Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính presides over the meeting on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired the ninth session of the Central Emulation and Commendation Council in Hà Nội on Friday, urging the focused, practical, and effective emulation and commendation work to harness the intrinsic strength of the nation.

PM Chính, who is also chairman of the council, emphasised the critical role of patriotic emulation movements in propelling Việt Nam's socio-economic development and accomplishing tasks set by the Party Congresses, particularly the 13th National Party Congress.

Effectively promoting patriotic emulation movements and commendation work is also a regular and urgent political task with both immediate and long-term significance, he said, lauding the impactful responses from ministries, agencies, localities, mass organisations and the public since 2021.

The PM underscored the importance of aligning emulation movements with the Party's leadership and the Government's directions, especially in key and breakthrough tasks.

He called for a refinement of relevant policies and mechanisms to establish a unified and coherent legal foundation.

Assigning tasks, he stressed, must involve clear identification of responsibilities, specific affairs, timelines, expected results, and deliverables to facilitate accurate and objective assessments and rewards.

The commendation must be correct, appropriate and timely, he said, advocating for measures to prevent misconduct and vested interests.

PM Chính also urged enhancing the capacity and professional skills of staff and officials, reforming administrative procedures, accelerating digital transformation, and increasing transparency and openness.

Looking ahead to major national anniversaries, Party congresses at all levels in the lead-up to the 14th National Party Congress in 2026, and the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress next year, the PM assigned specific tasks to ministries, agencies and localities.

The council concurred on the importance of proactively identifying, recognising, and promptly rewarding outstanding collectives and individuals, with a particular focus on direct labourers, grassroots contributors, and those in remote, border, and island areas, as well as foreign groups and individuals who have significantly aided the cause of national construction and defence.

Since 2021, four nationwide emulation movements have been launched, three of which are ongoing. Additionally, ministries, departments and localities have initiated 375 similar campaigns across the country.

Nearly 35,000 cases have been submitted to the PM for commendation, while 352,000 others have been sent to the State President. — VNS