Speaking before international youngsters at a forum held in Hanoi on March 14,  Mr Khoan stated that Vietnam has always ensured the participation of members of ethnic minority groups in State management agencies.

He mentioned the presence of ethnic minority delegates in the country's highest legislative body and the Council of Ethnic Minorities, and the Committee for Nationalities in charge of ethnic affairs in the Government.

To strengthen national unity, the Vietnamese State has adopted many policies supporting ethnic minorities in the fields of economy, healthcare, education and  preservation of cultural identity, Mr Khoan noted.

The former Deputy PM explained that Vietnam has exercised regulations regarding democracy at the grassroots level to enable all citizens to take part in making plans, managing as well as executing development policies at various localities.

Mr Khoan referred to the impacts of the market-driven economy on Vietnam 's development, saying that the country has striven to minimise adverse impacts and maximise the benefits of the market economy.

He emphasised the need to practise thrift and combat corruption and wastefulness to narrow the gap between rich and poor and to protect legitimate interests for workers in Vietnam .

At the forum, former Deputy PM Khoan exchanged opinions with participation on the issues related to foreign investment, educational development and job generation in rural areas.

The forum " Vietnam on the way to socialism" is part of the 17th Assembly of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) which took place in Hanoi between March 8-14.