Corruption and wastefulness threaten the very survival of the Party and the regime.

"Corruption and wastefulness remain one of the four threats to the survival of the Party and the regime," President Tran Dai Quang shared on the occasion of the New Year 2018.

President Tran Dai Quang and leaders of APEC economies in Da Nang.

Reporter:With the concerted efforts of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, we have completed and exceeded the main socio-economic development targets for 2017. Mr. President, could you please summarize the outstanding achievements of the country?

President Tran Dai Quang:It can be affirmed that, for the first time in many years, we have comprehensively and exceeded all 13 socio-economic development targets set by the National Assembly. Macroeconomic stability has been maintained, inflation has been controlled, and budget revenue and major economic balances have all met the set requirements. GDP growth reached 6.81%, import-export turnover reached US$425 billion, the highest ever; and foreign direct investment attracted reached a record high of over US$33 billion...

Linking economic development with addressing social issues, especially poverty eradication and healthcare, has yielded very encouraging results. National defense and security have been strengthened, and political security, order, and social safety have been maintained. The work of building a clean and strong Party and political system has been focused on and achieved significant results…

The comprehensive achievements across various fields have contributed to strengthening confidence and creating a positive atmosphere throughout society, paving the way for the country's continued sustainable development, which has been recognized and highly appreciated by the international community. The United Nations ranked Vietnam's Sustainable Development Index in 2017 at 68th out of 157 countries and territories, an increase of 20 places compared to 2016.

Reporter:2017 marked a successful year for Vietnam in foreign affairs. Mr. President, could you please assess the outstanding achievements of Vietnam's foreign affairs work over the past year?

President Tran Dai Quang:2017 was a special year in the history of our country's diplomacy. Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing, complex, and unpredictable global and regional situation, foreign affairs were conducted proactively and positively, achieving significant successes in realizing the country's strategic goals and interests.

First and foremost, the APEC Vietnam 2017 Year and the 25th APEC Summit were tremendous successes, with Vietnam excellently fulfilling its role as host, creating a historical milestone in the process of economic and political integration in the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrating Vietnam's stature, capabilities, and wisdom; proposing many initiatives and priorities, managing flexibly and creatively, overcoming differences, building consensus, not only maintaining the momentum of APEC cooperation and integration, but also contributing to building the Forum's strategic vision for the coming decades.

We have strengthened cooperative relations with neighboring countries, the region, major partners, and traditional friends. Our leaders and those of other countries have conducted numerous high-level visits and exchanges. In particular, there have been dozens of high-level visits between Vietnam and leading countries in the region and the world. Never before have we, within a single day, hosted the highest-ranking leaders of China and the United States on state visits to Vietnam.

Foreign affairs have contributed to securing important external resources for national development. In the context of an uneven and unstable global economic recovery and increasing protectionist trends, we have strongly promoted economic, trade, and investment cooperation with other countries, both bilaterally and multilaterally, while also making a significant contribution to shaping economic and trade linkages in the region.

During the APEC High-Level Week, we played an active role in maintaining and promoting the negotiation process of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Trade activities and foreign investment attraction this year both achieved better results than expected.

External relations, integration, and international cooperation in the fields of diplomacy, defense, and security, both bilaterally and multilaterally, have contributed to firmly protecting the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the country, ensuring national security, social order and safety, and the strategic interests of the nation.

Within ASEAN, we have made a very important contribution to strengthening solidarity, consensus, and a common voice on strategic issues in the region. Mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation on security and defense with neighboring countries, the region, and major partners, Vietnam's active participation in multilateral forums on security and defense, as well as its involvement in UN peacekeeping operations, have enhanced political trust between Vietnam and other countries, contributing to raising our country's position and prestige in the international arena.

On November 11-12, US President Donald Trump paid a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Tran Dai Quang. This was President Donald Trump's first visit to Vietnam and took place during his first year in office.

Reporter:The APEC 2017 year was a highlight of Vietnam's foreign policy, affirming the country's position and strength in multilateral diplomacy. As the Chair of the 25th APEC Summit, could the President please elaborate on the significance and importance of this largest multilateral diplomatic event?

