution, trial and judgment enforcement to ensure concerted, methodical and strict implementation.

The work of building and perfecting institutions and policies on socioeconomic management and corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention has been pushed to move towards a state where officials "cannot, dare not, don't want, and don't need" to be corrupt. The perfection of the personnel organisational apparatus and administrative reform has ensured openness and transparency. The operational quality, efficiency and coordination among the agencies and units involved in corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention have improved. Dissemination and education on the work has also seen progress.

The Party's inspection, supervision, and discipline works continue to be innovated and strengthened based on quality improvements and serious and concerted implementation of many new regulations, helping restrain, prevent, and drive back the deterioration of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle, or manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation".

It has also tackled the corruption of group interests "taking advantage of office to make profits," "individualism," and "being corrupted by power" among a section of the contingent of officials and party members.

At the same time, the Party's leadership capacity and combativeness has improved; solidarity and unity within the Party enhanced; the people's trust consolidated; political stability, discipline, social order and safety maintained; and socioeconomic development accelerated.

TOP LEADERS: Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and their spouses attend a meeting with nearly 400 intellectuals and young people of Việt Nam and China in Hà Nội in December, 2023. VNA/VNS Photo

 The 13th National Party Congress continued to set the task of building Việt Nam's comprehensive and modern diplomacy with three pillars of the Party, State, and people-to-people foreign activities, contributing to raising the country’s prestige. What are your comments on the foreign affairs work of the Party and State in recent years?

Over the past three years, the Party’s foreign policy worked out by the 13th Congress has been thoroughly grasped and implemented, achieving important results of historical significance and becoming an impressive bright spot in the country’s overall achievements, making important contributions to maintaining an environment of peace and stability. This facilitates the country’s socioeconomic development and raises the country’s prestige in the international arena.

We have inherited and brought into play the strength of the modern foreign policy of the Hồ Chí Minh era, imbued with the characteristics of Vietnamese bamboo, with “strong roots, a sturdy trunk, and flexible branches” that extol the Vietnamese people’s virtue and nature of flexibility, smartness, and resilience.

I would like to cite several concrete results to prove this. 

After the 13th National Party Congress, the country has seen robust and busy foreign activities that have become an impressive and prominent bright spot. There have been myriad successes of state and official visits, the phone calls and online discussions by our Party and State leaders, and the more than 40 visits by key leaders to neighbouring countries, major powers, ASEAN countries, many important strategic partners, and traditional friends.

It is noteworthy that in 2023, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China Xi Jinping and his wife paid a state visit to Việt Nam. For the first time in history, US President Joe Biden made a state visit to Việt Nam at the invitation of the Party General Secretary.

CLOSER TIES: Nguyễn Phú Trọng, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee, welcomes US President Joe Biden upon his arrival in Hà Nội in October, 2023 for a state visit. VNA/VNS Photo

The high-level Hà Nội meeting of the heads of the Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian parties by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, President of the Cambodian People’s Party Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith was a fine success, and many heads of important states visited Việt Nam.

These are foreign and political events of special importance in not only bilateral cooperation but also regional and international issues. They hold historical significance and have been welcomed and highly valued by both domestic and foreign public opinion, as I always say: “We have never had such a great fortune, potential, and international position and prestige as we have now.”

To date, our Party has set up relations with 253 political parties in 115 countries across the globe, including 92 communist parties, 63 ruling parties, and 38 parties in ruling coalitions and administrations.

Regarding diplomatic relations, Việt Nam has expanded and deepened its relations with 193 countries, including special ties with three, comprehensive strategic partnership with six, strategic partnership with 12, and comprehensive partnership with 12.

Việt Nam has become an active and responsible member of most of the regional and international organisations and forums. Besides this, Vietnamese people’s organisations and groups have established cooperation and friendship relations with more than 1,200 foreign organisations and partners.

The future will present both opportunities and challenges. Could you elaborate on major policies and decisions that need focused leadership to be implemented in the second half of the 13th tenure?

From now to the end of the 13th tenure, it is forecast that besides opportunities, there will be many difficulties. We need to continue to grasp and organise the strict implementation of the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on rapid and sustainable development.

Attention must be paid to consolidating and strengthening the macroeconomic foundation, controlling inflation, and improving the productivity, capacity and autonomy of the economy. Priority must be given to improving the investment and business environment; raising quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy; and speeding up the national digital transformation, developing the digital economy and society, and green and circular economy while intensifying resource management and environmental protection.

Besides this, it is necessary to pay more attention to the task of cultural and social development so that it is harmonious and on par with economic development; ensure social security and welfare; and constantly improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

We need to continue consolidating and enhancing our defence and security, maintain political stability and social order and safety, and improve the effectiveness of foreign activities and international integration.

The acceleration of the building and rectification of the Party and the political system, especially the system of legislative, executive and judicial agencies from central to local levels, must be continued to make them truly clean and strong. A clean, honest and strong Government at all levels must be built.

Personnel work must be improved to correctly select and place those who are truly virtuous, talented, honest, and dedicated to the country and people to leading positions in the State apparatus.

We must fight to eliminate retrogressive thinking and concerns that an excessively robust fight against corruption and other negative phenomena might hinder development, that could dampen morale, hold back and create a “defensive, procrastinating, cover-up and staying safe” mindset, and passing responsibility to others by a number of civil servants, especially among leaders and managers at all levels.

It is necessary to focus on the good implementation of planning work all levels, and prepare all-level Party congresses for the 2025-30 tenure, especially the personnel planning for the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Party Central Committee's Secretariat of the 14th tenure in the 2026-31 period. At the same time, it is critical to urgently and seriously review and summarise theoretical and practical issues after 40 years of Đổi mới (renewal).

Based on the achievements and experiences gained, I believe that with the new momentum and motivation, our entire Party, people, and army will stay united, join hands and strive with greater determination and effort; be more dynamic and creative, wisely seize opportunities and advantages to steadfastly overcome difficulties and successfully complete the tasks set for the 13th tenure, building our country into an increasingly strong, prosperous, civilised, and happy nation as wished by Uncle Hồ, our Party, people, and the army.

On the threshold of the Year of the Dragon, and also the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I wish the entire people, soldiers nationwide, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends all the best, and a prosperous and joyful New Year full of happiness and success.

To a new year with new victories!

VNS