Press release of the opening session of the 13th National Party Congress

13th National Congress of DelegatesThe National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam officially opened on the morning of January 26, 2021, at the National Convention Center, Hanoi Capital.

Panorama of the opening session. Photo: Thanh Duy

The Congress was attended by 1,587 delegates representing more than 5 million Party members of the entire Party. Of these, 191 delegates were members of the 12th Party Central Committee, 1,381 delegates were elected from the Party Congresses of provinces, cities and Party Congresses directly under the Central Committee, and 15 delegates were from Party Committees abroad appointed by the Politburo. There were 1,365 male delegates, accounting for 86.01%, 222 female delegates, accounting for 13.99%. There were 175 ethnic minority delegates, accounting for 11.03%. There were 3 delegates who were Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, accounting for 0.19%; 13 delegates were Distinguished Teachers, accounting for 0.82%; 15 delegates were People's Doctors and Distinguished Doctors, accounting for 0.95%.

Attending the Congress were invited delegates:

- Comrade Nong Duc Manh, former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Former members of the Politburo, former Presidents of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Comrade Tran Duc Luong, Comrade Nguyen Minh Triet, Comrade Truong Tan Sang. Former members of the Politburo, former Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung. Former members of the Politburo, former Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Comrade Nguyen Van An, Comrade Nguyen Sinh Hung. Former members of the Politburo, former Secretaries of the Party Central Committee; former Chairmen of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; former Vice Presidents, former Vice Chairmen of the National Assembly, former Deputy Prime Ministers; former members of the Party Central Committee from the III to VII terms; members of the Central Inspection Commission of the XII term.

- Representatives of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, intellectuals, artists, and outstanding religious dignitaries; representatives of outstanding youth of the young generation of Vietnam.

- Ambassadors, chargé d'affaires of countries and heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vietnam.

Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Presidium chaired the opening session of the Congress. Photo: Thanh Duy

In the opening session, Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Presidium chaired the opening session of the Congress.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Politburo member, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Presidium read the opening speech of the Congress.

Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, presented the Report of the 12th Party Central Committee on documents submitted to the 13th National Party Congress.

Comrade Nguyen Thanh Hai, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the 14th National Assembly Delegation of Thai Nguyen province, member of the Congress Secretariat, read the list of 215 political parties, organizations and international friends who sent congratulatory messages and letters to the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (as of January 22, 2021).

Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Politburo member, Chairwoman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Presidium and the entire Congress, expressed her respect and gratitude for the friendship, cooperation, attention, encouragement, support and valuable assistance that international political parties, organizations and friends have given to the Communist Party of Vietnam and our people; affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam will continue to consistently implement the foreign policy that our Party has set out, strengthen friendly relations and cooperation with countries, political parties, organizations and international friends, contributing to the cause of peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world.

Comrade Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member, Standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat, presented a report reviewing the leadership and direction of the 12th Party Central Committee.

On the afternoon of January 26, 2021, delegates worked in groups and discussed documents of the 13th Congress.