Full text of the General Secretary's opening speech at the 4th Conference of the Party Central Committee (12th tenure)

On the morning of October 9, the 4th Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee solemnly opened in Hanoi. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivered an important speech to open the Conference.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivered the opening speech at the Conference. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

We respectfully introduce the full text of the speech:

Dear Central Committee comrades,

Dear Conference attendees,

Implementing the full-term working program, today, the Central Executive Committee began its fourth meeting to discuss and give opinions on: The socio-economic situation in 2016, the planned socio-economic development plan for 2017; Some major guidelines and policies to innovate the growth model, improve growth quality, labor productivity, and economic competitiveness; Effectively implementing the international economic integration process, maintaining socio-political stability in the context of our country participating in new-generation free trade agreements; Strengthening Party building and rectification, preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party and some other important issues.

On behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, I warmly welcome the Central Executive Committee members and invited delegates to the Conference and would like to send you my best wishes.

Dear comrades,

Recently, the Politburo has directed the Government Party Committee and Party committees to actively prepare reports and projects. According to the Working Regulations, the Central Party Office has sent documents for comrades to study in advance.

Next, I would like to make a statement to note some aspects related to the contents and tasks of the Conference, which are suggestive and raise issues, and hope that you will pay attention during the discussion, consideration and decision process.

1- On the socio-economic situation in 2016, the expected socio-economic development plan for 2017

2016 is the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress. Besides opportunities and advantages, there are also many difficulties and challenges. The success of the 12th National Party Congress has created new momentum and spirit for the cause of innovation, construction and protection of the Fatherland.

After the Party Congress, the Central Committee successfully led the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2016-2021 term; promptly completed the leadership bodies of the Party and State; promptly developed and actively organized the implementation of the 2016 and 5-year socio-economic development plans for 2016-2020.

The entire political system has actively inherited and promoted the achievements and results, overcome the existing limitations and weaknesses, and calmly and soberly handled new issues arising from the adverse impacts of the unfavorable situation such as: The world economy recovered slowly and contained many unpredictable uncertainties; crude oil prices fell sharply, remaining at a much lower level than expected, greatly affecting the state budget revenue and the development of the oil and gas industry.

Prolonged drought in the South Central and Central Highlands provinces; drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta; severe cold, storms and floods in some northern provinces, and serious environmental incidents in some central provinces have severely affected agricultural development and farmers' lives.

I request that you closely follow the reports and submissions of the Politburo and the actual situation in sectors, fields and localities to discuss and objectively and comprehensively evaluate the socio-economic development in the first 9 months of the year, forecasting until the end of 2016. Point out the results and achievements that have been achieved, the remaining limitations and weaknesses, and analyze and clarify the causes.

Pay attention to comparing with the set goals and tasks, especially the goals and tasks of stabilizing the macro economy, achieving growth at about 6.7%; developing culture and society, caring for people's lives, ensuring social security; protecting national independence and sovereignty, political security and social order and safety, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

Based on analysis and forecast of possible events in the coming time, grasp opportunities, advantages and difficulties, challenges, clearly identify general goals, basic and most important indicators for 2017 and propose highly feasible policies, measures.

Special attention is paid to breakthrough policies and measures to control public debt, handle bad debt, restructure the state budget, promote restructuring of public investment, state-owned enterprises, public service units and the system of commercial banks, improve the investment and business environment to mobilize and use resources more effectively, and ensure major balances of the economy.

2- On innovation of growth model, improving growth quality, labor productivity and competitiveness of the economy

This is an issue of strategic significance and special importance, deciding the success of the innovation cause. Based on the reality of 5 years of implementing the Resolution of the 11th Congress in the context of increasingly deep international integration and the rapid development of the 4th industrial revolution, the 12th Congress has supplemented and developed this important policy and set out the requirement to continue promoting the implementation of the task of innovating the growth model, improving growth quality, labor productivity and competitiveness of the economy.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivered the opening speech at the Conference. (Photo: Tri Dung/VNA)

The Report and Project presented to this Central Conference have generally assessed the situation of growth model innovation associated with economic restructuring in our country in recent years, pointing out 7 results, 6 limitations and weaknesses, 3 main causes and 5 lessons learned; from there, proposing viewpoints and orientations for a number of major policies and guidelines to continue to innovate the growth model in the coming time.

I request that comrades study and discuss carefully, give realistic opinions on each issue, pay attention to major, new and difficult issues, especially important and sensitive proposals for innovation as stated in the Politburo's Submission.

Regarding situation assessment, it is necessary to thoroughly analyze the causes leading to limitations and weaknesses, especially subjective causes.

Is it mainly due to: not having a correct and unified perception of the new growth model with all the factors that constitute the driving force, resources and methods to create growth, even having a simplistic view, identifying the growth model with the development model.

Innovation and improvement of socialist-oriented market economic institutions are still slow, with no breakthroughs in mobilizing, allocating and effectively using development resources according to market signals and mechanisms.

Insufficient awareness, poor implementation of the three strategic breakthroughs, restructuring the economy, first of all the three key priority areas of restructuring that the 11th tenure has set out.

There has not been a clear change in fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training, development of high-quality human resources, development of science and technology, promotion of innovation, creativity, research and application of science and technology, especially information technology and network technology.

Has there been no effective organization to promote opportunities and advantages, overcome difficulties and challenges of international economic integration for the economy in general and innovate the growth model, improve growth quality, labor productivity and competitiveness of the economy in particular?...

Regarding viewpoints, orientations, and major policies, we request that comrades closely follow the Resolution and Documents of the 12th Congress to discuss, concretize, and supplement and develop in order to effectively implement the Resolution of the Congress.

