New leaders pledge sustainable future

Vietnam’s newly elected leaders have pledged a new era of development for the country

The week-long 12th National Party Congress that wrapped up last Thursday elected the Party Central Committee (PCC) for the 2016-2020 tenure, comprising of 180 official members and 20 alternate members, aged between 40 and 72, who are leaders within the Party, the National Assembly’s (NA) bodies, the government’s ministries and relevant agencies. The full list of the PCC members can be seen on www.vir.com.vn

The PCC convened its first plenary meeting in the same week, selecting Vietnam’s new 19-member Politburo, led by Nguyen Phu Trong, who will take his second term as the Party General Secretary over the next five years. Born in 1944, Trong was Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee for six years and then NA’s Chairman before he was elected as Party General Secretary in January 2011.

The PCC also nominated Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang, NA’s Deputy Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to take the positions of Vietnam’s state president, NA’s chair and prime minister respectively. These positions are currently held by Truong Tan Sang, Nguyen Sinh Hung and Nguyen Tan Dung. Official elections will take place at the NA’s upcoming meeting this summer.

Trong said that the new Politburo was aware of the great responsibility to fulfill their tasks and lead the country to overcome hardships and challenges in the context of continuing turbulence within the global economy and Vietnam’s implementation of new free trade agreements in the future.

“The new period requires that national development be more comprehensive and concerted politically, economically, culturally and socially as well as in defence, security and external relations, with socio-economic development as the centerpiece, Party building as the key, cultural and human development as the spiritual foundation, and enhanced national defence and security as a vital and constant task,” he said.

The 12th Congress’ Resolution set forth important economic indicators for Vietnam’s annual GDP growth that would reach 6.5-7 per cent in the next five years and the GDP per capita would be in the range of $3,200-3,500 in 2020. Vietnamese skilled workers’ ratio will make up 65-70 per cent of the labour force while the ratio of labourers in the agricultural sector will decrease from the existing 50 per cent to 40 per cent, in line with the goal of turning Vietnam into a modern industrialised nation.

The 12th Congress’ Resolution pointed out that Vietnam would continue innovating its growth model and restructuring the economy in which the state sector plays the leading role and the private sector is an important engine.

“We call upon the whole Party, people and army as well as Vietnamese expatriates to uphold patriotism, self-reliance, and great national unity to successfully realise the 12th Congress’ Resolution. This will help open a new development period for the country towards socialism,” Trong emphasised.

Full list of the Politburo

1. NGUYEN PHU TRONG – Party General Secretary

2. TRAN DAI QUANG – Minister of Public Security

3. NGUYEN THI KIM NGAN – Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly

4. NGO XUAN LICH – General, Chief of the General Department of Politics under Vietnam People's Army

5. TO LAM – Senior Lieutenant, Deputy Minister of Public Security

6. NGUYEN XUAN PHUC – Deputy Prime Minister

7. NGUYEN THIEN NHAN – President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front

8. DINH THE HUYNH – Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission of

Popularisation and Education

9. PHAM MINH CHINH – Deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for

Organisation

10. TONG THI PHONG – Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly

11. VUONG DINH HUE – Head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Committee

12. TRAN QUOC VUONG – Head of the Party Central Committee’s Office

13. PHAM BINH MINH – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

14. TRUONG THI MAI – Head of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs

15. TRUONG HOA BINH – Head of the Supreme People’s Court

16. NGUYEN VAN BINH – Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam

17. VO VAN THUONG – Deputy Standing Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party

Committee

18. DINH LA THANG – Minister of Transport

19. HOANG TRUNG HAI – Deputy Prime Minister

Full list of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat

1. LUONG CUONG – Lieutenant General, Deputy Head of the General Department of

Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army

2. NGUYEN VAN NEN – Minister, Head of the Government Office

3. NGUYEN HOA BINH – Head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy

MPI chief makes rallying call for reform At the 12th National Party Congress concluded last week, Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh delivered a noteworthy speech on the Doi moi process and how to drive Vietnam forward sustainably. VIR is proud to present the full text of his speech.