Unofficial Translation
Excellencies Ambassadors, Charges d'Affaires, Heads of International Organizations, Ladies and gentlemen,
A very good afternoon to you all. Thank you very much for joining the Press Briefing on the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV).
For co-hosts of today's briefing, please join us in welcoming distinguished leaders representing the Party Central Committee's Office, the Central Organization Commission, Central Propaganda and Training Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We also have the honor to welcome leaders representing the Commission for Economic Affairs, Commission for Internal Affairs, the Inspection Commission, and the Commission for Mass Mobilization.
Allow me, in the authorization of the Party's Central Committee, to
brief you about the CPV's 13th National Congress.
I. Significance, timing and mandate of the 13th National Party Congress and its delegates.
1. The 13th National Congress of the CPV is a regular event held once every five years. As a key political event to the Party, the State and the people of Viet Nam, the National Party Congress sets critical milestones in the Party-building and nation-building processes.
2. The 13th National Party Congress will be convened between January 25 and February 02, 2021 at the National Convention Center, Hanoi. The preparatory session is scheduled to take place on January 25. The Opening Ceremony will subsequently begin at 0800, January 26, 2021.
3. The 13th Party Congress will discuss and adopt those followings:
(i). The Party Congress political report". It is the Party Congress's keynote document;
(ii). The wrap-up report of the Ten-year Socio-economic Development Strategy (2011-2020) and building of the next Ten-year Socio-economic Development Strategy (2021-2030);
(iii). The assessment report of the five-year socio-economic development plan (2016-2020), orientations and mandates for the next five year socio-economic development plan (2021-2025);
(iv). The wrap-up report of Party-building work and implementation of the 12th Party Congress's Statute;
(v). The review report of the 12th National Party Congress's Central Committee (to be submitted to the 13th Party Congress);
(vi). The election of the 13th Party Congress's Central Committee (2021-2026 tenure). It is the highest leadership apparatus of the Party in between two National Congresses.
4. One thousand five hundred and eighty-seven delegates will attend the 13th Party Congress, representing 5.1 million Party members. There are 191 automatically qualified delegates (being incumbent Members of the Party Central Committee) or 12.03%. One thousand three hundred and eighty-one delegates are elected at the Party Congresses subordinate to the Party Central Committee, or 87.01%. 15 are designated delegates, or 0.94%. Delegates with a Master's degree or above account for 67.67%.
Apart from official delegates, the Party Central Committee also invited former members of the Central Committee of the 3rd to 7th Party Congresses, representative Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, representatives from the intelligentsia, artists, religious dignitaries and exemplary youth figures to the 13th Party Congress.
II. Preparations for the 13th Party Congress 1. Backdrop
After nearly 35 years of Doi Moi process, Viet Nam has recorded monumental and historic achievements in the building and defending of the Socialist Fatherland. The size and development level of the Vietnamese economy have been significantly upscaled. The Vietnamese people's well being has improved significantly, both materially and spiritually. Viet Nam's foreign relations and international integration have become stronger and
more extensive.
The global and regional landscapes are witnessing complex developments. Immense and sudden adversities are emerging. As such, challenges and opportunities for Viet Nam's development are intertwined. Against that backdrop, the CPV identifies that its key objectives are to continue leading the country forward, advance Doi Moi process across the board, and actively increase Viet Nam's international integration in service of building and defending the nation.
2. Preparations for the 13th Party Congress
Given such critical mandates, the Party Central Committee, with the Politburo and the Secretariat at the helm, guide the preparations for the 13th Party Congress with due diligence. Sub-committees and their subordinate agencies such as the Party Congress' Documentation Subcommittee, the Personnel Subcommittee, the 13th Party Congress' Organization Subcommittee, the Subcommittee for Socio-economic Affairs, and the Subcommittee for the Party Statute were established in late 2018 to begin preparatory work. We have completed all tasks on schedule, met the set plan and objectives and ensured high-quality work in all respects. Inspite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the major episodes of natural disasters and floods, we still were able to meet deadlines in the preparation for the Congress. Such accomplishment is a testament to the strong political determination of the entire Party and people.
In performing the preparatory work, with regards to organization, content and personnel alike, we pay special attention to and observe the following principles:
(1) To stay committed to the purpose and ideal of national independence intertwined with socialism on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought. To remain committed to matters of principle in the Platform, the Party Statute and the Party line.
(2) To strengthen the leadership role of the Party, uphold accountability of the Party Committees, organizations and members, especially organization heads. To reinforce the Party's principles of organization and operation, especially democratic centralism.
(3) To uphold mass democracy, to fully harness the collective wisdom of the entire Party, People and Army, to bring about solidarity and unity within the Party and consensus among the general public.
