General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Strong Party, Developed Country, Everlasting Nation

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong. Photo: Tri Dung/VNA

Respectfully introduce to readers:

"Saying goodbye to 2018, looking back at 3 years of implementing the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, we are extremely pleased with the results our country has achieved, especially in socio-economic development; Party building and rectification; ensuring national defense and security; maintaining peace and stability of the country; expanding foreign relations, actively integrating internationally.

The overall socio-economic picture continued to improve. Notably, the GDP growth rate reached 7.08% - the highest level in the past decade; exports reached 238 billion USD, trade surplus reached a record level of 7.2 billion USD; the public debt/GDP ratio decreased sharply; the average consumer price index (CPI) was below 4%, the third consecutive year it reached below 4%; the state foreign exchange reserves reached a record of over 60 billion USD.

The scale of the economy has increased sharply, in 2018 it is estimated to reach over 5.5 million billion VND (about more than 240 billion USD), 1.3 times higher than in 2015. GDP per capita reached 2,580 USD, an increase of nearly 200 USD compared to 2017. The start-up and innovation movement has been supported and promoted with more than 132,000 newly established enterprises.

The tourism industry welcomed nearly 15.6 million international visitors, served 80 million domestic visitors, with total revenue reaching 620,000 billion VND, gradually developing into a key economic sector of the country,...

In general, in 2018 we achieved and exceeded all 12 targets (of which 9 targets exceeded the plan). The independence and autonomy of the economy have been gradually improved. The successful implementation of the dual goals of growth, inflation control... has created room to better perform the tasks of ensuring social security, stabilizing order and social safety. Those positive results have created a spillover effect, strengthening the confidence of the people and strategic investors at home and abroad.

On November 12, 2018, the 14th National Assembly passed a resolution on ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which officially took effect from January 14, 2019. This is a new generation free trade agreement of high quality and quite comprehensive with the deepest level of commitment ever. We successfully organized the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF-ASEAN) 2018, with the participation of many ASEAN heads of state, senior leaders of partner countries and 1,000 representatives of multinational corporations, ASEAN and international enterprises, in Hanoi in September, with the theme "ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution". WEF Founding Chairman Klaus Schwab assessed this as the most successful forum in 27 years of organizing the WEF forum on ASEAN and East Asia.

In January 2018, in Hanoi, the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) took place with the participation of 22 parliamentary delegations and more than 300 guests, which was a highlight in the foreign affairs work of the 14th National Assembly. APPF-26 strongly conveyed the message and image of an innovative, dynamic, active and responsible Vietnam to international friends. At the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Vietnam was elected for the first time to become a member of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) for the 2019-2025 term. With the new responsibility, Vietnam will have the opportunity to increase consultation and absorb international experience to perfect the legal framework, create a favorable investment and business environment, for the goal of sustainable development.

At the end of March 2018, in Hanoi, the 6th Greater Mekong Subregion Summit (GMS-6) and the 10th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Summit (CLV-10) took place, with the participation of more than 2,000 delegates and 200 corporations and enterprises. In 2018, Vietnam continued to be a destination for foreign investment, with foreign direct investment (FDI) reaching more than 30 billion USD, of which disbursed capital reached 19.1 billion USD. Vietnam "became the hottest investment destination in Asia", "holding the top position for the second consecutive year among the destinations expected to attract the most foreign investment in the APEC region". As of November 2018, the country had about 27,000 investment projects from 128 countries and territories, with a total registered capital of nearly 340 billion USD and a total realized capital of about 188.8 billion USD. We welcomed international tourists 3 times higher than in 2010, the highest level ever.

Regarding the building and improvement of institutions and policies, the Party, the National Assembly and the Government have issued many new guidelines, mechanisms and policies related to important and urgent issues arising in practice. The Resolutions of the 12th Central Conferences on "Improving the socialist-oriented market economic institutions"; "Continuing to restructure, innovate and improve the efficiency of state-owned enterprises"; "Developing the private economy into an important driving force of the socialist-oriented market economy"... are included in that overall program.

