Full text of the opening speech of the 6th Central Conference by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Dear Central Committee,

Dear Conference attendees,

Implementing the entire working program, today the 13th Party Central Committee began its 6th Conference to discuss and give opinions on reports and projects related to a number of major, very basic and important issues: (1) On the socio-economic situation, the State budget in 2022, the expected socio-economic development plan, the State budget estimate in 2023 and the 3-year State financial and budget plan (2023 - 2025); (2) Orientation of the National Master Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050; (3) Continuing to promote industrialization and modernization of the country until 2030, with a vision to 2045; (4) Continuing to build and perfect the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam in the new period; (5) Summarizing 15 years of implementing Resolution 5 of the 10th Central Committee on continuing to innovate the Party's leadership methods over the activities of the political system; and a number of other important issues, mainly on personnel work.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivers the opening speech at the 6th Central Conference. Photo: Pham Cuong

On behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, I would like to warmly welcome the comrades of the Party Central Committee and delegates attending the Conference; I would like to send you my respectful greetings, sincere regards and best wishes.

Dear comrades,

In the spirit of continuing to innovate, promote democracy and intelligence of the Central Committee in the process of reviewing, discussing and deciding on important issues of the Party and the country, I would like to have some suggestive opinions, raising issues for discussion; I hope to receive your attention.

1. On socio-economic development in 2022 - 2023

The review and assessment of the socio-economic situation and the State budget in 2022, the projected socio-economic development plan and the State budget in 2023 are set in the context of the world situation having many rapid, complex, unpredictable and unprecedented changes, beyond the forecasting capacity of countries and international organizations, which have negatively affected the implementation of socio-economic development goals and tasks and the Economic Recovery and Development Program of our country. The prolonged conflict in Ukraine, sanctions by the US and Western countries against Russia; strategic competition between major countries; measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in China; Natural disasters, floods, and widespread droughts in China, EU countries, etc. have disrupted the supply chain, caused sharp increases in the prices of crude oil, food, and many input materials and supplies, and caused inflation to spike in most countries and major partners. Domestically, in addition to opportunities and advantages, we continue to face new and more severe difficulties and challenges: We must continue to deal with the inherent shortcomings and weaknesses of the economy, which have accumulated for a long time and become more serious due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; control the Covid-19 pandemic, prevent and combat influenza A, dengue fever, African monkey pox and other complicated and irregular epidemics, natural disasters, storms and floods; prices of goods, supplies, and raw materials for production, especially gasoline, oil, input costs, and transportation, have increased, affecting the production and business activities of many enterprises, industries, sectors, and people's lives...

Delegates attending the conference. Photo: Pham Cuong

Therefore, it is recommended that the Central Committee carefully study the Report and Proposal of the Government Party Committee and the reality in ministries, branches and localities where it works, focus on discussing and carefully analyzing the outstanding features of 2022, clarifying the results achieved; the remaining limitations and weaknesses, the difficulties and obstacles that need to be resolved, the challenges that need to be overcome; pointing out the objective and subjective causes and lessons learned; forecasting the possibilities and upcoming situations, first of all from now until the end of 2022 and 2023, in a truly impartial, objective, scientific and comprehensive spirit. Pay attention to comparing with the set goals and tasks to both effectively prevent, combat and control the epidemic and recover and develop the socio-economy, especially prioritizing inflation control, maintaining macroeconomic stability, ensuring social security, promoting recovery and development of production and business, promoting growth and creating the premise for faster and more sustainable development in the coming years.

On the basis of correct assessment and evaluation of the situation, clear analysis of the causes, it is necessary to accurately identify development perspectives, guiding ideas, general goals, some basic and important indicators and main tasks and solutions for 2023. Is it true that in the coming time, we will still have to face many difficulties and challenges greater than the opportunities and advantages for development? For example: In reality, the world and regional situation continues to have rapid, complex and unpredictable developments, especially in the fields of currency, prices, trade and investment, creating great pressure on our country's economy, both in the short, medium and long term. We must continue to respond to negative impacts from the outside, while speeding up the process of handling limitations, weaknesses and difficulties and challenges from within the economy. Inflationary pressure, interest rates, exchange rates and the risk of recession in the world economy remain the biggest challenges to the task of stabilizing the macro economy, controlling inflation and ensuring major balances of our country's economy. Although production and business activities have recovered, they still face many difficulties, mainly due to gasoline and oil prices, strong fluctuations in input material prices, high production costs and narrowing import and export markets. Public investment continues to be a bottleneck, and the disbursement rate has not changed significantly. The stock market, corporate bonds and real estate still have many potential risks. Ideological work, ensuring information security and network security are facing many new difficulties and challenges. Disease prevention and control, health care and protection for people still face the reality of a shortage of human resources, medicine and medical supplies. The situation of epidemics, natural disasters, storms and floods continues to develop in a complicated and abnormal manner. The lives of a segment of the population, especially workers and freelancers in rural, mountainous, border and island areas, still face many difficulties; the work of ensuring social security and poverty reduction continues to face many new difficulties and challenges...

