Hanoi (VNA) - Party General SecretaryNguyen Phu Trong has granted an interview to the Vietnam News Agency on theoccasion of the Lunar New Year (Tet) and the 94th founding anniversary of theCommunist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930-2024).

Following is the full text of the interview.

Reporter: Would you please tell us someoutstanding achievements Vietnam recorded in the first half of the 13th tenure?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: We allknow that since the 13th National Party Congress, the situation in the worldand the region has experienced many rapid, complex, and unpredictabledevelopments, with more new challenges than forecast. With a strong will andhigh determination and the spirit of “the superior initiates, the subordinatefollow”, “one voice speaks, a hundred respond”, “one mind from top to bottom”,and “smooth sailing across both length and breadth”, the Party CentralCommittee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have led, directed and organisedthe implementation of the Resolution adopted at the 13th National PartyCongress in a drastic, harmonious, and effective manner. Our country hassteadily overcome many difficulties and challenges, continuing to achievegreat, relatively comprehensive, and satisfactory results in many fields.

After three years implementing the Resolution ofthe 13th National Party Congress, we have focused on preventing, fighting, andcontrolling epidemics, while pushing the socio-economic recovery anddevelopment; building an independent and self-reliant economy associated withthe proactive, active, comprehensive, intensive, extensive, and effectiveinternational integration. Our country's economy remains a bright spot, themacro-economy is basically stabilised, inflation, public debt and state budgetoverspending controlled, and major economic balances ensured. The 2021 economicgrowth was recorded at 2.56% while many economies worldwide posted negativegrowth; the 2022 figure was 8.02%, much higher than the plan of only 6 - 6.5%.Last year, it topped 5%, a high level compared other countries in the regionand the world. For the first time, our country's GDP hit 430 billion USD,ranking third in the ASEAN and standing among the 40 largest economies in theworld, and the 20 leading economies in terms of trade and foreign investmentattraction.

Despite a host of difficulties, the cultural andsocial fields have received further attention and investment, achieving manyimportant, marked results. Notably, in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,with the tradition of heroism, patriotism and "loving others as if lovingyourself”, the superiority of our regime has been advanced to a new level.

A new point lies with the fact that thePolitburo and the Secretariat have been very active in preparing and soonorganising national cadre conferences to implement the Resolution of the 13thNational Party Congress at National Assembly, Government, and VietnamFatherland Front agencies, and such sectors as home affairs, nationaldefence-security, culture, and foreign affairs. The Politburo has also issued,elaborated, and implemented six new resolutions on socio-economic development,and ensuring national defence and security in all the six socio-economicregions of the country. The organisation has been done concertedly andmethodically right from the beginning of the term, soon setting clear and correctdirections for further revamping, building, and perfecting the law-governedsocialist State of Vietnam, and consolidating and strengthening the greatnational solidarity bloc. This can be confirmed as an outstanding result,contributing to the achievements recorded since the beginning of the 13thtenure.

Reporter: The fight against corruption and othernegative phenomena continues to be directed in a methodical, concerted, anddrastic manner, and has produced obvious efficiency. Could you please tell usabout the new points and outstanding results in the fight over the past time?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Thefight against corruption and other negative phenomena has been continued in aresolute manner, with many new, in-depth, concerted, and effective ways. Theprevious central steering committee for corruption prevention and fight has hadits functions and tasks supplemented and expanded, including steering theprevention and combat of both corruption and other negative phenomena,focusing on preventing and combating the deterioration of political ideology,ethics, and lifestyle among officials and party members, considering this to bethe root of all problems.

At the same time, provincial-level steeringcommittees for corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention and combathave also been established in all the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities andstarted their operation, gaining initial but good results, thus helping togradually address the situation of the superiors directing drastically but thesubordinates implementing cursorily as we have long said. The Politburo hasissued Regulations 114-QD/TW, 131-QD/TW, and 132-QD/TW on controlling power,preventing and combating corruption and other negative phenomena in personnelwork and those of inspection and audit, and investigation, prosecution, trialand judgment enforcement to ensure concerted, methodical and strictimplementation.

The work of building and perfecting institutionsand policies on socio-economic management and corruption and other negativephenomenon prevention and combat has also been pushed to gradually move towardsthe state of "dare not to", "cannot", "don't wantto", and "don't need to" corrupt. The perfection of thepersonnel organisational apparatus and administrative reform has ensured opennessand transparency. The operational quality and efficiency, and coordinationamong the agencies and units involved in corruption and other negativephenomenon prevention and combat have improved. Dissemination and education onthe work has also seen progresses.