Regarding the organizational apparatus, the Party issued resolutions and regulations on continuing to innovate and reorganize the political system to be streamlined, effective and efficient; reforming salary policies for cadres, civil servants, public employees, armed forces and employees in enterprises; reforming social insurance policies; continuing to innovate the organizational and management system, improving the quality and efficiency of public service units, etc., continuing to create a fundamental foundation and strong driving force for sustainable socio-economic development.

Regarding Party building and rectification, the Central Committee's resolutions on preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party; focusing on building a contingent of cadres at all levels, especially at the strategic level, with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige, equal to the tasks; on title standards and criteria for evaluating cadres under the management of the Central Executive Committee, Politburo, and Secretariat; Regulations on exemplary responsibility of cadres and party members, first of all Politburo members, Secretariat members, Central Executive Committee members, etc. have created new vitality and strength in leading and directing the implementation of political tasks of overall strategic significance.

In particular, the fight against corruption, waste, bureaucracy and negativity has been led, directed and actively implemented by our Party and State many times for many years, but recently it has been promoted more than ever, directed to be implemented vigorously and resolutely and has achieved many specific and clear results.

Serious and complicated corruption and economic cases have been handled resolutely and strictly, in accordance with Party regulations and State laws, including those involving senior Party and State leaders; generals and officers in the police and military; incumbent and retired officials.

Since the 12th Party Congress (January 2016) to date, in less than 3 years, more than 60 senior officials under the Central Committee's management have been disciplined, including 5 incumbent Party Central Committee members and 3 of them have been removed from the Central Executive Committee, even 1 Politburo member has been expelled from the Party and sentenced to 30 years in prison; 11 former retired Party Central Committee members have also been disciplined. This is a breakthrough in the work of Party building and rectification, tightening discipline and order in the state apparatus and the entire political system, contributing significantly to consolidating the trust of all classes of people in the Party's leadership.

Although there are still many difficulties, challenges and limitations, overall, it can be seen that our country's position and strength have been strengthened, the country is flourishing, and the country's fortunes are on the rise. Many international organizations assess Vietnam as a country with developed economy and culture, stable politics and society, with many good development prospects; one of the fastest growing economies in the region and the world, major markets such as currency, securities and real estate are all operating stably, in line with macroeconomic developments. Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position and prestige as it does today. Is this a miracle in the context of our country facing many difficulties and the world situation having many strong and complex fluctuations? More importantly, this has given us many valuable lessons.

The question is what is the underlying cause that has given us these results and successes? There are many reasons. But perhaps the most important one is that we have inherited the great, important, and historically significant achievements after more than 30 years of renovation; the comprehensive results achieved in 2016 and 2017.

We have the solidarity, unity, efforts, joint efforts, and unanimity of our entire Party, people, and army. The entire political system, including the leadership bodies of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government, the Fatherland Front, and all sectors, levels, and organizations, has made many innovations, coordinated more closely, smoothly, synchronously, and systematically in leading, directing, thoroughly grasping, and organizing the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, creating positive changes in fully and properly promoting the leadership role of the Party, the management of the State, and the mastery of the people, promptly, correctly, closely, and effectively resolving issues arising from life, especially important, sensitive, and pressing social issues.

And that is also thanks to the consensus, sympathy, support, encouragement, motivation, and timely comments of cadres, party members, veteran comrades, people of all walks of life, including overseas Vietnamese, information agencies, newspapers, etc., creating a combined strength and unanimity of the entire political system and society. As we have seen, it is no coincidence that since the 12th National Party Congress until now, an atmosphere of excitement and confidence in the leadership of the Party, in the victory of the cause of innovation, building and defending the Fatherland has continued to spread widely throughout the country.

