On the occasion of the new year, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong granted an interview to Nhan Dan Newspaper, during which he conveyed a message to the entire Party, people, and armed forces on implementing Party building and rectification tasks in an even better manner, bringing all resources into play to make Vietnam grow more rapidly and sustainably.

Here is the full text of the interview.

Q: The year 2023 past with numerous difficulties and challenges, but the Vietnamese economy remained a bright spot in the not-so-bright global economic picture. Could you please elaborate on some outstanding results in the past year and the issues that need the most attention?

A: It was not only in 2023 but in the entire first half of the 13th tenure that the global and regional situation witnessed many unpredictable and complicated developments, including the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and most recently the Israel-Hamas conflict. The economy faced many difficulties due to slowing growth and increasing risks in the financial and monetary markets, causing serious consequences in many countries. Vietnam also faced a great deal of domestic difficulties and challenges. However, thanks to the joint efforts and political determination of the whole Party and people, the country overcame all challenges to record many important and comprehensively encouraging results. Vietnam continued to see further socio-economic recovery, meeting and surpassing at least 10 out of the 15 set targets. Economic growth reached over 5%, a high level compared to countries in the region and the world, while GDP reached 430 billion USD for the first time, ranking third in ASEAN. The macroeconomy was fundamentally stable, inflation was put under control, growth was promoted, and major economic balances were ensured. The fields of culture and social affairs continued to receive investment and recorded many important results; defence and security were fortified, and the people’s standards of living were improved.

A highlight is that the Party’s method of leadership over the political system witnessed many innovations and achieved important results. Along with the perception and responsibility of Party organisation, the pioneering and example-setting spirit of Party members, officials, and those in leadership positions in communicating, canvassing, and organising the implementation of the Party’s policies were enhanced. Ensuring proper implementation of the mechanism, “The Party’s leadership, the State’s management and the people’s mastery”, is a paramount political basis for us to overcome difficulties and strive to achieve crucial results in 2023.

Another highlight is the work of building and rectifying the Party, with the fight against corruption and negative phenomena continuing to be implemented drastically in many new, in-depth, synchronous and constructive ways. The establishment of the provincial-level Steering Committees on Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena has come into operation, creating new changes that are more synchronous, comprehensive, and effective. 

The authorities have proactively discovered, fiercely fought, expanded investigations, and prosecuted many new corruption and negative cases, with several defendants being particularly serious and complicated, and having organised violations involving many ministries, branches and localities, both in the state sector and non-state sector, such as the case that occurred at Van Thinh Phat Group, SCB Bank, FLC Group, Tan Hoang Minh, Saigon Co.op. 

In particular, foreign affairs activities took place vibrantly and continuously and are a prominent highlight in 2023. Many high-ranking delegations of our Party and State made official visits to countries both bilaterally and multilaterally and achieved important results. The meeting with senior leaders of the three Parties of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Party Chairman Hunsen and General Secretary Thoongloun Sisoulith in Hanoi was a great success.

For the first time in history, US President Joe Biden accepted the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to pay a state visit to Vietnam. The two sides issued a Joint Statement upgrading relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. After that, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping and his spouse paid an official state visit at the end of the year, which was an important milestone in the history of relations between the two Parties and two countries. The two sides issued a Joint Declaration on continuing to deepen and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, building a Vietnam - China community with a shared future carrying strategic significance.

In 2023, many heads of state from other important countries visited Vietnam. These are particularly important foreign political events, not only in bilateral cooperation but also in regional and international issues, with historical significance and welcomed by domestic and foreign public opinion, contributing to enhancing Vietnam’s position and reputation in the international arena.

However, looking back at 2023 and the first half of the tenure, there are still many limitations. The leadership and direction in removing difficulties and obstacles to mobilise and effectively use all resources and the organisation and implementation of a number of policies to restore socio-economic development are still slow sometimes and in some places. The deterioration of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle as well as the pushing and evading of responsibility by a significant number of officials and Party members is still worrying. Some high-ranking officials, leaders, and managers at all levels who violate the rules must be disciplined and even prosecuted. This is very painful and regrettable, but it must be done.

The achieved results are important, but there are still many difficulties and challenges ahead. Therefore, the entire Party, people and army need to be determined to strive harder to promote socio-economic development; strengthen the building and rectification of the Party and political system and the fight against corruption and negativity; and focus on early overcoming the limitations and weaknesses mentioned above, especially the situation of degradation and the pushing and avoiding of responsibility among some officials.

Q: Could you explain why Vietnam is still one of the few countries that has achieved such important results amidst the difficult global conditions?

A: As I mentioned above, first of all, it is necessary to affirm that the result is the effort of the whole Party, people, and army that have united to create a synergy in the implementation of the resolution and is also a continuation of the achievements of the Doi Moi (Renewal) policy proposed by our Party and persistently implemented for nearly 40 years since the 6th National Party Congress in 1986. These are the reasons for those results:

Firstly, promoting the experience of previous tenures, Party committees from the central to the grassroots levels continued to apply many new and creative measures in leadership and direction in the first half of this tenure. The Politburo organised national conferences to implement the resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress in each field; promulgated and directed the implementation of six resolutions on the development of six socio-economic regions; and held national conferences to thoroughly grasp and implement the resolutions. Since then, a high unity in both awareness and action has been created in realising the Party's policies and guidelines.

