*** The Golkar Party, the biggest Party in the Indonesian Lower House on April 25 extended congratulations to Nong Duc Manh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Communist Party (CPV) Central Committee and praised the great success of the 10^th Party Congress. The Party also expressed its belief that the CPV will fulfil all its set target, and bilateral relations will continue to develop finely in the areas of politics, economics and social affairs, contributing to further strengthening co-operative relations between the two governments and peoples.

***Jakarta Post newspaper on April 26 reported on the re-election of Nong Duc Manh to the post of Party General Secretary, a move praised by the business circle, particularly the private sector. This is a factor demonstrating political and economic stability in Vietnam.

*** Xinbao newspaper of Hong Kong on April 25 reported on the conclusion of the 10^th National Party Congress. The congress, it said, devised future tasks, which will focus on increasing the Party’s leadership capacity and combative spirit, bringing the whole people’s strength into full play and promoting the Renewal process to bring Vietnam out of its underdevelopment status, thus helping Vietnam become a modern and industrial country by 2020.

*** The Bangkok Post and Thai Rat newspaper also covered the new leadership of the CPV, which they said, has strength in terms of science, technology, economic management and national security reinforcement and anti-corruption activities.

*** A Cambodian newspaper on April 26 reported on the 10^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which closed in Hanoi on April 25, announcing that Nong Duc Manh was re-elected General Secretary of the 10^th Party Central Committee (PCC).

The paper ran the list of 160 official members of the 10^th CPV Central Committee, 14 members of its Political Bureau, eight members of its PCC’s Secretariat, and 14 members of its Inspection Commission.

With the appointment of young leaders, the Vietnamese Party, State and Government will achieve greater success in the cause of national industrialisation and modernisation, the paper said.

*** Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) of Australia on April 25 quoted international analysts as saying that following the appointment of the newly elected members of the CPV at the 10^th National Party Congress, Vietnam will push forward its industrialisation and modernisation process.

SBS said that the senior positions of the 10^th PCC were not allocated for three northern, central and southern regions of the country. It also quoted Prof. Carl Thayer from the Australian Defence Force Academy as saying that with both new and old members elected to the 10^th PCC, Vietnam will define new orientations for national development.

*** Regarding leadership changes in Vietnam, Radio Australia on April 25 said that in the coming time, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and the newly elected leaders of the CPV will have to exert greater efforts to combat corruption and resolve problems so as to improve the political and economic system in the country. Vietnam now has 83 million people, two-thirds of which are under 30 years old. The country has one of the highest economic growth rates in Southeast Asia, the radio said.