President Tran Dai Quang:The APEC Vietnam Year 2017, centered around the 25th APEC Summit Week held in Da Nang City from November 6th to 11th, 2017, was a resounding success. This is a remarkable diplomatic achievement of the entire Party, people, and armed forces of Vietnam, contributing to enhancing APEC's role as a leading regional economic cooperation mechanism in a rapidly changing world with pivotal transformations.

This success marks a new milestone in the process of international integration and the implementation of multilateral foreign policy, contributing to consolidating the trend of peace, cooperation, and development, and enhancing the prestige and position of our country in the international arena.

The 25th APEC Summit Week brought Vietnam into the spotlight of the world. The full participation of all APEC economic leaders and the leaders of the three guest countries – Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar – at the APEC Summit Week; over 21,000 people attending APEC Year 2017 activities; and over 11,000 people attending the Summit Week created a record number of attendees in APEC history.

This demonstrates Vietnam's strategic position and significant role in the region, the commitment of member economies to the APEC cooperation process, as well as the international community's interest in APEC and Vietnam. APEC economic leaders highly appreciate our role as host in leading and initiating many ideas and initiatives to bring APEC to consensus on many issues and towards building a shared future.

The record number of over 4,000 businesses participating in APEC High-Level Week events demonstrates the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of APEC, affirming APEC as a forum for people and businesses, and opening up new prospects for investment, trade, and business growth for the Asia-Pacific region and our country.

In particular, APEC Year 2017 also provided an opportunity for Vietnam to commemorate historical milestones in its multilateral foreign policy, especially the 40th anniversary of its membership in the United Nations (1977-2017) and the upcoming 20th anniversary of its membership in APEC (1998-2018). The achievements of APEC Year 2017 will create momentum for Vietnam to undertake significant international responsibilities in the coming years, including its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term and its chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020.

The success of APEC Year 2017 also laid the foundation for elevating bilateral relations between our country and its partners. During the APEC Summit Week, historic bilateral visits took place, including dozens of bilateral talks and contacts. Notably, Chinese President and General Secretary Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Vietnam immediately after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China; and for the first time, a US President – ​​Donald Trump – paid a state visit to Vietnam in the first year of his term.

The success of APEC Year 2017 and the 25th APEC High-Level Week once again affirms the important role and contribution of multilateral diplomacy throughout our nation's history of building and defending the country.

In the context of the current changing international situation, building on the results of APEC Year 2017 and the multilateral foreign relations activities that our country has been and is implementing, we will continue to leverage broad support and effectively mobilize resources to serve the comprehensive and synchronized reform process; lay the foundation for elevating and deepening bilateral relations; create conditions to enhance the international integration capacity of ministries, departments, localities and businesses nationwide, making an important contribution to ensuring a peaceful and stable environment, firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and enhancing the country's international role and position.

This is an important foundation for us to continue successfully achieving the goals and tasks set forth by the 12th National Congress of the Party.

Reporter:Along with achievements in both domestic and foreign affairs, we also recognize some limitations that need to be overcome. As the head of state, what are your concerns, President?

President Tran Dai Quang:We are delighted and proud of the great achievements of our country, but at the same time, we must seriously and frankly acknowledge our shortcomings.

The quality of growth is not high, and growth in some sectors and fields is still slow; many mechanisms, policies, and legal regulations are still inadequate, and administrative procedures in some areas are still cumbersome; corruption, waste, and negative practices still occur in many places, and many complaints and denunciations have not been resolved definitively; many investment projects are behind schedule, have low efficiency, and suffer losses; the restructuring process of agriculture, industry, and services in some regions and localities is still slow and not very effective; resource exploitation is still wasteful; there are no effective solutions to overcome environmental pollution in rural areas and craft villages; child abuse, domestic violence, and negative manifestations, moral and lifestyle degradation are causing public outrage; natural disasters, storms, and floods cause great damage to people and property, severely affecting production and people's lives. The lives of ethnic minorities, people in remote areas, areas affected by natural disasters, and the poor still face many difficulties.

