Leaders vow to work for nation’s future

Newly-elected Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (left) and his predecessor Nong Duc Manh

“The doi moi policy will be stepped up comprehensively, not only in terms of continually reforming the economy but also renewing the political system’s leadership approaches and fostering the nation’s international integration,” stressed Nguyen Phu Trong, newly-elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam at the closing session of the eight-day 11th Vietnam Party Congress on January 19.

Trong is taking on one of the top leadership positions of Vietnam for the next five years. Trong, aged 67, has been the National Assembly Chairman since June, 2006.

“One of the most important tasks for us for the next five years is to create a foundation so that Vietnam can become a modern and industrialised country by 2020,” he said.

The 11th Congress adopted Vietnam’s important development plans and strategies for the country’s economy, politics, culture, social affairs, national defence and security, and diplomacy in the next five and ten years. They include the Platform for national construction during the transitional period towards socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011) and the socio-economic development strategy for 2011-20 as well as political orientations and tasks for the five years from 2011-2015. The Party Statute was also supplemented and revised during the Congress.

Under these documents, Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth targets for the next five year period and the 10-year period will be 7-7.5 per cent and 7-8 per cent per annum respectively, while the per capita GDP is projected to reach $2,000 in 2015 and $3,000 in 2020.

The 200-strong line-up of the 11th Party Central Committee, comprising 175 official members and 25 alternate members was also approved at the congress.

“To ensure the pureness and the strength as well as the prestige and the effectiveness of the operation of the political system, the Congress has been deeply aware of and expressed the resolve to boost its efforts and find solutions to raise the effectiveness of the fight against and the prevention of corruption, bureaucracy, wastefulness and the degradation of cadres, Party members and public servants,” Trong said in a forceful closing speech.

The newly-elected Party General Secretary hailed the success of the 11th National Party Congress, saying it had created great strength, encouraging the entire Party, people and army to overcome all difficulties and challenges. It would also help seize new opportunities in the country’s efforts towards the goal of making Vietnam a modern and industrialised nation by 2020.

“Immediately after the Congress, all party organisations need to organise a study programme aimed at developing a thorough understanding of the Congress’ resolutions and documents. We also need to popularise the Congress’ outcomes among the entire Party and people, promptly create and implement programmes and plans to translate the resolutions into action, and stir up intensive and large-scale patriotic movements of the entire Party, people and army,” he said.