A "mirror" for every Party organization, cadre, and Party member to "self-reflect and self-correct."

The 4th Central Committee Conference (13th term) issuedRegulation No. 37-QD/TWOn October 25, 2021, the new regulations replaced Regulation No. 47-QD/TW dated November 1, 2011, of the Central Committee (11th term) on "Things Party members are not allowed to do," aiming to strengthen Party discipline, enhance leadership capacity, and improve the fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations. However, hostile forces, political opportunists, and reactionary elements have spread distorted narratives about this regulation.

The 4th Conference of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (13th term). Photo: Archival material.

After 10 years of implementing Regulation No. 47-QD/TW of the Central Committee (11th term) on "Things Party members are not allowed to do," significant changes have been made in the work of Party building and rectification; cadres and Party members have become increasingly aware of their duties and responsibilities in Party building and have cultivated their moral character and lifestyle. However, the practical application of Regulation 47-QD/TW still faces difficulties and shortcomings, requiring updating, supplementing, amending, and resolving obstacles in the implementation of the Party Charter, in order to further promote the pioneering and exemplary role of cadres and Party members. Therefore, the Party has issued Regulation No. 37-QD/TW to replace Regulation No. 47-QD/TW in order to continue effectively implementing the work of Party building and rectification.

However, on many social media platforms and foreign news outlets such as Tiếng Dân, Việt Tân, RFA, VOA, BBC, etc., hostile forces and political opportunists, with their hateful attitudes and insidious schemes, have been misinterpreting and assuming the role of "judges," citing the opinions of individuals who harbor anti-Vietnamese Party and State sentiments. They distort the truth, claiming that "Regulation No. 37 is unnecessary and encroaches on the executive branch; because the provisions in Regulation No. 37 are already prohibited by law, only Party members who are above the law need this regulation." They also argue that the Party's issuance of Regulation No. 37-QĐ/TW further "proves the decay of the regime"; the root cause of current corruption is due to "faults in the political system," systemic failures, not the implementation methods. They spread fabricated information, exaggerating issues of "corruption" and "negative practices," speculating about "disunity" within the Party, claiming that the Party cannot control its members, and that the decline in political qualities, ethics, and lifestyles is widespread. They also spread the narrative that "the Party seriously violates citizens' rights under the Constitution"; that the Party is currently "mistaken in its direction," and that Regulation No. 37-QĐ/TW was issued "only to show off, without controlling its members"; and simultaneously put forward false arguments about certain provisions of the Regulation to slander and defame the Party.

In essence, these are deliberately distorted arguments with an extremely wrong and insidious plot to diminish the position, role, and important significance of Regulation No. 37-QD/TW; to deny the great achievements of Party building and rectification; and to steer public opinion in a negative direction, undermining trust, lowering prestige, and denying the leadership role of the Party.

We affirm that the Party's issuance of Regulation No. 37-QD/TW is essential, a regular and continuous undertaking, and a continuation of previous work. The addition of some new regulations to meet practical requirements, objectivity, and scientific principles, including regulations on what Party members are prohibited from doing, aims to further enhance the exemplary spirit of cadres and Party members, and is entirely consistent with Article 4 of the 2013 Constitution. This completely contradicts the distorted and misrepresented narratives of hostile forces.

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh once advised:"A party that conceals its shortcomings is a failed party. A party that dares to admit its shortcomings, clearly identifies them, understands their origins, examines the circumstances that gave rise to them, and then seeks ways to correct them—that is a progressive, courageous, steadfast, and genuine party."⁽¹⁾.He demanded that each Party organization strictly maintain discipline, uphold order and organizational norms, so that our Party would increasingly live up to its role, position, and mission of leading the revolutionary cause.

Over the years, our Party has focused on leading the implementation of Party building and rectification, resolutely tightening discipline and order within the Party, strictly implementing the Party's organizational principles; preventing, deterring, and strictly handling cadres and Party members who are degenerate, corrupt, and engage in negative behaviors, following the motto ""There are no forbidden areas, no exceptions."The work of Party building and rectification has been carried out decisively, persistently, and rigorously. In particular, our Party has directed that corruption cases be prosecuted and tried strictly, fairly, and reasonably, receiving the approval, support, and high praise of cadres, Party members, and the people, contributing to strengthening the people's trust in the Party.

Regulation No. 37-QD/TW has added new content, namely: Article 3 stipulates that Party members are not allowed to:"Refuting, denying, and distorting Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; failing to fulfill the responsibility of setting an example; individualism, opportunism, and self-serving behavior; 'term-based thinking,' passive solidarity, formal democracy, failing to defend what is right and failing to fight against what is wrong; authoritarianism, tyranny, bureaucracy, and alienation from the masses."This is a much-needed addition in the new situation, when hostile forces are increasingly distorting, slandering, and denying Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and the Party's line.

Article 9 stipulates that party members are not allowed to...“…acquiring citizenship, transferring money and assets abroad, opening accounts and buying and selling assets abroad in violation of regulations.”While acknowledging dual citizenship is normal, how should party members explain transferring money abroad once they acquire foreign citizenship, given that the Party Charter clearly states: "Members of the Communist Party of Vietnam are revolutionary fighters in the vanguard of the working class, the working people, and the Vietnamese nation, striving throughout their lives for the goals and ideals of the Party, placing the interests of the Fatherland, the working class, and the working people above personal interests?"

Or, according to Article 13, party members are not allowed to:"Interfering with or influencing inspection, supervision, auditing, investigation, prosecution, trial, execution of judgments, consideration of pardons, and resolution of complaints and denunciations to cover up or abet violations of Party regulations and State laws. Influencing, coercing, or bribing organizations or individuals to reduce the responsibility or punishment for others."The addition of this content is appropriate and necessary to meet the highest level of political determination required in the current fight against corruption and negative practices.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized: "Building and rectifying the Party is to make our Party stronger, our cadres and Party members more exemplary, our Party organizations more combative, our internal unity better, and our ties closer to the people, in order to promote the implementation of political tasks with higher results."

It can be affirmed that Regulation No. 37-QD/TW serves as a "mirror" for each Party organization, cadre, and Party member to "self-reflect and self-correct," and to continuously cultivate and refine revolutionary ethics; at the same time, it demonstrates the Party's determination in building and rectifying the Party, preventing and combating corruption and negative phenomena, thereby creating more trust among all strata of the people. This is a practical and concrete action for each of us to learn from and follow Uncle Ho, aiming to build a truly clean and strong Party.

(1) Ho Chi Minh, Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, volume 3, page 260.