Clearly identify the growth model that needs to be built with innovations compared to the current growth model; roadmap, steps in the next 5-10 years, vision to 2030; policies, measures to promote the role of science and technology, restructuring and improving labor quality, production and business organization level, mobilizing and effectively using social resources, especially resources of the private economic sector; policies on accumulation and concentration of agricultural land use rights; policies and measures to more fundamentally handle the problem of bad debt and weak commercial banks...

3- On effectively implementing the international economic integration process, maintaining political and social stability in the new context

Nearly 10 years ago, in order to promptly lead and direct successful international economic integration when our country joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), on February 5, 2007, the 10th Central Executive Committee issued Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW "On a number of major guidelines and policies for the economy to develop rapidly and sustainably when Vietnam becomes a member of the World Trade Organization".

Since then, especially in recent years, Vietnam's international economic integration has made new strides in both breadth and depth through the signing and implementation of many new-generation free trade agreements, including agreements not only on trade and investment liberalization but also commitments on labor, trade unions, intellectual property, state-owned enterprises and many other complex and sensitive political, cultural and social issues.

The official establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of 2015, the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with Korea and the Eurasian Economic Union, especially the signing and preparation for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and the Free Trade Agreement with the EU have opened up many opportunities and advantages but also posed many new difficulties and challenges, not only in terms of economy but also in terms of defense, security, foreign affairs, culture and society.

I request that you carefully study the documents, discuss and give your opinions on the necessity of issuing a specialized Resolution on this issue; comprehensively and objectively assess the context, situation, positive and negative impacts, especially the factors affecting the country's socio-political stability and sustainable development.

Accurately assess the opportunities and challenges for the process of international economic integration and the cause of national construction and defense in the next 5-10 years. Clarify viewpoints, guiding thoughts and some major policies and guidelines to ensure both successful international economic integration and maintaining political and social stability.

In this process, it is necessary to closely follow the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress on international integration, the implementation of Resolution 08 of the 10th Central Committee on WTO accession, Resolution 22 of the 11th Politburo on international integration and Resolution 28 of the 11th Central Committee "On the Strategy for National Defense in the New Situation" to consider and issue a specialized Resolution of the Central Committee to inherit, supplement and develop the Party's viewpoints, guidelines and policies on international economic integration in accordance with the situation of the country, region and the world.

Focus on clarifying the upcoming viewpoints and guiding ideas to meet the requirements of the new situation. Identify specific and clear policies and measures to prevent and handle challenges and negative impacts from the implementation of new international commitments that may occur, especially challenges and negative impacts on agriculture and farmers, on small and medium enterprises when opening the market, reducing import tariffs on most goods to zero; on ensuring national defense, security, political and social stability when implementing commitments on labor and trade unions, liberalizing the service market, including the financial and monetary service market, telecommunications services, the Internet and social networks...

4- On Party building and rectification

As we all know, the Party's leadership is the leading factor that determines all victories of the Vietnamese revolution; Party building and rectification are always particularly important tasks, of vital significance to our Party and our regime. The 12th National Party Congress has set out 10 basic tasks to build our Party to be truly clean and strong; in which it affirmed to continue to persistently and resolutely implement the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee, Session 4, on Party building.

Implementing the Resolution of the 12th Congress, the Central Executive Committee has decided that this Conference needs to discuss and issue a Resolution on "Strengthening Party building and rectification; preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party." This is an important issue, both fundamental and urgent.

At the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th National Congresses, our Party emphasized the need to prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle. The 12th National Congress of the Party continued to warn and set the requirement: "Fight, prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle; prevent and repel the manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation"; consider this one of the six key tasks of this term.

Implementing the Resolution of the 11th Central Committee on Party building, with the very high political determination of the entire Party, people and army, we have achieved important initial results, but the state of degradation, "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" has not been prevented or pushed back, and in some aspects, it has become more sophisticated and complicated, possibly causing unpredictable consequences.

The Politburo's report and related documents sent to the Central Committee have outlined quite fully the contents of the Project. We would like to ask comrades to give their opinions on the name, theme and scope of the Project, and what needs to be added or adjusted. From there, we can correctly assess the situation and causes; clearly identify the goals, viewpoints, guiding thoughts and appropriate policies and measures for each content and issue.

Based on the inheritance of previous Central Resolutions, especially the 4th Central Resolution of the 11th tenure, it is proposed to conduct additional research to clarify what is the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle? Are the manifestations as stated in the Report, Project and Draft Resolution clear enough? What further issues need to be identified? What is "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party? To what extent? What are the causes? What are the harmful effects?

With the spirit of looking straight at the truth and correctly assessing the truth, I request that you, comrades, go into depth to analyze, dissect, clarify, point out the correct root causes, and propose effective remedies. The project sets out four groups of tasks and solutions on political and ideological education, self-criticism and criticism; on mechanisms and policies; on inspection, supervision, and party discipline; on promoting the role of the people, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations.

Are the above groups of solutions accurate, strong and feasible enough to change the situation? What additional solutions need to be added, and what issues need to be noted in the content of each group of solutions? Which solutions can we implement immediately; and which solutions need additional regulations and instructions, how should they be implemented?...

Dear comrades,

The contents presented at this Central Conference are very important issues for the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, including the implementation of the central task of socio-economic development and the implementation of the key task of Party building and rectification.

We request that comrades promote a high sense of responsibility, research, discuss enthusiastically, and give opinions to complete reports, projects, draft resolutions, and conclusions of the Central Committee and consider and decide at the end of the session.

In that spirit, I hereby declare open the 4th Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee, wishing the Conference great success.

Thank you very much”./.

According to Vietnamplus