There is smooth coordination and synchronisation of the entire political system, while the People's spirit of mastery has been highly promoted under the timely and correct leadership of the Party; the effective accompaniment and supervision of the National Assembly; and the proactive, flexible, drastic, and close management of the Government and authorities at all levels. Thanks to that, we have well implemented the motto of focusing on economic recovery and development while keeping cautious in epidemic prevention and control, building an independent, self-reliant economy associated with extensive, effective, and practical international integration.

At the same time, outstanding results in the work of building and rectifying the Party and fighting against corruption and negative phenomena have contributed to firmly strengthening the people’s trust and promoting the implementation of socio-economic development programmes in localities and the whole country.

Q: The year 2024 has a particularly important meaning in implementing the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. It is also the starting year of preparing for the 14th National Party Congress. Can you tell us what to do and how to complete those key tasks effectively?

A: It is forecasted that in 2024 and the end of the 13th term, the world and domestic situation, in addition to opportunities and advantages, will also continue to have rapid, complex, and unpredictable developments. Difficulties and challenges may be greater than forecasted as well as compared to recent terms, requiring the entire Party, people, and army to absolutely not be subjective or complacent. It is necessary to have greater determination, greater efforts, and solidarity, as well as to take advantage of every opportunity and take advantage of every favourable condition to effectively implement the programmes, plans, goals, and tasks set for 2024 and for the entire term of the 13th National Party Congress.

Difficulties and challenges may be greater than forecasts as well as compared to recent terms, requiring the entire Party, people, and army to absolutely not be subjective or complacent; it is necessary to have greater determination and greater efforts.

Meanwhile, Party Committees at all levels from the central to grassroots levels need to focus on successfully directing and implementing the preparations for party congresses at all levels at the end of next year, moving towards the 14th National Party Congress. Specifically, it is necessary to comprehensively survey and evaluate both results and achievements as well as limitations and weaknesses in implementing the set goals and tasks. It is necessary to develop draft reports to submit to the Congress, with the spirit of highly promoting the responsibility of party committees at all levels, the contributions of departments, ministries, branches, and people of all walks of life, so that the congress documents are truly intellectual products, expressing the will and aspirations of the entire Party and people. This task is extremely important and challenging. Party Committees at all levels, ministries, sectors and localities must carefully review and make appropriate adjustments to their action programmes to implement the 13th Party Resolution in 2024 and the following years until the 14th Party Congress.

Q: When it comes to the National Party Congress, personnel work is always identified as the most important task. Recently, the 8th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee initially introduced the personnel plan for the 14th Party Central Committee. Can you tell us how to improve the personnel quality of the new Party Committee?

A: The country’s renewal process and reality pose many new requirements, asking management officials and Party Committees to have virtue and talent. They should dare to think, dare to take responsibility, and dare to face difficulties to take on the important responsibilities entrusted by the Party and people.

In the context of the fourth industrial revolution and the strong development of science and technology, leaders of the 14th Party Central Committee must have political courage, strategic vision, and innovative and creative thinking. They must represent the entire Party in terms of fighting and discipline in addition to having a close attachment to the people to promote solidarity and unity among the entire Party and people to lead the country in the new stage of development. 

Personnel work in general, and personnel for the 14th Party Congress in particular, is a very significant, sensitive, and complicated matter, identified as a key in the Party building and the root of all works. Therefore, it must be done step by step firmly and strictly, ensuring correct procedures and principles of the Party, especially the principle of democratic centralism. Political qualities, ethics, lifestyle, qualifications, prestige, and work efficiency should be the criteria for the evaluation, selection and introduction of personnel to the Congress. We should not miss those who are truly virtuous, talented, and qualified. At the same time, we are determined not to let into the personnel planning of the 14th Party Central Committee and Party Committees those who show signs of degradation, Machiavellianism, personal benefits, group benefits and weak-mindedness.

The personnel planning of the 14th Party Central Committee is an important initial step in the process of strategic-level workforce planning. This is the basis for the training, fostering, and regular monitoring, inspection, and supervision of human resources. If any violations are discovered or those who do not meet the standards and conditions are detected, they will be promptly removed from the planning. At the same time, it is necessary to continue to carefully review and analyse the quality, structure, and composition of personnel planning in each working area to promptly detect, recommend, and introduce additional nominees to meet the requirements of building a strategic workforce for the Party who are truly virtuous, talented, and qualified for their assigned tasks.

Each Party Congress offers an opportunity for us to comprehensively review all fields, including personnel work. This is not only the basis for discovering, selecting, and electing members to the Party Central Committee of the new tenure, but it also lays the foundation to develop the Party’s workforce in the long term. The globalisation and strong development of science and technology is increasingly evident. To develop our country more rapidly and sustainably, we must have a strategy to train, foster, improve the quality of human resources, as well as to attract and retain talented people who are qualified to help the country proactively and actively integrate into the world more comprehensively, extensively, and effectively. 

In the context of intertwined opportunities and challenges, I always expect and believe that the entire Party, people, and army will promote the achievements that have been gained over the first half of the term, continue to stay united, and strive to successfully complete the socio-economic development goals and tasks of 2024, contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress and preparing for the next Party Congress. 

On the occasion of the New Year 2024- the year of the Dragon, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I would like to extend greetings to all officers and soldiers, every Vietnamese family in all regions of the country, and our compatriots abroad, as well as international friends, wishing you a happy new year with good health, prosperity, and lots of joy in life. Let’s embrace the new year with new victories!

Q: Thank you so much for the interview. We wish you good health, and may you continue working together with the entire Party and people to successfully implement the goals and tasks set by the 13th Party Congress.