Full text of speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Central Conference by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

We respectfully introduce the full text of the speech of General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong:

"Dear Central Committee comrades,

Dear Conference attendees,

According to the program just approved by the Central Committee, at this Conference, the Central Executive Committee will discuss and decide on the following issues: Personnel work orientation of the 13th Central Executive Committee; Orientation for the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term; Number and allocation of delegates to the 13th National Party Congress; and a number of other important issues.

First of all, on behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, I would like to warmly welcome and send my sincere regards and best wishes to the Central Committee members and delegates attending the Conference.

According to the Working Regulations, the Central Party Office has sent documents for your consideration in advance. Here, I would like to express some opinions, which are of an issue-raising nature for your consideration, study, discussion, and decision.

1. On the direction of personnel work of the 13th Central Executive Committee

As you know, immediately after the establishment of the Sub-committees to prepare for the 13th National Party Congress at the 8th Central Conference, the preparation of the Congress documents was carried out urgently, seriously and thoroughly. The Central Committee gave its opinions on the draft documents at the 10th and 11th Central Conferences, and now the draft Congress documents have been sent to Party committees and organizations nationwide to collect opinions at Party congresses at all levels.

From now until the National Party Congress, along with continuing to complete the draft documents of the Congress, the Central Executive Committee must focus its efforts on preparing personnel for the Congress according to the provisions of the Party Charter. This is an extremely important task, requiring us to work hard to prepare according to a strict process and appropriate progress. Recently, at the National Cadre Conference on April 23, 2020, with the permission of the Politburo, I expressed some suggestive and directional opinions on this issue.

At today's Conference, the Central Committee will discuss, comment, consider and decide on the Personnel Work Orientation of the 13th Central Executive Committee to serve as a basis for preparing personnel to participate in the 13th Central Executive Committee, Politburo, Secretariat, Central Inspection Commission and key leadership personnel of state agencies for the 2021-2026 term, which will be discussed at the following Conferences.

Determining the direction of personnel work must come from the requirements of implementing the Party's political guidelines and tasks, building and defending the Fatherland, building and rectifying the Party and the entire political system in our country. We have gone through nearly 35 years of implementing the renovation process and have achieved great and historic achievements, but there are also many limitations and shortcomings. Forecasting the coming years, the opportunities and challenges for our country are both very large.

Conference scene

Therefore, it is necessary to continue to strengthen the building and rectification of the Party and the political system to be truly and increasingly clean and strong; promote the tradition, will and strength of great national unity combined with the strength of the times; innovate and create, develop the country quickly and sustainably; firmly protect the Fatherland, maintain a peaceful and stable environment; strive to make our country a developed country with a socialist orientation by the middle of the 21st century.

To do so, we must build a Central Executive Committee - the highest leadership body of the Party between two Party Congresses - that is truly a combat staff, the core of political leadership and the center of solidarity and high unity of the entire Party and the entire nation. This is an extremely important task that is related to the fate of the Party, the nation and the future development of the country.

Recently, on the basis of summarizing the experience and lessons in personnel preparation of previous congresses, especially the recent 12th Party Congress, and based on practical requirements, the Personnel Subcommittee has prepared a draft of the Personnel Work Orientation for the 13th Central Executive Committee.

After reporting to the Politburo for the first time, the Subcommittee organized to collect opinions from Party committees, Party organizations, agencies, units under the Central Committee and Central Committee members. Most Party committees, Party organizations, agencies, units and Central Committee members basically agreed with the draft; they believed that the draft had been carefully, seriously and thoroughly prepared, selectively inheriting the personnel work experience of previous terms. The Personnel Subcommittee seriously absorbed the comments and reported to the Politburo for the second time before submitting it to the Central Committee Conference today.

The Politburo's Report submitted to the Central Committee this time has presented quite fully the results of the summary of the personnel work of the 12th Congress; the viewpoints, principles, goals, and requirements for building the 13th Central Executive Committee; the criteria for members of the Central Executive Committee; the conditions, structure, number, introduction process, selection methods, and a number of issues that need to be implemented by the leadership in the process of preparing and implementing the personnel work of the Central Executive Committee.

I suggest that each Central Committee member should fully understand the position and great significance of this important work, focus on discussing, analyzing, and deepening the above contents. What issues and stages need to be noted and emphasized? Is it true that, regarding the criteria for members of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat at the present time, it is necessary to emphasize that they must have a truly steadfast political stance, be steadfast in the goal of national independence and socialism, be absolutely loyal to Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the Party's Platform and guidelines, the State's Constitution, and the interests of the nation and people; have moral qualities and a pure lifestyle, be truly exemplary, not be corrupt, opportunistic, or ambitious for power, be conscious of preserving and protecting the unity and solidarity within the Party, and be trusted and credited by the masses?

In personnel preparation, is it necessary to emphasize the need for a very high sense of responsibility, to be truly objective, truly impartial, transparent, and exemplary in strictly following the Party's organizational principles, regulations, and rules, and to put the common cause of the Party, the country, and the nation above all else? Resolutely fight against all manifestations of individualism, opportunism, localism, factionalism, "group interests", and seeking positions and power...

