- by Seamus Carey
- The Guardian
- Issue #1949
The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) concluded its week-long 13th National Party Congress on the 1st of February. The Congress, held every five years, was attended by over 1,500 Party delegates representing the more than five million CPV members. Also attending were foreign diplomats, representatives of international organisations, and other guests.
After a preparatory session the 25th of January, the opening address was delivered the 26th of January by Comrade Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam and CPV Politburo member. He began:
“Today, in the spring atmosphere, the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam solemnly opens in the capital city of Hanoi. Our Party is the vanguard of the working class, of the working people and of the Vietnamese people; each party member is a representative loyal to the interests of the working class, the working people and our nation.”
Later in his speech, he outlined the major tasks of the Congress:
“In the spirit of looking straight at the truth and speaking the truth, renewing, integrating and developing, promoting the tradition of solidarity, consensus and absolute trust in Marxism-Leninism, President Ho Chi Minh’s thought and revolutionary path that the Party and beloved Uncle Ho have chosen, the Congress is tasked with reviewing the implementation of the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, the thirty-five years of the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, the 30 years of the 1991 Political Platform, the ten years of the amended Political Platform (supplemented and developed in 2011), and the implementation of the 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy while setting out socio-economic development orientations and tasks for 2021-2025 as well as targets and directions until 2030 with a vision to 2045.”
The CPV has a stated aim of making Vietnam a modern industrialised country with upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high income country by 2045.
Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, President of Vietnam and CPV General Secretary, delivered the report of the outgoing 12th Central Committee on the documents submitted to the 13th Congress. Over the course of the Congress, the attendees divided into groups to discuss these key documents and put forward views.
The Congress elected the new 13th Central Committee, and re-elected Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong as General Secretary.
Throughout the Congress, the General Secretary stressed the importance of consistently applying Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought as the ideological basis of the Party, and maintaining the socialist orientation and socialist path for Vietnam. He delivered a closing speech, saying:
“The 13th Central Party Committee pledged to unite, wholeheartedly serving the country, the people, constantly cultivating and improving capacity, qualifications, political bravery, ethical qualities following the example of the great President Ho Chi Minh. […]
“The success of the 13th National Congress will be a strong encouragement for the whole Party, the entire people and the army to continue to overcome all difficulties, challenges, taking advantage of opportunities to soon turn our country into a developed country with high income and a socialist orientation.”