2. On the orientation of the National Master Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050

Implementing the Law on Planning passed by the 14th National Assembly in November 2017, the Government has recently closely directed the Ministry of Planning and Investment to preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and localities nationwide to urgently and seriously research and develop a draft National Master Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 (reports of about 2,000 pages; a total of 7,000 pages of documents) to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and decision in the near future.

Implementing the Working Regulations of the 13th Central Executive Committee, Politburo, and Secretariat, our Conference needs to review and give direction on the national master plan orientation submitted by the Government Party Committee to direct the Government to absorb the Central Committee's opinions, complete the National Master Plan Project for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, and submit it to the National Assembly for consideration and decision according to its authority. The content of the draft National Master Plan submitted to the National Assembly determines the development orientation of sectors and fields and the distribution and organization of space for socio-economic activities, national defense, security and environmental protection of national, international and inter-regional strategic importance throughout the national territory, including the mainland, islands, archipelagos, seas and airspace of the Fatherland. The content of the National Master Plan Orientation submitted to the Central Committee this time includes issues related to guidelines and policies guiding the development and completion of development plans in general and the National Socio-Economic Development Master Plan in particular; focusing on assessing and evaluating the development situation and organization of development space of the country in the period 2011 - 2020; viewpoints and guiding ideas for the establishment and implementation of the National Master Plan; main goals and targets to strive to achieve; and major orientations on the development and distribution of development space of key sectors and fields; orientations for organizing space by region and territory; orientations for the development of urban and rural systems; orientations for the development of the national land border gate system, etc.

Overview of the conference. Photo: Pham Cuong

This is the first time we have done this work, it is very new, very difficult, and we have no experience, but it is very important and urgent, and ministries, branches, and localities across the country are currently looking forward to it. Therefore, we request that you focus on carefully studying the documents, discussing enthusiastically and deeply the issues raised in the Report of the Government Party Committee, creating high consensus on the draft Conclusion of the Central Committee on the National Master Plan Orientation for the period 2021 - 2030, contributing practically to the effective leadership and direction of the development, promulgation, and organization of the implementation of the National Master Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 in particular, and the development plans of ministries, branches, and localities across the country in general.

3. On continuing to promote industrialization and modernization of the country by 2030, with a vision to 2045

We all know that promoting industrialization and modernization is a major policy, a strategic task, a central and top priority task of our Party, State and people in the transition period to socialism. The Platform for national construction in the transition period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011) has set out the task: "By the middle of the 21st century, our entire Party and people must strive to build our country into a modern industrialized country, following a socialist orientation" on the basis of promoting industrialization and modernization.

During more than 35 years of innovation, especially in the past 10 years (2011 - 2021), the entire Party, people and army have strived to constantly promote industrialization and modernization, achieving many important results and achievements, contributing to promoting high economic growth, reaching an average of 6.17%/year, improved growth quality, rapid economic growth, positive economic and labor structure shifts with the contribution of industry and services to GDP reaching about 72.7% in 2020, making our country a middle-income developing country.

However, due to many different reasons, we have not yet achieved the goal of becoming a modern industrialized country by 2020. There has been no breakthrough in strategic breakthroughs. Economic growth has not achieved the set strategic goals, the speed tends to decrease gradually in 10-year cycles. The internal strength of the economy is still weak; the capacity for independence and autonomy is low, and it is still heavily dependent on the foreign-invested sector. Labor productivity is low and slow to improve. The domestic private economic sector has not yet fulfilled its role as an important driving force for industrialization and modernization; State-owned enterprises still have many limitations. The urbanization process is also not synchronous, not really closely linked with industrialization, modernization and new rural construction. Issues related to cultural, social, human development, environmental protection also have many limitations, inadequacies, and are not synchronous with economic development,...

Therefore, the 13th National Party Congress determined: In the new context, to achieve the goal of Vietnam "Becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030" and "Becoming a developed country with high income" by 2045, it is necessary to "Continue to promote industrialization and modernization on the basis of scientific and technological progress and innovation".

In order to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, in the past time, the Politburo has actively directed the Central Economic Commission to preside over, together with the Central Committees, ministries, branches and localities, summarizing theories and practices, researching and developing a Project to submit to the Central Committee at this Conference for consideration and promulgation of a Resolution on continuing to promote industrialization and modernization of the country to 2030, with a vision to 2045. This is a very basic task, with a very large scope, extremely complex in nature, and of special importance to the rapid and sustainable development of the country, building the material and technical foundations of socialism. There are still unclear issues and many different opinions, especially in the context that the domestic and international situation has, is and will have many changes under the impact of the fourth industrial revolution.