2. On the direction of election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021 - 2026 term

According to the Working Regulations of the Central Executive Committee, in the past time, the Politburo has closely directed and the National Assembly Party Delegation has proactively and actively coordinated with relevant agencies and organizations to develop a Project on the direction of the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term. Incorporating the Politburo's direction, the National Assembly Party Delegation has completed the Project to submit to the Central Committee for consideration and decision at this Conference.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong delivered the opening speech at the conference. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

The project has summarized and evaluated quite comprehensively and objectively the situation of the election of deputies to the National Assembly and the election of deputies to People's Councils at all levels in recent terms, clearly pointing out the achieved results, the remaining limitations and shortcomings, the causes and lessons learned. From there, it proposes directions to handle the issues arising in the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and the election of People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term; clearly defining the responsibilities of relevant agencies and organizations in the election work.

The election of National Assembly and People's Council deputies at all levels is a major political event of the country. The upcoming election of National Assembly and People's Council deputies will be the third time implementing the Resolution of the 4th Central Conference of the 10th tenure on innovation in organizing the election of National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels at the same time, in accordance with the provisions of the 2013 Constitution and current election laws.

Propose that the Central Committee discuss, consider and decide on the issues mentioned in the Project and the Report to have a basis for leading and directing the successful organization of the election. Pay attention to analyzing, supplementing, clarifying and creating high consensus on key issues that are decisive for the success of the election, such as: Objectives, requirements, viewpoints on directing the election work; the establishment of organizations in charge of the election; standards for National Assembly deputies, People's Council deputies at all levels in general and full-time deputies in particular; the number, structure and age of National Assembly deputies, People's Council deputies, especially the number and structure of full-time deputies, female deputies, ethnic minority deputies, deputies representing social groups and strata; constituencies and the balance of candidates in constituencies; the right to vote and run for election; the process of candidacy and nomination; the propaganda, election campaign and the settlement of complaints and denunciations; Organizing the election of People's Council delegates in places where there is no People's Council at the lower level; expected election date... and work to organize and implement the Project.

3. On the number and allocation of delegates attending the 13th Party Congress

According to the Party Charter, the Central Executive Committee is responsible for deciding on the allocation of delegates to the National Party Congress. Based on research and experience in the allocation of delegates at recent National Party Congresses (the 10th, 11th, and 12th Congresses), the Politburo submitted to the Central Executive Committee for comments on the principles and bases for allocating delegates and the expected number of delegates for the 67 Party Committees directly under the Central Committee.

Accordingly, the principle of allocating delegates must comply with the provisions of the Party Charter, with a reasonable number, representing the intelligence of the entire Party, ensuring the success of the Congress. The basis for allocating delegates to the Party Congress is based on 3 criteria: Party cell headquarters directly under the Central Committee, the number of Party members of each Party cell, and the important position of some Party cells.

Based on the experience of previous terms, the allocation of delegates to the National Party Congress according to the above principles and bases has been basically agreed upon by all Party committees and organizations at all levels. The most important thing is to choose correctly and elect truly exemplary and worthy comrades to represent the Party organization at the National Party Congress. (The delegates attending the Congress must also be truly outstanding cadres and Party members, with courage, qualifications, and representative of their Party organization, and not be influenced by the wrongdoings of bad elements, especially in personnel work).

We request that Central Committee members focus on giving their opinions on the principles and criteria for allocating delegates; the expected allocation of specific numbers as stated in the Politburo's Report and the accompanying data appendices. After the Central Executive Committee agrees on the principles and bases for allocating delegates, the Politburo will consider and decide on the specific number of delegates from each Party Committee to attend the 13th National Party Congress.

4. Also at this Conference, the Central Executive Committee will give opinions on the Report reviewing the leadership and direction of the Politburo and Secretariat in 2019;Report on important tasks that the Politburo has resolved since the 11th Central Conference (October 2019) to the 12th Central Conference, 12th tenure; Report on inspection, supervision and discipline work within the Party in 2019. I request that comrades take the time to carefully study and give their opinions on these specific but extremely important issues, contributing to improving the leadership quality and fighting strength of the Politburo, Secretariat and Central Inspection Commission in the coming time.

Dear comrades,

Our conference takes place at a time when the whole country is having many activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the complete liberation of the South and national reunification; the 130th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and especially in the context that we have been doing a good job in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,... contributing to arousing in the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army the pride in the glorious Party, the great Uncle Ho, the heroic Vietnamese nation, the Vietnamese people with great patriotism, solidarity and humanity. More than anyone else, each Central Committee member needs to promote the steadfast and glorious revolutionary tradition of the Party and the nation, further uphold the sense of responsibility, strive to fulfill the assigned responsibilities, contribute many profound and accurate opinions, ensuring the success of the Conference.

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

Thank you very much!./."