Party chief: Interests of nation, people, Party must be put above all

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong delivers the closing remarks at the 9th session of the 12th Party Central Committee on December 26

The interests of the country, the people and the Party must be placed above all, and honour is the noblest asset for each cadre and Party member, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong told the Party Central Committee’s 9th session. 

In his closing remarks at the session on December 26, the Party leader urged each Party Central Committee member as well as each cadre and Party member regularly conduct self-assessment so as to avoid making the mistakes that cause loss to the Party, country and people, citing the lesson from the case of Tat Thanh Cang, the latest in a series of senior officials punished for wrongdoings. 

The 9th plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee had decided to dismiss Cang from the post of member of the 12th CPV Central Committee, permanent Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, member of the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee for the 2015-2020 tenure for his very serious shortcomings and wrongdoings. 

Within nearly three years since the beginning of the CPV’s 12th tenure, over 60 officials under the management of the CPV Central Committee have been disciplined, including five incumbent members of the CPV Central Committee, with three of them expelled from the body. 

 “It is heartbreaking, but we had to do it, and will continue to do it in the time to come for the sake of the Party’s strict and clear discipline, the rule of law, the strength and prestige of the Party and the aspiration of the people,” General Secretary and President Trong said.

At the 9th session, the CPV Central Committee affirmed that the Politburo and Secretariat are united collectives that stay consistent with Party goals and ideology, Marxism and Leninism, and Ho Chi Minh ideology. 

They lauded the Politburo and Secretariat for conducting criticism and self-criticism and straightforwardly admitting existing shortcomings. 

The committee asked the Politburo and Secretariat to acquire its feedback, thereby taking drastic and concerted measures to fulfill tasks for the coming years, especially the nine key tasks for 2019.

The committee also approved with high consensus the Politburo’s report on the outcomes of the vote of confidence on the Politburo and the CPV Central Committee Secretariat members. 

Party leader Trong said each Politburo and Secretariat member should consider the vote of confidence a good chance to review themselves, make good use of their own strengths and fix shortcomings to accomplish assigned tasks, deserving the trust and expectations of the CPVCC, the entire Party and people. 

The ninth session of the 12th CPV Central Committee took place on December 25 and 26. During the session, members of the Party Central Committee discussed the personnel planning of the CPV Central Committee for the 2021-2026 tenure, and conducted a vote of confidence on members of the Party Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretariat.

They gave comments on a review report on the leadership and instruction of the Politburo and Secretariat in 2018.

The Committee also decided disciplinary measures against officials with wrongdoings.

Vietnam, Laos further enhance traditional friendship

Representatives of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong Museums are paying a working visit to Vietnam from December 24-30.

The Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association oganised a get-together in Hanoi on December 27 between the Lao delegation and Vietnamese who once served late Presidents of Laos Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong.

The Lao delegation was tasked with collecting documents to prepare for the celebrations of the 110th and 100th birth anniversaries of President Kaysone Phomvihane (July 13, 1909-2019) and President Souphanouvong (December 13, 1920-2020). 

At the get-together, Maj. Gen. Huynh Dac Huong, head of the national Liaison Committee for Vietnamese Volunteer soldiers and Military Experts in Laos, recalled his memories with President Kaysone Phomvihane during his time in the neighbouring country.

Huong, who was head of the experts delegation and commissar of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Laos, told participants that at a meeting to review the outcomes of the Upper Laos Campaign in May 1970, President Kaysone Phomvihane reiterated the unstoppable power of the combat solidarity between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties, people, and armed forces. The campaign aimed to liberate Sam Neua in Laos’ Houaphan province and was a symbol of the Vietnam-Laos combat alliance.

Huong said Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and forces of the Vietnam People’s Army were proud to fight side by side with the Lao army during the country’s past struggle for national independence.

Participants at the meeting highlighted their belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the younger generations of both nations will continue fostering their traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

Thongvanh Thongdy, a representative from the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum, said the Lao delegation has so far visited a series of locations in Son La and Tuyen Quang, where President Kaysone Phomvihane once had revolutionary activities in Vietnam. 

He said these visits and the gathering have helped the Lao delegates gain better understanding about their late president’s revolutionary activties in Vietnam and the close ties between the two countries.

Deputy PM welcomes newly-appointed Chinese ambassador

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) received newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo in Hanoi on December 27

The Vietnamese Party, Government and people always attach much importance to developing the friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with China, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Minh made the statement while receiving newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo in Hanoi on December 27.

Having praised the positive progress in Vietnam-China ties in the recent time, he congratulated Xiong on his appointment as the new ambassador to Vietnam. 

