Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng delivered the opening speech at the eighth meeting of the 12th Party Central Committee yesterday, suggesting that participants should focus on socio-economic development, the Việt Nam Maritime Strategy and Party-building.—VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng delivered the opening speech at the eighth meeting of the 12th Party Central Committee yesterday, suggesting that participants should focus on socio-economic development, the Việt Nam Maritime Strategy and Party-building.

He said that 2018 was in the middle of the Party’s 12th tenure, so it would play a decisive role in the realisation of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and is the first year for making preparations for the 13th National Congress.

The Party leader noted that this meeting’s agenda covered many important issues directly relating to socio-economic development targets and the building of a pure and strong Party.
At the event, Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc delivered a report of the Government’s Party Committee on the socio-economic and State budget situation in 2018, along with the socio-economic development plan and State budget estimates for 2019.

Pointing out certain problems and shortcomings, the report said there remained many difficulties in carrying out the three strategic breakthroughs and restructuring the economy. Investment in the construction of key national projects and the disbursement of public investment capital remain slow. While export growth still relies on the foreign-invested sector, the independence of the economy is modest and the macro-economy has yet to stabilise.

Resources for implementing social and cultural policies are limited, some policies haven’t been issued in a timely manner or implemented well and the wealth gap among regions and strata of people is large and tends to widen. Additionally, there are still many social problems in such fields as healthcare, education, natural resources management and environment.

In his speech, Party General Secretary Trọng asked members of the Party Central Committee to make objective and comprehensive assessments of the local and national socio-economic situation, point out achievements as well as flaws to seek solutions, and analyse and predict different possibilities. He also asked them to specify targets, feasible policies and solutions to fulfill the tasks set for 2019 as well as the whole 12th tenure.

The Political Bureau delivered a report reviewing 10 years of implementation of the resolution of the 10th Party Central Committee’s fourth meeting on the Việt Nam Maritime Strategy towards 2020.

The seas and islands are not only a component of the nation’s sacred sovereignty and sovereign right, but also places where generations of Vietnamese people have lived and grown. Vietnamese waters hold important geo-political, military and economic positions in the region and the world.

At the meeting, based on the report and the analyses and forecasts of new situations in the country, the region and the world, the Party Committee of the Government proposed the Party Central Committee issue a new resolution on the Việt Nam Maritime Strategy until 2030 with a vision to 2045.

The promulgation of the resolution will help to orient the building of strategies, plans, policies and laws, as well as programmes and projects of the Government, localities and agencies involved, especially in the mobilisation of resources for the medium-term investment plan for maritime and coastal economic development, in conformity with the national socio-economic development plan and strategy for the 2021-30 period.

Suggesting several issues for discussion, the Party chief asked for clarification on why several maritime and coastal economic development targets may not be reached by 2020, the sea-based economy is developing slowly, and investment in developing coastal infrastructure, especially the seaport system, remains ineffective.

It was also necessary to clarify shortcomings in the planning of coastal areas and discuss sea pollution, climate change and sea levels, and inefficient State management on seas and islands, General Secretary Trọng said.

Regarding the Party building, the Politburo proposed the Party Central Committee decide on some important issues such as the issuance of regulations on the responsibility of officials and Party members, firstly members of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Party Central Committee, for setting good examples. 

The Politburo also suggested the establishment of sub-committees in preparation for the 13th National Party Congress and the introduction of personnel for the post of President to the National Assembly, the election of additional members of the 12th Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission, and taking disciplinary measures against officials in line with Party regulations. 
Party General Secretary Trọng said the Party Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat had issued many guidelines and regulations on the responsibility of officials and Party members for setting good examples. 

The implementation of Party guidelines and regulations had intensified the Party’s discipline and helped improve the leadership and combat capacity of Party organisations and members. It had contributed to preventing degradation, corruption and other bad deeds, and consolidated the confidence of officials, Party members and people in the leadership of the Party, he said. 
However, the Party leader pointed out that the outcomes had failed to meet the set targets, explaining that many officials and Party members, including those holding key positions at all levels, had yet to be aware of the responsibility.

Some high-ranking officials, both retired and incumbent, had seriously violated Party discipline and State laws, sparking concerns among officials, Party members and people, he said. 
Given this, the Politburo had agreed with the proposal of the Party Central Committee to issue a new regulation on the responsibility of officials and Party members for setting good examples. 

"The draft regulation requires the Politburo, Secretariat and Party Central Committee members to set good examples, align themselves with rules and resolutely combat bad deeds," the Party leader said. 

The Politburo proposed the establishment of five sub-committees on documents, socio-economic affairs, Party regulations, personnel and organisations to serve the 13th National Party Congress.

The sub-committees will prepare a report on the 10-year implementation of the supplemented 2011 Party Political Platform, a political report, a report reviewing the 10-year  realisation of the socio-economic development strategy, the five-year socio-economic report, and others on five-year Party building, implementation of Party regulations and supplements and amendments to the Party regulations (if any), and personnel affairs. — VNS