General Secretary answers press questions on eve of Lunar New Year

In the atmosphere of celebrating the country's renewal, the New Year of the Goat and the 85th anniversary of the founding of the glorious Communist Party of Vietnam, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gave an interview to the press about the country's development situation; Party building and rectification.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Reporter: Dear General Secretary, the year of Giap Ngo 2014 was a year when the country experienced many difficulties, including challenging times but also encouraging signs. So what impressed you the most?

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: We have just gone through 2014 with many events and left us with many good impressions. It can be summarized into 4 impressions.

Firstly, despite the difficulties and challenges in the regional, international and domestic situations, we have achieved good results in the socio-economic field. Economic growth in 2014, for the first time in the past 3 years, reached and exceeded the target set by the National Assembly, reaching approximately 6%.

It can be said that the first mark is that our country has economic growth, relatively stable macro-economy, inflation is controlled in accordance with the Party's policies and guidelines as well as the decisions of the National Assembly and the Government.

The second mark is that we have handled the East Sea issue well. We have maintained the independence and sovereignty of the country, but at the same time maintained a peaceful and stable environment for national construction and development. Political security, social order and safety are stable, and the atmosphere among the people is very good.

Third, we have done well in Party building, focusing on continuing to implement Resolution 4 of the Central Committee on Party building, in conjunction with the implementation of Directive 03 of the Politburo on “Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh”, achieving relatively comprehensive and synchronous results in all fields. The fight against negative phenomena, corruption and waste has had certain results, recognized by the people.

The fourth mark is in foreign affairs. The past year was also a bright spot. Foreign affairs activities were quite busy. In relations with major countries, neighboring countries, traditional friendly countries, at regional and multilateral forums, Vietnam's voice is respected. Vietnam's prestige and position in the international arena are increasingly enhanced.

PV: As the General Secretary said, the achievements that the country has made in the past year are due to the correct leadership of the Party and the wholehearted support of the people. This spring, our Party turns 85 years old. In order for the Communist Party of Vietnam to fulfill its noble mission of leading the country, the very important issue is to maintain the revolutionary nature and vanguard role of the Party. To do that, we must do a good job of Party building. Mr. General Secretary, what changes have there been in Party building work since the beginning of the 11th Congress term?

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: The Party always considers Party building as a key task, while economic development is the central task. We have put a lot of effort into Party building in recent times, especially since the beginning of the 11th Congress term.

Regarding the 4th Central Committee Resolution on Party building, it is true that for a long time, some people have not fully understood it, thinking that just by reviewing self-criticism and criticism, and implementing discipline for many people, it is a success. Implementing the 4th Central Committee Resolution means implementing three groups of contents and four groups of solutions quite synchronously; focusing on fighting against the degradation of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle; fighting against corruption and negativity in the Party.

The second is about the work of organizing cadres, this is a very key step. The third is to well implement the principles of democratic centralism, self-criticism and criticism; to implement solidarity within the Party, solidarity between the Party and the people. For example, to fight against ideological and political degradation, we must build and maintain the revolutionary and scientific nature of the Party; the vanguard and exemplary nature of Party cadres and members, especially in the conditions of a market economy, open integration, and a complex social environment that affects the Party and Party cadres and members. This is a very important issue.

Or in the work of party building, in terms of politics, we must ensure that the Party maintains its working class nature, its vanguard nature, and does not allow it to degrade or degenerate. Criticism and self-criticism have been carried out regularly since the end of 2012. Every year, there is a review, classification and evaluation of cadres and party members.

Or in the work of cadres, a series of new tasks are being done such as planning for strategic-level cadres; taking votes of confidence in all Party committees and leadership agencies. The result is a timely reminder, deterrence, warning, and prevention of negative things. Many comrades, through the recent vote of confidence, self-criticism, and criticism, have adjusted, self-examined, and self-corrected.

Or the training of cadres, rotation of cadres; organizing training courses, training source cadres in a very systematic way. The Central Committee opens many courses; training and fostering even district-level Party Secretaries. Or a series of regulations to better implement the principle of democratic centralism. The Central Committee issues regulations on 19 things that party members are not allowed to do; the Central Committee stipulates the requirements and standards of a leader, and then party cadres and members must be exemplary before the masses, all of which are regulated.

Or like a very important regulation, the election regulation within the party, implemented according to the principle of democratic centralism. This was something that had not existed before. Or Directive 36 of the Politburo guiding party congresses at all levels to be strict, both in accordance with the principles and with very flexible application, not rigid...

In the regulations on supervision and social criticism of the Fatherland Front and organizations to promote the people's supervisory role. More than 50 projects to implement Resolution 4 of the Central Committee, many issues have been completed and applied to life.

However, there are still some newly developed issues, which have only been introduced in recent years, so the results will not be seen immediately. There is work to develop a project to continue in the following years. Therefore, the content of Resolution 4 of the Central Committee is much richer and welcomed by many people.

Reporter: Dear General Secretary, we are entering the new year of the Goat with many new opportunities but also many unpredictable challenges. Please tell us your predictions for the year of the Goat 2015.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: In 2015, we had many big events but we were also proactive in facing opportunities and luck, but there were many difficulties and challenges, especially the economic and political situation in the world was not necessarily stable.

The basic positive side is that peace, cooperation and development are still the main trends. But there are things that we cannot predict yet. We must always proactively grasp information to have active plans to prepare for response, not to be passive or surprised.

The premonition that 2015 will be a year in which we will hold Party Congresses at all levels is a great opportunity for us to build and develop the country; to build the Party, but at the same time, it will also be an opportunity for bad forces and hostile forces to take advantage of and sabotage us in a vicious manner. We must anticipate these things and have effective solutions.

It can be said that one of the key tasks of 2015 is to do well the Party building work associated with the preparation for the Party Congresses at all levels, towards the 12th National Congress of the Party, with the goal of the Congress being a great success, both in terms of content, that is, determining the direction and tasks for the coming period, as well as in terms of personnel work, electing quality leadership bodies at all levels of the Party, ensuring standards, meeting the requirements of this new period.

PV: On this occasion, what message does the General Secretary have for the people of the whole country and our overseas Vietnamese?

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong:The New Year 2015 of the Goat is coming with full of joy, but many difficulties and challenges are also waiting for us. I only hope and wish that in the new year, our compatriots, soldiers nationwide and overseas Vietnamese will continue to maintain their faith in the leadership of the Party, have new faith, new spirit, new determination, and be united with the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army and the entire political system, to successfully carry out the tasks of 2015 as well as the resolution of the 11th National Congress of the Party to continue to make our country increasingly developed, our people happy and joyful.

Reporter: Thank you very much, General Secretary. I wish you good health and continued success with the Party Central Committee in leading the country to achieve more success in the cause of innovation, construction and protection of the Fatherland.