Minh suggested Xiong work closely with Vietnamese agencies to maintain high-level visits and meetings between the two countries; promote practical cooperation fields; enhance people-to-people friendship; well control differences and accelerate the settlement of marine issues.

He expressed his belief that the ambassador will uphold his important role and make practical contributions to the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and nations in the coming time.

For his part, Xiong voiced his hope to receive support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities during his tenure. 

He vowed to do his utmost to enhance the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in line with the interests and development of each country.

PM: Vietnam, US should continue close multifaceted cooperation

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) shakes hands with US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink 

In 2019, Vietnam and the US should continue close cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, security, defence and international issues in the lead up to the 25th anniversary of the normalisation of bilateral ties, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

At a reception in Hanoi on December 26 for US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink, PM Phuc expressed his thanks to US President Donald Trump and the US Congress for providing funds for the accomplishment of a toxic detoxification project at Da Nang International Airport and the deployment of a similar project at Bien Hoa airport.

The PM spoke highly of the ambassador’s efforts in promoting the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership in 2018, meeting practical benefits of their people and contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region.

Having noted with pleasure the fruitful development of bilateral trade ties and the rapid growth of the US’s exports to Vietnam, PM Phuc thanked the US for creating favourable conditions for the Southeast Asian country to boost the export of several products such as tra fish, shrimps and fruits, to the US market.

The government leader also affirmed that Vietnam and the US have cooperated together well in regional and global issues of mutual concern.

For his part, Kritenbrink expressed his delight at the positive development of the bilateral relationship after PM Phuc’s visit to the US and US President Trump’s trip to Vietnam in 2017.

He thanked the government, ministries and sectors of Vietnam for their endeavours in beefing up the bilateral relations, including the settlement of matters related to automobiles, agricultural products, e-payment and the law on cyber security raised by US enterprises.

The ambassador affirmed that the US will continue assisting Vietnam in dealing with the war aftermath and hoped to step up cooperation with the nation in all spheres, including security and defence.

The US considers Vietnam a leading important partner in the region and wants to develop its relations with Vietnam as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for regional peace, cooperation and development, he stressed.

Deputy PM urges stronger Vietnam-RoK cooperation

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and Korean Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu (Source: dangcongsan.vn)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has suggested that Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) should promote cooperation in all fields, including defence, security, economy, e-commerce, labour, innovation and creativity towards the target of 100 billion USD in two-way trade by 2020. 

During a reception in Hanoi on December 26 for Korean Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu, who is also head of SOM ASEAN of the RoK, Minh spoke highly of the positive development of ASEAN- RoK ties over the past years, affirming that Vietnam and ASEAN treasure relations with the RoK and hoping that both sides will continue stepping up their practical and effective ties for the sake of peace and prosperity in the region. 

Towards the 30th founding anniversary of ASEAN-RoK dialogue relations in 2019, Minh stressed that Vietnam supports the organisation of the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit and will work closely with ASEAN member states to ensure its success. 

He also expected that Vietnam would continue receiving the RoK’s support as the country will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020. 

Yoon, for his part, affirmed that the RoK values ties with Vietnam and ASEAN in general. He highlighted Vietnam’s importance in the implementation of the New Southern Policy of Korean President Moon Jae-in and in the development of relations between the RoK and ASEAN nations. 

According to statistics, Vietnam leads Southeast Asia in two-way trade, investment and people-to-people exchange with the RoK. 

He expressed hope that Vietnam will continue boosting bilateral ties with the RoK via multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN-RoK, Mekong-RoK and joint work with the RoK in regional issues of shared concern. 

Earlier, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister and head of SOM ASEAN Nguyen Quoc Dung held a working session with the Korean delegation. 

Dung said Vietnam in particular and ASEAN in general attach importance to the initiative to hold the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit, considering it an important milestone in the relationship with the RoK and a practical contribution to building an East Asia region of peace, stability and prosperity. 

He pledged to work with other ASEAN states to realize these initiatives, thereby further enhancing ASEAN-RoK relations. 

Yoon talked about preparations for the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit scheduled to take place in late 2019 in the RoK, saying that a series of events within its framework will afford both sides a chance to outline orientations for the development of bilateral ties in the future.

Vietnamese defence chief pays official visit to Cambodia

Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich  

Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich is leading a high-ranking military  delegation of Vietnam to make an official visit to Cambodia from December 27-29. 

The visit is made at the invitation of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Tea Banh. 

It aims to further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two countries’ peoples and armies. 

During the visit, the two sides will review results of the bilateral defence cooperation in 2018, and discuss orientations and measures to effectively implement their cooperation plans in 2019.