General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong: Striving for better results in 2019 than in 2018

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong commented that in 2018 we achieved many important results, which can be said to be comprehensive and commendable in most areas, leaving good impressions and giving us many valuable lessons, contributing to the successful implementation of the goals and tasks of the first half of the 12th term, while creating new momentum and motivation, new spirit for the completion of all goals and tasks set for 2019 and the entire 5-year period of 2016 - 2020.

“It is no coincidence that an atmosphere of excitement and confidence in the Party's leadership and in the victory of the cause of innovation, national construction and protection continues to spread throughout the country,” said General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong warmly welcomed, commended and sincerely thanked the National Assembly, the Government, Party committees at all levels, authorities, organizations, business communities, cadres, Party members, compatriots and soldiers nationwide for the results, achievements and great efforts and contributions in 2018.

At the same time, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong also emphasized that we absolutely must not be complacent or complacent; and not be too intoxicated with achievements and victories. Because the country still faces many difficulties and challenges. The world and regional situation continues to evolve rapidly, complicatedly, and unpredictably. The world economy still has many potential risks, especially in finance, currency, and exports under the impact of the trade war...

Referring to the direction and tasks for 2019, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that 2019 is the fourth year - the year preparing to end the 5-year term; the starting year of the process of preparing to organize party congresses at all levels, towards the 13th National Congress of the Party, so it is very important.

The Government, local authorities and the entire political system need to strive, urgently propose and proactively and actively implement programs and work plans with strong mechanisms, policies and measures that are suitable to reality and highly feasible, ensuring the successful completion of the guidelines, policies, goals and tasks set forth by the Party.

In this spirit, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong has raised four major groups of tasks that need to be focused on and prioritized for implementation.

Strengthening the macroeconomic foundation

The first group of tasks is to continue to consolidate the macroeconomic foundation, control inflation, improve the capacity to respond to unusual fluctuations in the market, especially the world market; maintain growth momentum, improve growth quality on the basis of further improving the investment and business environment, improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy in association with promoting the implementation of three strategic breakthroughs, innovating the growth model and restructuring the economy.

Continue to promote administrative reform, creating more obvious changes in substantially removing bottlenecks and barriers to investment, production and business activities of people and enterprises. Overcome the situation of slow issuance of documents guiding the implementation of laws or issued documents with unclear and inaccurate content; harassment and delay in handling administrative procedures on management, exploitation and use of land, resources, construction, environmental protection, market access, resources and investment projects...

Synchronously and healthily develop all types of markets, especially markets for essential goods and services and markets for production factors such as: financial and monetary markets, land use rights and real estate markets, and electricity markets. Promote the restructuring, innovation, and improvement of the operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises; thoroughly handle enterprises and investment projects that are behind schedule, making losses, and ineffective; handle bad debts of the credit institution system; improve the quality, progress, and efficiency of public investment disbursement; mobilize the participation of domestic and foreign economic sectors for development investment...

At the same time, in 2019 and the following years, it is necessary to continue to promote the review, adjustment, supplementation and strict and effective implementation of programs, plans and projects on perfecting the socialist-oriented market economic institution; developing human resources, especially high-quality human resources, to meet the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution; developing synchronous infrastructure in a modern direction and innovating the growth model, restructuring the economy.

Strive to create qualitative and breakthrough changes in these areas of work so that our country's economy truly operates according to market mechanisms, fully and correctly complies with market rules, and is suitable to the reality of the country's development in the new situation.

The economy needs to continue to be restructured in a stronger and more synchronous manner at the national level as well as at the sector, field, locality and specific economic organizations.

Pay more attention to cultural and social development

Second, pay more attention and have more specific and practical measures for effectively building and developing culture, society, and human development in accordance with the spirit of the 12th National Congress Resolution and the Central Committee's resolutions on this field.

It is necessary to perceive and thoroughly grasp the viewpoint: "Culture is the spiritual foundation of society"; "Culture lights the way for the nation"; only when culture is strong, society is stable, develops harmoniously, and people develop comprehensively can the country develop quickly and sustainably; progress and social justice must be implemented in every step and every development policy...

In building culture, developing society, and taking care of human development, it is necessary to pay special attention to preserving and promoting national cultural traditions and identities; educating and fostering the qualities, ethics, and personality of Vietnamese people; building prosperous, harmonious, and happy families; and developing a fair, democratic, and civilized society.

