Welcoming the New Year and celebrating the success of the 12th National Party Congress

Fellow countrymen, comrades and friends,

On the threshold of the Lunar New Year 2016, at the end of this morning (January 28, 2016), the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam came to a successful end. This is a political event of great importance and significance for the entire Party, people and armed forces.

Tonight, in the thousand-year-old capital city Hanoi, representatives of people from all walks of life will join outstanding art groups throughout the country at celebrations for the successful conclusion of the 12th National Party Congress. On behalf of the leaders of the Party, the State and all of the delegates to the 12th National Congress, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the entire Party, people and armed forces; to our compatriots abroad; and our friends around the world for their concerns and valuable comments to the Congress, the Party and Vietnamese people.

Comrades, compatriots and soldiers throughout the country,

The success of the 12th National Party Congress is a new milestone in the national construction and defence cause of the Socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. The New Year has arrived. A new spring has come. At this time, we commemorate our beloved Uncle Ho. In reverence and gratitude from millions of Vietnamese people, we cherish his great merits, as well as the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed for the longevity of the nation. We will forever remember Uncle Ho's teaching “We must preserve the solidarity of the Party as we protect the pupils of our eyes”, and “We must keep a moral and civilised Party”, in order to lead our people to follow the revolutionary path chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho and the people.

I hope party committees at all levels, administrations, the Fatherland Front Committee and mass organisations will unite as one, focus on leading and encouraging cadres, Party members, and people of all strata to promote the patriotic movements, and welcome the New Year and the success of the 12th National Party Congress; the celebration of the 85th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam; and the 75th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's return to the homeland to lead to the Vietnamese revolution, thoroughly realising the contents of the Resolution adopted at the 12th National Congress and striving to build Vietnam as a modern industrialised country.

Our key tasks ahead are to promote production, care for the living conditions of people, officers and soldiers on duty at border areas, sea and on islands; repair the damage caused by the cold weather over the last couple of days; care for policy beneficiaries, the poor, and people living in mountainous and remote areas; strengthen market management; and ensure traffic safety during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

I would like to wish the entire Party, people and armed forces a New Year full of joy, warm and happiness.

Long life the country, our people, and our Party!

May the Great President Ho Chi Minh live on forever through our cause!

Thank you very much!