The remarks were made by Dr Vu Pham Quyet Thang, Deputy General Inspector at an international workshop in Hanoi on January 12 to discuss ways of fighting corruption and ensuring transparency.

Mr Thang said corruption is a dangerous social evil, which causes serious impacts on security and social order, and paralyses and neutralises the State apparatus. It occurs in the State management apparatus in almost all countries in the world.

In Vietnam, he said the phenomenon is occurring seriously and considered an obstacle to social development.

“Being fully aware of the current situation and its risks, Vietnam has been taking bold measures to curb the phenomenon,” said Mr Thang.

He said that research work has focused on devising control measures, accelerating public administrative reforms and inspections of social affairs, and increasing the capacity building of anti-corruption agencies.

In addition, Vietnam has built and finalised the legal framework on the prevention and control of corruption. Accordingly, the country amended and promulgated numerous important legal documents relating to the fight against corruption, such as the Inspection Law, the Law on Complaints and Denunciations, the State Budgetary Law, the State Auditing Law, the Accounting Law, and the Criminal Procedure Code.

Notably, at its 11^th session in late 2005, the National Assembly passed the Law on Anti-corruption – an important legal document to deal with corrupt cases.  

Externally, Vietnam is preparing for the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption, scheduled for mid 2006. The Government also actively joined the Programme of Action on Anti-corruption in the Asia and Pacific region.