(4) To respect the laws of objective reality, attach due importance to review of praxis, study of theory, and projection works to identify targets, directions, tasks and solutions that are relevant and practical for the short and long term alike.
(5) To directly identify shortcomings and weaknesses, to pinpoint their causes, particularly from within, to draw lessons and experience and find solutions accordingly.
2.1. Preparations of the Party Congress documents and their content
The drafting of the Party Congress documents was undertaken from an early stage. It is a painstaking, professional, intellectual, democratic and open-minded process. The drafts received broad feedback from the entire Party and the general public, both at home and abroad. The former leaders of the Party, State, the Party cadres and members, as well as members of the
National Assembly and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, scientists, administrators and the general public both at home and abroad provided a wealth of useful and enthusiastic contribution to the process. This is an expression of their high spirit of responsibility to the Party, the people and the country. This is an extremely important and intensive political event, exhibiting a truly growing spirit of open-mindedness and democracy within the Party, among the people and the society. It will call upon the collective wisdom of the entire Party, people and army in the process of setting the policy line and strategy for national development, construction and defense in the new situation. Having taken into consideration the feedback from the broad public, the Party Congress's Documentation Subcommittee has since supplemented and completed the drafts of the documents to be submitted to the Central Committee at the 13th Party Congress.
The documents submitted to the 13th Party Congress, with the Political Report as the key, will review the implementation of the 12th Party Congress. They will also take stock of the 35 years of Doi Moi, 30 years of the 1991 Party Platform and 10 years of the Party Platform amended in 2011 and the Ten-year Socio-Economic Development Plan of 2011-2020. They will set the five-year direction and task for economic and social development for 2021-2025 (celebrating the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification). They will set the goals and targets until 2030 (the centenary of the CPV) and the vision for the country until 2045 (the centenary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam). These are key milestones in
the development of our Party and nation, and will chart a way forward for future orientations and strategic visions.
The drafts submitted to the forthcoming Party Congress fully adhere to the principle of seamlessly combining theory and praxis, principled stand and innovativeness, continuation and development. It is a continuation of and an addition to the CPV's Doi Moi over the past 35 years, with updated elements and important focal points. It is an expression of the strategic vision and thought and the desire for development of the entire nation. It reflects the political determination of the entire Party, people and army in the building and defending of the Socialist Fatherland of Viet Nam, in advancing Doi Moi across the board, in engaging actively in international integration, and in facilitating rapid and sustainable development.
Concerning its vision, the drafts through the inclusion of the latest developments in the regional and global landscape, analyse and forecast with sound scientific basis on the situation and development trends of the nation and the world in the new period. They will guide the identification of new development goals for the next 5 and 10 years and shape our visions for 2030, the Centenary of the founding of the Party, and for 2045, the Centenary of the nation's founding.
The drafts set the overarching goals as follows: to enhance the Party's leadership capacity, rule and combativeness, uphold a clean and strong Party and political system across the board, strengthen the people's trust in the Party, State and the socialist system, ignite ambitions for a country of prosperity and happiness, promote the entire nation's will and unity in
conjunction with the power of the times, advance Doi Moi process, industrialization and modernization across the board, steadfastly defend the Fatherland, maintain an environment of peace and stability, and transform Viet Nam into a socialist-oriented developed country by mid-21st century.
The drafts put forward specific objectives as follows:
- By 2025, Viet Nam will become a modernity-oriented industrialized developing country and graduate from the lower-middle income group.
- By 2030, also the Centenary of the founding of the Party, Viet Nam will become a developed country with modern industry and join the upper middle income group.
- By 2045, also the Centenary of the nation's founding, Viet Nam will become a developed and a high-income country.
To meet the above overarching goals and objectives, the drafts include new content of breakthrough nature as follows:
First, they expand on and clarify the Party's guiding philosophies in steering national development.
Second, the drafts further elaborate on key relations, particularly relations between observing the principles of the market and maintaining the socialist orientation, relations among the State, the market and the society, and the relations between economic growth and cultural development, social progress and justices, and environmental protection.
Third, the drafts expound the 3 strategic breakthroughs identified by the 11th and 12th National Party Congress in accordance with the new development phase, including fostering a socialist-oriented market economy,
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investing in human resources, and building an integrated and modern infrastructure system.
Regarding the directions, missions and solutions, in keeping up with the situation and development trends of the nation and the world, the drafts set out 12 directions for national development in the strategic ten years f (2021 20300, 6 core missions, 3 strategic breakthroughs, tasks and measures for further reforms and growth of specific sectors and areas with important new elements.
