Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng delivers speech at the 10th meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI – The settlement of serious and complicated corruption cases of public concern should focus on quality more than quantity, said Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

Speaking at the 10th meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption in Hà Nội yesterday, the Party leader called for more initiatives in the combat of corruption and closer coordination between relevant agencies, firstly between members of the committee.

Tackling corruption is a task full of hardship and also a headache to society, he said, explaining why the 12th National Party Congress designated fighting the degradation in ideology and morality, corruption and bureaucracy as two among its six key tasks.

Party General Secretary Trọng, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee, called on the committee’s members to set bright examples, show their high sense of responsibility before the Party and the people, and stay away from corruption.

The committee should pay heed to major localities like Hà Nội and HCM City while assigning tasks to its members, he said. Inspections should be conducted in suitable destinations and at suitable times, especially in 2016, when multiple important national events are taking place, the Party chief noted.

Participants at the meeting noted that since its ninth meeting last December, the committee has instructed the handling of two serious corruption cases relating to the Vietnam Construction Bank and the Ocean Bank.

The committee also approved a cooperation mechanism between investigating and prosecuting agencies at both central and grassroots levels to deal with cases under its charge.

Competent agencies completed the first-instance trial of eight major corruption cases before the 12th National Party Congress, which took place earlier this year, and are continuing with the next steps to finish such cases, the meeting heard.

In 2016, the committee will dispatch seven inspection groups headed by its members and scrutinise serious corruption cases in the 14 provinces of Thái Nguyên, Lạng Sơn, Phú Thọ, Lào Cai, Bắc Ninh, Tây Ninh, Hậu Giang, Sóc Trăng, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Phước, Quảng Nam, Phú Yên, Long An and Tiền Giang. Inspections will also target the tax and customs sector.

The committee will add to the list of corruption cases under its instruction the embezzlement at state-owned Vinashin Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. (Vinashinlines), involving Giang Kim Đạt, the company’s former acting sales manager, and his accomplices. — VNS