The aforementioned limitations are hindering the country's development. It is crucial that we dare to face the truth and proactively propose solutions to overcome them.

Reporter:2018 is a pivotal year in the 2016-2020 five-year socio-economic development plan. Could the President please assess the advantages and challenges facing the country?

President Tran Dai Quang:The National Assembly has approved the main targets for socio-economic development in 2018, including GDP growth continuing to be set at 6.5-6.7%; continuing to ensure macroeconomic stability and control inflation; creating clear progress in implementing the three strategic breakthroughs, innovating the growth model associated with restructuring the economy, improving the quality of growth, labor productivity and the competitiveness of the economy...

We have very fundamental advantages: political and social stability, Vietnam's prestige in the international arena is increasingly high, confidence in the prospects for national development is strengthened; the country still has much potential for development, and most importantly, we have achieved great, historically significant accomplishments and learned valuable lessons from more than 30 years of national renewal...

The global and domestic situations present a mix of opportunities, difficulties, and challenges; posing many new and increasingly complex issues and demands on the cause of national renewal and development, as well as the protection of the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland. In particular, the advantage of a rapidly diminishing labor force is being lost due to the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; and Vietnam's highly open economy will be significantly affected by the global economic situation...

In the context of the above situation, we must maximize the strength of our solidarity, self-reliance, and determination, seize opportunities, overcome challenges, and move steadily forward.

Reporter:The fight against corruption and waste has always been a matter of concern for the entire nation. How does the President assess the work of preventing and combating corruption and waste over the past year?

President Tran Dai Quang:Over the past period, thanks to the focused and decisive leadership and direction of the Central Party Committee, the Politburo, the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption, the efforts of functional agencies, and the support and assistance of the people, the fight against corruption and waste has achieved very important results, which have been met with public approval, support, and praise.

Many major cases, causing serious damage to state and public property, have been investigated, prosecuted, and tried; much corrupt property has been recovered; and corrupt individuals have been severely punished according to the law. However, corruption and waste remain one of the four threats to the survival of the Party and the regime.

Therefore, the Party and the State have affirmed their determination to continue focusing on leading and directing the fight against corruption and waste regularly and continuously, mobilizing the strength of the entire people to actively participate in preventing and combating corruption and waste, considering this as one of the key tasks for 2018 and the following years.

Along with actively combating corruption and waste, it is necessary to continue effectively implementing the resolutions of the Central Committee, especially the resolutions of the Fourth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (11th and 12th terms) on strengthening Party building and rectification.

Every official and Party member must be exemplary, honest, and at the forefront of the fight against corruption and waste. The higher the position of an official, the more exemplary they must be, acting as the core in detecting and combating all types of crime, including economic crimes and corruption, thereby contributing to building a cleaner and stronger Party, State apparatus, and political system. The fight against corruption must be resolute, without exception, and must recover assets that corrupt individuals have misappropriated.

To prevent and gradually combat corruption and waste, all levels, sectors, agencies, and units must consider this a key and ongoing task requiring focused leadership and guidance, with practical and specific action plans. The Fatherland Front, along with various committees, departments, mass organizations, and the media, need to strengthen supervision, detection, and coordinated efforts to combat corruption, creating conditions for citizens to actively participate in this work.

Reporter:On the eve of the New Year, what message would the President like to convey to the people, soldiers throughout the country, and Vietnamese expatriates abroad?

President Tran Dai Quang:The country still faces many difficulties, but with the great achievements already made, the country's position, strength, overall power, and international prestige are increasingly enhanced, creating important prerequisites for continuing to successfully implement the goals and tasks set forth by the 12th National Congress of the Party.

I believe that, with this new momentum, our compatriots in the lowlands and highlands, at home and abroad, will highly promote the spirit of patriotism, self-reliance, self-strength, and the power of national unity, working together and striving to develop our country rapidly and sustainably, and firmly protect the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

On the occasion of the New Year 2018 and in preparation for the traditional Lunar New Year of the Year of the Dog, I would like to wish all compatriots, soldiers throughout the country, and our compatriots abroad good health, happiness, and success.

Reporter:Thank you very much, Mr. President!

According to TPO