Focus on prioritizing the fundamental and systematic handling of current pressing social issues such as: the gap between rich and poor and the development level tends to widen; the rate of near-poor and re-poor households is still high, especially in ethnic minority areas, remote areas, border areas, and islands; social morality is deteriorating, social evils are increasing, including in offices, hospitals, schools, etc.

Urgently develop, review, supplement, complete and seriously and effectively implement programs, plans and projects on: reforming salary policies for cadres, civil servants, public employees, armed forces and workers in enterprises; reforming social insurance policies; policies for people with meritorious services; sustainable poverty reduction; ensuring social security and social welfare; prioritizing development resources in areas with many difficulties, ethnic minority areas and areas affected by natural disasters, climate change and rising sea levels; encouraging the development of social housing; strictly implementing regulations on occupational safety and hygiene; continuing to promote the New Rural Development Program; developing the movement of national solidarity, building new cultural families; strengthening the work of protecting, caring for, improving people's health and population work in the new situation...

Don't be passive or surprised in any situation.

Third, continue to lead and direct the consolidation and enhancement of national defense and security potential; resolutely and persistently maintain the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; ensure political security, social order and safety; effectively carry out foreign affairs and international integration.

Strengthen the national defense and people's security posture. Promote comprehensive foreign affairs activities on defense and security in the spirit of "protecting the country from afar", "protecting the country before it is in danger", and not being passive or surprised in any situation. Maintain national security, ensure social order and safety.

Proactively prevent, combat, and promptly and effectively stop plots and sabotage activities of hostile forces. Resolutely and synchronously implement solutions to prevent and combat crimes, fires, explosions, and social evils. Strengthen resource management and environmental protection; be ready to promptly respond and effectively handle natural disasters and rescue incidents.

Focus on improving the quality of strategic forecasting and international situation analysis; with synchronous and proactive steps to deepen and make more substantial strategic and comprehensive partnerships; strengthen relations with all countries on the basis of the principles of respect for independence, sovereignty, friendship, cooperation, equality, and mutual benefit. Organize well bilateral and multilateral foreign affairs activities.

Strengthening information and communication work on integration, improving the capacity to negotiate, sign and effectively implement international treaties, especially new-generation free trade agreements, and constantly improving the capacity to resolve international trade and investment disputes. Further improving citizen protection work, creating favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute to national development.

The fourth group of tasks mentioned by General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong is to promote and improve the work of building the Party and the political system, especially building a truly clean, strong, effective and efficient Government and authorities at all levels. Seriously implement Resolution 4 of the 12th Central Committee on preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation", associated with studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, ethics and lifestyle. Implement Resolution 6 of the 12th Central Committee on continuing to innovate and streamline the apparatus, operate effectively and efficiently; innovate the organization and management system, improve the quality and efficiency of public service units.

Do better in personnel work to select and arrange truly virtuous, talented, honest, dedicated, and truly dedicated officials for the country and the people into leadership positions in the state apparatus. Resolutely fight to eliminate corrupt and depraved people; oppose all manifestations of seeking positions, power, and preferential recruitment of unqualified relatives. Promote democracy, raise the sense of responsibility and spirit of serving the people of officials, civil servants, and public employees.

Promote the application of information technology and build an e-Government. Tighten administrative discipline and order, regularly inspect and urge, create strong changes in the performance of public duties; improve the ethics, culture and professionalism of cadres, civil servants and public employees. Maintain the principles and routine of Party activities; overcome the situation of overlooking or even disregarding the work of internal Party building in state agencies.

Proactively and actively participate in preparing party congresses at all levels towards the 13th National Party Congress.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong stated that correctly assessing the situation and proposing tasks and solutions is a very important orientation for building, protecting and developing the country. But more importantly, it is necessary to be resolute, proactive, creative in leading and directing the organization to effectively implement the tasks and solutions that have been set out.

On the occasion of the New Year 2019 and the upcoming Spring of the Pig, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong wishes the Government and local authorities to continue promoting the achievements, results and lessons learned, overcome limitations and weaknesses, lead, direct, operate and operate more resolutely, effectively and efficiently, and fulfill the important responsibilities entrusted by the Party, State and people./.