HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng extended Tết (Lunar New Year) greetings to leaders of the Party, State, Việt Nam Fatherland Committee as well as all Vietnamese people in and outside the country at a meeting in Hà Nội yesterday.
Party General Secretary and President Trọng said that with the efforts of the whole Party, people, and armed forces, Việt Nam fulfilled and surpassed all 12 basic criteria in 2018 with economic growth of over 7 percent and people’s living conditions improved.
Defence, security, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interest have been safeguarded while external relations and international integration have been expanded, according to the leader. The building of the Party and political system has been strengthened, while anti-corruption work has been intensified with many achievements.
He underscored that the attainments achieved in 2018 in all fields enhanced the trust of Party members, officials and community in the Party and the national reform cause, creating a synergy in society and new hopes for 2019.
On the occasion of the upcoming traditional festival, the leader thanked veteran revolutionaries, Vietnam Heroic Mothers, officials, Party members and Vietnamese people at home and abroad for their contributions to the national construction and defence.
He also thanked international organisations and foreign friends for their support and coordination.
Highlighting the importance of 2019 when the country marks 50 years of implementing President Ho Chi Minh’s will, coming close to the finalisation of the five-year socio-economic development plan and preparing for the Party’s 13th National Congress, the leader called for the whole Party, people and army to promote self-strength, activeness and innovation, thus continuing to promote the achieved successes and overcome challenges and difficulties, completing all set plans and tasks.
Party General Secretary and President Trong stressed the need to maintain macro-economic stability and control inflation, strengthen defence and security, firmly safeguard the country’s independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, protect the environment, proactively respond to climate change and natural calamities, and broaden foreign relations and international integration, thus enhancing the status of Viet Nam in the world arena and continue to maintain a peaceful and stable environment for development.
He laid special stress on the need to continue making drastic changes in the building and strengthening of the Party and the political system.
He expressed his belief that with great patriotism, traditional solidarity, brainpower and resilient spirit of Vietnamese people as well as the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country will continue attaining more successes in the Year of the Pig.

Paying tribute

On the same day, a delegation of Party, State, National Assembly, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) leaders yesterday paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum in Hà Nội on the occasion of the 89th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (February 3).
The leaders included Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng, former Party General Secretaries Lê Khả Phiêu and Nông Đức Mạnh, former President Trần Đức Lương, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, former NA Chairmen Nguyễn Sinh Hùng and Nguyễn Văn An, and President of the VFF Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn.
They showed their gratitude for the late President – the founder of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.
The delegation then laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs. 
On the same day, delegations from the Central Military Commission, the Central Public Security Party Commission, the Ministries of National Defence and Public Security, the Party Committee and the People’s Committee of Hanoi also showed their respect to President Ho Chi Minh, heroes and martyrs. 
In Hồ Chí Minh City, a delegation of the city’s leaders headed by a member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyễn Thanh Phong offered incense at the city’s Martyrs’ Cemetery.
They also paid tribute to the founder of the Party at the city’s branch of the Hồ Chí Minh Museum, and late President Tôn Đức Thắng at Tôn Đức Thắng Museum.
The establishment of the CPV in 1930 was an important turning point in the country’s history, marking a milestone of development. 
Over the past 89 years, under the leadership of the CPV, Việt Nam has overcome many difficulties and achieved great accomplishments during the reform process.-VNS