With the slogan of Unity – Democracy - Discipline - Innovation – Development, the 13th National Party Congress will engage in thorough discussions on the draft Party documents, complete and put them to the vote. We will inform you of key contents and takeaways immediately upon conclusion of the Party Congress.
2.2 On personnel affairs:
Personnel affairs is of great significance as it not only reflects the success of the Party Congress but also bears strategic implications for the Party and the country's development in the new period. Therefore, the Communist Party of Viet Nam has paid special attention to cadre work, viewing it as the “core of the core mandate”. Preparations for new personnel of the 13th Central Committee of the CPV were carried out in a thorough, diligent, prudent, cohesive, and step-by-step manner, to ensure democracy, objectiveness, and impartiality according to due process. The 13th Central Committee of the CPV must truly be a united, clean, and strong collective, consistent in its will and action, and firm in its political resolve. Its members
must uphold moral integrity, commit themselves to national independence and socialism. They must be of exemplary minds, strategic in vision, and innovative in thought. They must represent the Party in combat-readiness and discipline and maintain close ties to the people. They must keep an open mind, engage in serious self-criticism and criticism, enable the unity and solidarity of the Party and people, and have the necessary credibility and capacity for leadership in the new era.
In personnel affairs, we seek a harmonious approach between quality and quota, in which quality is the key. We will not lower the bar to satisfy the quota and attach importance to both talent and morals, of which morals is the
root.
With regard to its organization, to ensure eligibilities, the 13th Central Committee of the CPV will have a suitable membership and structure for well-rounded leadership with continuity, stability, and an orientation for innovation and development. The number of Party Central Committee members in critical positions, localities, and areas will be increasing. Attention will also be given to increasing the ratio of young, female and ethnic minority party cadres. The 13th Central Committee of the CPV will consist of 3 age groups: under-50s, from 50 to 60, and 61 and above.
I would also like to mention that the quality of candidates for leadership position, who were voted at Party Committee Congresses from grassroot to central level has been much better. These candidates have greater academic and political ideological competence, and better expertise. They are in a younger age group, with a much higher number of candidates being females
or originating from ethnic minorities in comparison with the previous terms. 100% of the members graduated from universities and colleges, while 3,493 out of 3,504 members earned their certificates in high-level political theories (accounting for around 99.69%).
III. External relations of the Communist Party of Viet Nam
On this occasion, I would like to brief you on the external relations of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.
At present, the CPV enjoys relations with 247 parties in 111 countries around the world. In this tenure, our Party's external ties have been further expanded and deepened. As a ruling communist party, we have attached importance to strengthening relations with various ruling parties, major political parties and their multilateral fora, organizations, politicians, and various executive and legislative branches.
The ties between the CPV and political parties worldwide continue to witness significant and comprehensive achievements. This success has served as a critical political foundation for maintaining and strengthening Viet Nam's bilateral relations with other countries, effectively addressing national security and development issues, upholding peace and stability, and mustering external resources for national development process. In particular, the ties between the CPV and other ruling parties in socialist states and neighboring countries sharing a border still play a key role, providing the overall strategic trajectory for bilateral relations. The relations with the ruling and political parties of important partners have been reinforced, with new breakthroughs, thus further ensuring enduring ties with other countries.
The foreign affairs activities of Leaders of the CPV, particularly official visits by the General Secretary of the Party Central Committee to many countries, have contributed to upholding stable relations with countries and important partners. Bilateral ties continue to be upgraded or established between Viet Nam and other countries.
As the 13th National Party Congress draws near, leaders of political parties, countries and international organizations, individuals, and international friends have sent letters and messages of congratulations to the Leaders of the CPV. These words not only demonstrate the solidarity, friendship, cooperation and affection for the Party, the State and the people of Viet Nam, but also stand a great source of encouragement to our Party and our people. We thank you very much for your generous support.
On this occasion, the Central Committee of the CPV would like to cordially invite the Diplomatic Corps and representatives of international organizations in Viet Nam to attend the Opening and Closing Sessions of the 13th National Party Congress. We will send invitations to you at our earliest convenience. We also wish to inform you that while the COVID-19 pandemic has been effectively placed under control in Viet Nam, it yet evolves in complicated manners around the world. Hence, we have made thorough preparations and plans to ensure pandemic prevention requirements, including free tests for all guests and delegates at the 13th National Party Congress and all staff on duty at the event.
This is an overview of the 13th National Party Congress. Thank you for your kind attention. Should there be any further inquiries regarding the event,
please speak up for further discussion.
Once again, thank you very much for joining us today.
As we celebrate the New Year 2021, may I wish you all safety, happiness, and great success.
We will see you again at the Press Conference to announce the outcomes of the 13th National Party Congress upon conclusion of the event.
