The newly-elected Party General Secretary Tô Lâm. — VNA/VNS Photo Bùi Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — The 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam convened a meeting in Hà Nội on August 3 to nominate the candidate and elect the General Secretary of the 13th Party Central Committee. Politburo member, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, on behalf of the Political Bureau, presided over the meeting.

At the meeting, based on the Party's regulations and the Political Bureau's direction for the nomination of the personnel, the Party Central Committee upheld of the sense of responsibility, focused brainpower, democratically discussed and reached a high consensus with 100 per cent of approval votes, elected comrade Tô Lâm, Politburo member, President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam as General Secretary of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

The Vietnam News Agency introduces the translation of the inaugural address of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee:

INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIỆT NAM CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Dear chairmen of the conference,

Dear members of the Party Central Committee,

Dear delegates attending the meeting,

First and foremost, I sincerely thank the Political Bureau for your trust and nomination, and members of the Party Central Committee for your confidence in electing and entrusting me with the great responsibility of the General Secretary of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam. This is a great honour, and simultaneously, a glorious responsibility before the Party, the people, the thousand-year-old illustrious history of the nation, and the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland in the new era.

I promise before the Party Central Committee, our entire Party, people and army to tirelessly strive, together with the members of the Party Central Committee, to inherit and vigorously promote the glorious traditions and valuable experiences of our Party and the achievements of National Party Congresses, including the 13th National Party Congress; uphold the highest spirit of "self-reliance, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-strengthening and national pride"; continually strengthen unity and solidarity within the Party and the great national unity; continue to step up the Party building and rectification, and prevent and combat corruption and negative phenomena; align the thought with the action, the Party's will with the people's hearts; and dedicate fully and wholeheartedly to, strive and sacrifice for a strong Communist Party of Việt Nam; for a strong, democratic just, and civilised Việt Nam; and for well-off and happy Vietnamese people.

I will focus on effectively leading the completion of work to successfully organise the coming 14th National Party Congress, properly preparing the draft documents of the Congress, giving orientations and well preparing personnel affairs at different levels, the review of 40 years of national renewal, inheriting the important theoretical achievements on socialism and the path to socialism in Việt Nam, as summarised by generations of Party leaders, including late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, to propose correct policies and continue to lead the country towards comprehensive development in the coming period.

I firmly believe that the 13th Party Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Secretariat will be steadfast and strong collectives and nuclei that gather the strength and lead our entire Party, people, and army to successfully implement the Party’s guidelines and policies, firstly the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, laying a solid foundation for achieving the goals of the country 100 years under the Party’s leadership, 100 years since the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, with the aim of making the country a socialist-oriented developed nation by the mid-21st century. The recent decisive policies in the Party will certainly increase the Party's strength, consolidating unity and consensus, and the people's trust in the Party.

I expect to continue receiving close coordination from members of the Party Central Committee so that I can well fulfil my assigned tasks. There are many difficulties and challenges on the journey ahead, but with the unity, consensus and the promotion of the Party’s wisdom, mettle and strong, correct and sound decisions, I firmly believe that our country will become increasingly prosperous, our people will enjoy greater well-being and happiness, and our nation will grow stronger and steadily advance towards socialism.

Once again, I sincerely and deeply thank the Party Central Committee and the entire Party for entrusting me with this glorious responsibility.

I wish all comrades good health, happiness and success.

Thank you very much. — VNS