With the Communist Party of Vietnam turning 91 on February 3, 2021, this spring marks a special time because the ruling party recently concluded its 13th national congress involving the election of a new 200-member executive body, as well as setting out the country’s orientations ahead in a new stage of development.

The political event once again affirmed that the path the Party has chosen to lead the Vietnamese people down for nearly a century remains the correct one, which is appropriate in line with the law of objectivity and in accordance with Vietnamese reality, meeting various development trends.

As a result of this, the name Vietnam has become synonymous for being a nation with a strong will and great aspirations, as reflected through its historic achievements 35 years on from the implementation of the Doi Moi (Renewal) process.

Whilst much of the world is struggling to address major issues such as COVID-19, armed conflicts, trade wars, and political instability, a stable and peaceful Vietnam has emerged as a role model in bringing COVID-19 under control and simultaneously recording positive economic growth. These impressive achievements can be attributed to the unanimity and all-out-efforts of roughly 100 million Vietnamese people who are under the clear-sighted leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Outstanding Vietnamese achievements in economic development, greater international integration, and the country’s fight against COVID-19 ensured that international attention was on the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The event not only received a record number of congratulatory messages from friends globally, but also special attention from international media outlets and scholars.

If traditional friends have an appreciation for the nation’s international reputation under the leadership of the ruling Communist Party, scholars are also interested in the country’s economic development and foreign policies, along with continued socio-political stability, social management institutions, the trust of local citizens in the Government, and the superiority of Vietnamese socialism.

In an effort to decode the Vietnamese phenomenon, Prof. Alexander Sokolovsky of Far East Federal University (Russian Federation), says for more than 90 years since its establishment, generations of Vietnamese have firmly believed in the strength of the Party founded and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh.

According to Prof. Sokolovsky, the Communist Party of Vietnam has always been the Party of the people, for the people, and always listens to the people’s voices and aspirations. It has frankly acknowledged mistakes and made historically right many correct decisions, including a policy on a socialist-oriented market economy, as adopted at the 6th National Party Congress in 1986.

The country’s stability has been mirrored by sound economic growth, even during the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, notes the Russian professor.

Prof. Carl Thayer of the Australian Defense Force Academy also highly appreciates the nation’s political stability, considering this to be the prerequisite for many Vietnamese achievements, while referring to the situation in neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the French Communist Party, affirms that for the French Communist Party, Vietnam represents a voice of peace and stability in the current world. Meanwhile, Alvaro Rodriguez, secretary-general in charge of international affairs of the US Communist Party, says by putting the lives and well-being of the people first, the Communist Party of Vietnam makes citizens a priority over matters of money.

Internationally, many believe that the freshly-concluded 13th National Party Congress marks an important milestone as it will help to adopt a pathway for the nation in a fresh stage of development. These goals will certainly be met under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, as history shows that the Party is a force of resilience and is more than capable of coping with a range of difficulties. These decisions will certainly be supported by the Vietnamese people as there is unity in trying to achieve the main goal of making life in the nation more prosperous and happier for all citizens.

The Communist Party of Vietnam has stood the test of time over the past 91 years and has confronted plenty of great challenges along the way. While the country has established a market economy with deeper international integration, the Party acknowledges that a number of cadres, including high-ranking officials, have gone against people’s beliefs and had their virtue eroded. Notorious graft scandals that have come to light during the previous 12th tenure have taught the Party a number of painful lessons. Through these lessons, the Party vows to uproot corruption and cleanse its apparatus. This determination has been reflected in the theme of the congress, as well as in the opening and closing remarks of Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong during the event.

In line with this, the ongoing fight against corruption launched by the Party chief will never cease. Whilst determination is not enough, actions will speak louder than words and efforts will be made to improve the Party’s guidelines and State’s policies in order to nip opportunism among officials in the bud. By carrying out these actions, the belief of citizens in the Party will be consolidated and the regime will be maintained. 

During the press briefing to discuss the outcomes of the congress, General Secretary Trong, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee on Corruption Prevention and Control, once against reiterated the continued fight against corruption, stating that there is no forbidden zone and no exceptions.

“Everyone likes wealth, money, but honour is the most sacred, noble thing. Money cannot be brought with if someone dies,” he said. “The fight is in its infancy. It will be a long, arduous, difficult fight. If not, it is difficult to avoid temptation.”

Throughout its 91-year history, the Party has conducted 13 congresses, with each one electing an elite team in order to lead the country and help it to meet the adopted guidelines and orientations.

The recently-concluded 13th congress elected a new Party Central Committee, an executive body of the Party comprising 200 members, as well as the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the Party. Once again, members placed their trust in General Secretary Trong by re-electing him as the Party chief for another term.

This is the 10th consecutive year he has held this role since the beginning of the 11th term in 2011. By taking on the duty, General Secretary Trong said that he himself could not do anything else without the support and unanimity of the Party Central Committee, with the unity among the Party serving to create unity in society.

The re-election of General Secretary Trong as the Party chief not only reflects people’s belief in his qualities, but also demonstrates the desire of citizens to continue along the path towards achieving sustainable economic development, as well as the determination to combat corruption. Following the political occasion, international media outlets described General Secretary Trong as “a loyal and steadfast warrior” that can steer the Vietnamese boat through stormy conditions and firmly integrate the country into the global economy.

For each historical period, Vietnam requires a historical man. If late Party General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh was viewed as the pioneer of the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, many Vietnamese now call General Secretary Trong a great “furnace man” in the fight corruption to cleanse the Party. Showing plenty of bravery and gaining experience over the past 10 years, together with the collective of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee, has helped Vietnam record many achievements in economic development and international integration, .

Out of 200 members of the new Party Central Committee, 120 were re-elected, and 80 were elected for the first time. The number of members aged between 51 and 60 accounts for the highest proportion at 124, while 40 are under 50, and 16 are over 60 years old. This means energetic members make up the majority of members.

In the context of Industry 4.0 rapidly being implemented worldwide, Vietnam is in dire need of young and competent human resources that are capable of researching, developing, and applying advanced technology in order to catch up with global trends. The new Party Central Committee is therefore expected to make breakthroughs over the coming years, with many people expecting that the goal of “a rising Vietnam” will be accomplished under the leadership of the new elite team.

In doing this, it will not be easy to translate any objective into a reality as it depends a lot on time, opportunity, as well as human factors. It is time to take actions and bring about efficiency as opposed to words and clapping, as the Party chief points out. There is no denying the fact that human resources are key to effectively implementing the congress’s resolution. Indeed, Vietnamese people strongly believe that the new elite team elected by the congress will accomplish its mission to continue to move the country forward in the cause of national development and deeper international integration.

Wednesday, 14:34, 03/02/2021