We propose that the Central Committee comrades and the comrades attending the conference, starting from practice, discuss and evaluate objectively and scientifically the development, promulgation and organization of the implementation of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on promoting industrialization and modernization of the country in the past time, clearly pointing out the results and achievements that have been achieved; at the same time, deeply analyze the remaining limitations and weaknesses and their causes. From there, closely following the documents of the 13th National Party Congress and the reality of the country, the development trend in the world, focus on discussing, clarifying, creating high unity within the entire Party and the entire people on viewpoints, guiding thoughts, goals and major tasks and solutions that need to be implemented to continue to further promote the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country, successfully implementing the goals and tasks set by the 13th National Party Congress until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

4. On continuing to build and perfect the socialist rule of law state of Vietnam in the new period

As we all know, the State government is the vital issue of every revolution. When there is no government, the Communist Party must lead the way to gain power for the people. When there is a government, it must always consolidate, maintain and strengthen the power of the government in all aspects. This is an extremely serious and important issue. Since the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) in 1945 until now, especially in the past 35 years of renovation, our Party and State have always been steadfast and creative in applying and developing Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought and selectively absorbing universal values ​​of humanity on the rule of law state to build and perfect the socialist rule of law state of Vietnam led by the Communist Party, in accordance with the specific conditions of the country, and have achieved many very important results and achievements. Specifically: State management by law has been focused on and strengthened; The legal system has been gradually built, supplemented, amended and perfected to suit the requirements of the new situation. The 2013 Constitution continues to affirm and inherit the correct and progressive contents of previous Constitutions, while at the same time making important amendments and supplements, further perfecting the State apparatus structure, enhancing the role and responsibility of the National Assembly, the Government and the system of judicial agencies, increasingly fully promoting all three powers: Legislative, Executive and Judicial in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution: State power is unified, with division, coordination and control of power among State agencies.

Socialist democracy is increasingly perceived more correctly and promoted more strongly, considering it the core of the issue of political system innovation. In terms of economy, it is the right to freely produce and do business in all sectors that are not prohibited by law; the right to legally own property and the right to use land is protected by law; all potential, enthusiasm, and creativity of the people are promoted... In terms of politics, it is the right to democracy in elections, candidacy, and nomination; in discussing and contributing ideas to draft laws; it is democratic activities in elected bodies, social organizations, and the mass media; it is human rights and civil rights that are increasingly respected, protected, and guaranteed better...

The organization and operation of the State apparatus have been innovated and made significant progress. The National Assembly's activities are increasingly of higher quality, more democratic and more practical. The organization, operation and administration of the Government have been gradually innovated, focusing on macro-management work, while directing and implementing the work relatively closely and quickly. The activities of the Procuracy and the Court at all levels have also made new progress. The organization and operation of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations have been innovated, increasingly affirming their position and role in social life. The Party's leadership method towards the State has been innovated, gradually being defined more clearly and specifically, with higher quality and efficiency, creating conditions for the consolidation and promotion of the role and effectiveness of State management.

However, entering a new development stage, facing new requirements and tasks, the 13th National Party Congress affirmed the need to "Continue to build and perfect the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state"; considering this "a key task of political system innovation" in our country; at the same time, setting out the task of continuing to promote research, building and perfecting the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state in the new stage, in which, key tasks are identified by 2030, focusing on prioritizing the building and perfecting of the legal system and administrative and judicial reforms.

The Project, Submission and Draft Resolution submitted to this Central Conference have been carefully and seriously prepared by the Steering Committee for the Project on the basis of 27 thematic reports summarizing comprehensively both the theory and practice of building the Socialist Rule of Law State of Vietnam in the past time by the Central Committees, ministries, branches and agencies; opinions at 18 seminars, conferences, and talks, 3 Conferences to collect opinions from provincial and municipal Party Committees and the Advisory Report of the Central Theoretical Council.

This is a very basic, broad, important issue, but also extremely complicated, sensitive, crucial, related to the survival of the regime, the rapid and sustainable development of the country on the socialist path that the Party, Uncle Ho and our people have chosen. We request that the Central Committee comrades and comrades attending the conference carefully study the documents, discuss and evaluate objectively and scientifically the results and achievements that have been achieved; at the same time, deeply analyze the remaining limitations, weaknesses and causes. From there, closely following the Party Platform, the State Constitution, the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the country's reality, focus on discussing and clarifying, creating high unity within the entire Party and people on viewpoints, guiding thoughts, goals and major tasks and solutions that need to be thoroughly grasped and implemented to create a stronger change in building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam led by the Communist Party; Pay attention to the synchronous and complete completion of the legal system, smooth and unified operation of the State apparatus and all areas of social life; assign and closely coordinate among agencies in exercising State power; strengthen power control; promote administrative reform and judicial reform; build a streamlined and honest team of cadres, civil servants and public employees; effectively prevent and combat corruption and negativity.