The rich practice of the Vietnamese revolution over the past 89 years, since the Party was founded, has proven that the correct and wise leadership of the Party is the leading factor deciding all victories of our revolution, creating many miracles in Vietnam; at the same time, in the process of leading the revolution, our Party has been tempered, tested and constantly matured, gaining experience to become increasingly worthy of its role and mission of leading the revolution, worthy of the people's trust.

Reality over the past century has shown that in Vietnam, there is no other political force, other than the Communist Party of Vietnam, that has the courage, intelligence, experience, prestige and ability to lead the country to overcome all difficulties and arduous challenges to bring the nation to the shore of glory, achieving one victory after another. And it is also in that process that our Party has accumulated and drawn many valuable lessons, forging glorious traditions that today we have the responsibility to strive to preserve and promote. That is the tradition of infinite loyalty to the interests of the nation and the class, steadfast in the goal and ideal of national independence associated with socialism on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought.

The ninth conference of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam held its closing session. Source: VNA

That is the tradition of maintaining independence and autonomy in policies; firmly grasping, applying and creatively developing Marxism-Leninism, referring to international experience to set out correct policies and effectively organize the implementation of revolutionary tasks.

It is the tradition of blood ties between the Party and the people, always taking serving the people as the reason for living and the goal to strive for. It is the tradition of solidarity, unity, organization and strict discipline based on the principles of democratic centralism, self-criticism, criticism and comradely love. It is the tradition of loyal and pure international solidarity based on noble principles and goals.

Currently, our entire Party, people and army are striving to implement the Party Platform and the State Constitution, comprehensively and synchronously promote the cause of innovation, industrialization, modernization, development of a socialist-oriented market economy, opening up and integrating into the world, and carrying out the two strategic tasks of building and firmly defending the socialist Fatherland, for the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, equality and civilization. This is an extremely great and great revolutionary cause, "a giant battle", "a harsh self-surgery" as Uncle Ho taught, but also extremely difficult and complicated. The international context and the domestic situation, besides favorable aspects and opportunities, also have many intertwined difficulties and challenges.

We are facing many new problems to deal with, many extremely complicated matters to resolve. That situation requires our entire Party, people and army, more than ever, to promote the patriotic and revolutionary tradition, the spirit of solidarity and responsibility, and strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges to build our Fatherland to be more and more dignified and beautiful. The resilient and creative efforts of the entire people, of all sectors, localities and economic sectors are extremely important factors for the development of our country. We must absolutely not be subjective, complacent, or too intoxicated with victory, or rest on our laurels.

Since the 12th Party Congress, our Party has devoted a lot of time and effort to Party building, considering Party building a key task. Recently, the entire Party has carried out Party building and rectification in the spirit of Resolution 4 of the 12th Central Committee, achieving important initial results and experiences, contributing to preventing and pushing back negative factors, improving the Party's leadership capacity and fighting strength. However, there is still much work to be done in Party building, especially the fight against ideological, moral, and lifestyle degradation; manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation"; corruption, waste, bureaucracy, and distance from the people... Hostile forces are still looking for ways to sabotage the revolutionary cause of our people; They tried their best to distort and slander our Party and State, directly attacking the Party's ideology, Platform and political line, inciting and dividing the Party internally, dividing the Party and State from the people, aiming to disintegrate our Party and regime from the root, from within, extremely vicious and dangerous.

To take care of the country, cultivate the people's hearts, and build a Party worthy of being the "son of the nation", the leader and a truly loyal servant of the people, leading the renewal process forward, our Party must strive to promote Party building and rectification, making the Party increasingly clean and strong, fulfilling its responsibility as the vanguard leading the revolutionary cause in the new period. The general direction of Party building and rectification today is to continue to promote fine traditions, maintain and enhance the revolutionary nature and vanguard character of the Party, build a Party that is truly clean and strong in terms of politics, ideology, organization, and ethics, innovate leadership methods, strengthen the connection between the Party and the people, and ensure that the Party is capable of leading the country's cause to continuously develop.

A corner of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - the economic locomotive of the country. Photo: Hoang Hai/VNA