A press conference on the 10^th National Party Congress was held in Hanoi on April 13 with Phan Dien, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat in the chair.

Mr Dien spoke of important contents to be discussed and the working agenda of the Party Congress. The congress will review the implementation of the 9^th Party Congress’ resolutions, socio-economic development tasks during the past five years, and devise strategies for national development in  the 2001-2010 period, covering all areas of economics, social affairs, national security and defense, external relations and politics, particularly Party building and rectification to enhance the Party leadership and combative strength. The congress will also consider supplementing and revising Party statutes and electing the 10^th Party Central Committee (2006-2010).

Deputy Head of the Central Organisation Committee Ta Quang Dai said a total of 1,180 delegates are expected to attend the 10^th National Party Congress. The delegation composition includes members of the Party Central Committee (PCC), delegates elected by local Party committees under the PCC and some candidates who are nominated as they cannot attend the congress or are still working abroad. Most delegates work in State agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and social organisations, others represent district- level agencies and scientists and researchers. Therefore, as many as 1,178 delegates have been registered so far to attend the congress.

Of the total delegates, women account for 11.5 percent, ethnic minority people (13.2 percent),  heroes of the armed forces (1.5 percent), labour heroes (0.59 percent), people’s teachers and meritorious teachers (1.44 percent), people’s physicians and meritorious physician (0.34 percent), workers (2.89 percent), farmers (3.06 percent) and delegates attending five or six previous Party congresses (0.5 percent).

In terms of their working assignment, 22.5 percent of them are from districts, 63 percent from provinces and cities and 14.7 percent from central agencies.

The youngest delegate is Dinh Huynh, 30 years old, chairman of the People’s Committee of Lo Pu village, K’Bang district, Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and the oldest delegate is Do Quang Hung, 77 years old, president of the Ho Chi Minh City War Veteran Association.

Regarding their qualifications, 94 percent of the delegates have graduated from colleges and universities and 96.5 percent have got high-level theoretical and political BA.

In terms of professional titles, 12.56 percent of the delegates are deputies to the 11^th National Assembly, 6.96 percent are ministers and deputy ministers, 4.5 percent are heads and deputy heads of central departments and organisations, 13.9 percent are from the armed forces, 49.58 percent are secretaries, deputy secretaries and executives members at the provincial and city party committees, 13.7 percent are leaders of district-level organisations, 13.28 percent are from businesses and 1.7 percent from schools and universities and research institutes.

At the press briefing, Mr Dien answered a number of questions about the 10^th Party Congress in term of personnel, its working agenda and anti-corruption work. Mr Dien said the Party will continue strengthen democracy in order to choose outstanding persons to introduce to the 10^th Party Central Committee. He added that the 10^th National Party Congress will not invite foreign delegates because it aims to achieve more substantial results. The first priority of the congress will be identifying strategies for the renewal and development process to fulfill the national development targets set at the previous congresses. Anti-corruption work will also be one of important issues, Mr Dien said.