5. On summarizing 15 years of implementing Resolution 5 of the Central Committee (10th tenure) on continuing to innovate the Party's leadership method over the activities of the political system

Implementing the entire working program and the direction of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the Central Steering Committee has recently summarized 15 years of implementing the Resolution of the 5th Central Committee (10th tenure) on continuing to innovate the Party's leadership method for the activities of the political system. The summary of the Resolution has been carried out seriously, methodically, meticulously, scientifically, with the participation and close coordination, with a high sense of responsibility of the Central and local departments, ministries, branches, veteran revolutionaries, former leaders of the Party and State. The summary report submitted to the Central Committee at this Conference objectively and comprehensively assessed the implementation of the Resolution of the 5th Central Committee (10th tenure), pointing out the great, comprehensive, and impressive results and achievements that have been achieved; at the same time, it also frankly pointed out the remaining limitations and weaknesses and clearly analyzed the causes. From there, it sets out viewpoints, goals, tasks, main solutions and recommends that the Central Committee consider issuing a new Resolution to continue leading, directing innovation, and perfecting the Party's leadership methods, effectively promoting the Party's leadership in the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system to be truly clean and strong, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new development stage.

This is a very important content of the work of building a clean and strong Party and political system that the 13th National Party Congress has set forth. I request that comrades focus on studying, discussing, and creating high consensus on the assessment of the implementation of Resolution 5 of the Central Committee (10th tenure) and the viewpoints, goals, tasks, and main solutions proposed to meet the development requirements in the new period. Pay attention to new, breakthrough, and highly feasible tasks and solutions to continue to promote the results, achievements, and successful lessons that have been achieved; thoroughly overcome the remaining limitations and weaknesses and the causes drawn from the summary process to promptly overcome the remaining limitations and shortcomings such as: Theoretical awareness of the Party's leadership and governance methods still has unclear issues. The innovation and improvement of the quality of the formulation and promulgation of Party resolutions, the institutionalization of Party guidelines and policies into laws and policies of the State have not really changed clearly; the quality of some documents is still not close to reality; the organization of the implementation of resolutions is not strict; the method of organizing the dissemination of resolutions is still little innovated. The completion of the overall model of the Party's apparatus and the political system; decentralization, delegation of power, assignment of work, coordination between levels and sectors; the clear determination of functions, tasks, powers, and working relationships of agencies and units in the political system are still slow and confusing, especially in handling the unclear situation of powers and responsibilities between Party and State agencies. Some Party committees and organizations have not strictly implemented the Party's principles in leadership, especially the principles of democratic centralism, self-criticism and criticism; There are still situations of making excuses, imposing, doing things on behalf of others or avoiding, being afraid of responsibility, and loosening the Party's leadership role. Organizational work, cadres and the implementation of exemplary responsibilities of Party members are still limited; democracy and transparency have not been truly ensured, and there is a lack of mechanisms for discovering, nurturing, using, and promoting talents; power in cadre work has not been well controlled; a number of cadres and Party members, especially leaders and managers at all levels, still lack exemplary behavior, negatively affecting the prestige and leadership role of the Party. Although Party inspection, supervision, and discipline work has had many innovations and breakthroughs in preventing and combating corruption and negativity in recent times, in general, it has not fully met the requirements and tasks in the new situation; quality and effectiveness are not even at all levels, and self-inspection and supervision still have many limitations...

Dear comrades,

It can be said that this Central Conference is a Conference for us to continue to carry out the task of thoroughly grasping and implementing the major and essential contents and issues of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. Most of the issues we need to discuss and decide are very basic and important, but also very difficult, complicated and sensitive. Many issues have had policies and guidelines and have been implemented for a long time, but up to now, besides the achieved results, there are still many limitations and weaknesses that need to continue to be implemented at a new level with new determinations and new policies, in order to meet the requirements of the new development stage. Therefore, we request that the Central Committee and the comrades attending the Conference promote a high sense of responsibility, be truly democratic and innovative, focus on research, discussion, and contribute many high-quality and profound opinions to complete the reports and projects and consider and decide at the end of the session.

In that spirit, I hereby declare open the 6th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee. I wish our Conference great success, and it must be a great success!

Thank you very much, comrades!