The Party's inspection, supervision anddiscipline works continue to be innovated and strengthened on the basis ofquality promulgation and serious and concerted organisation of theimplementation of many new regulations, helping restrain, prevent, and driveback the deterioration of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, andmanifestations of "self-evolution" and"self-transformation" in the interior; and the corruption,"group interests", "taking advantage of term of office to makeprofit", "individualism", and "being corrupted bypower" among a no minor section of the contingent of officials and partymembers. At the same time, the Party's leadership capacity and combativenesshas been improved; solidarity and unity within the Party enhanced; the people'strust consolidated; political stability, discipline, social order and safetymaintained; and socio-economic development accelerated.

Reporter: The 13th National Party Congresscontinued to define the modern and comprehensive diplomacy with three pillarsof the Party, the State, and people-to-people foreign activities, contributingto raising the country’s position and prestige. What do you comment on theforeign affairs work of the Party and State over the past time?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Overthe past three years, the Party’s foreign policy worked out by the 13thCongress has been thoroughly grasped and implemented in a concerted way,achieving important results of historical significance and becoming animpressive bright spot in the country’s overall achievements, making importantcontributions to maintaining an environment of peace and stability, thusfacilitating the country’s socio-economic development and raising the country’sposition and prestige in the international arena.

We have inherited and brought into play thestrength of the modern foreign policy of the Ho Chi Minh era, imbued with thecharacteristics of the "Vietnamese bamboo", “strong root, sturdytrunk and flexible branches” that extol the Vietnamese people’s virtues andnature of flexibility, smartness, and resilience.

I would like to cite a number of concreteresults to prove that fact: After the 13th National Party Congress, the countryhas seen robust and busy foreign activities that have become an impressive andprominent bright spot. The successes of the state and official visits, thephone talks and online talks by our Party and State leaders, especially themore than 40 visits by key leaders to neighbouring countries, major powers,ASEAN countries, many important strategic partners, and traditional friends. Itis noteworthy that in 2023, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Chinaand President of China Xi Jinping and his spouse paid a state visit to Vietnam.For the first time in the history, US President Joe Biden made a state visit toVietnam at the invitation of the Party General Secretary. The high-level Hanoimeeting of the heads of the Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian parties by PartyGeneral Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the Cambodian People’s PartySamdech Techo Hun Sen, and General Secretary of the Lao People’s RevolutionaryParty and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith was a fine success, etc., andmany heads of important states to Vietnam. Those are foreign and political eventsof special importance in not only bilateral cooperation but also regional andinternational issues. They hold historical significance and have been welcomedand highly valued by both domestic and foreign public opinion, as I always say“We have never had such a great fortune, potential, and international positionand prestige as we are having now.”

To date, our Party has set up relations with 253 political parties in 115 countries across the globe, including 92 communist parties, 63ruling parties, and 38 parties in ruling coalitions and administrations.

Regarding diplomatic relations, Vietnam hasexpanded and deepened its relations with 193 countries, including special tieswith three, comprehensive strategic partnership with six, strategic partnershipwith 12, and comprehensive partnership with 12. Vietnam has become an activeand responsible member of most of the regional and international organisationsand forums. Besides, Vietnamese people’s organisations and groups haveestablished cooperation and friendship relations with more than 1,200 foreignorganisations and partners.

Reporter: The new situation is forecast to haveboth opportunities and challenges mingled. Could you elaborate on majorpolicies and decisions that need a focused leadership and direction to beimplemented in the second half of the 13th tenure?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Fromnow to the end of the 13th tenure, it is forecast that besides opportunities,there will be many difficulties. We need to continue to thoroughly grasp andorganise the strict and effective implementation of the Party's guidelines andthe State's policies and laws on rapid and sustainable development.Attention must be paid to consolidating and strengthening the macroeconomicfoundation, controlling inflation, improving the intrinsic capacity and theautonomy of the economy. Priority must be given to improving the investment andbusiness environment; raising the productivity, quality, efficiency andcompetitiveness of the economy; and speeding up the national digital transformation,developing the digital economy and society, and green and circular economy inassociation with intensifying resource management and environmental protection.

Besides, it is necessary to pay more attentionto the task of cultural and social development so that it is harmonious and onpar with the economic development; ensure social security and welfare; andconstantly improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

We need to continue consolidating and enhancingour defence and security potential, maintaining political stability and socialorder and safety, and improving the effectiveness of foreign activities andinternational integration.

The acceleration of the building andrectification of the Party and the political system, especially the system oflegislative, executive and judicial agencies from the central to local levels,must be continued to make them truly clean and strong. A clean, honest andstrong Government and local authorities must be built.

The personnel work must be better done in orderto correctly select and place those who are truly virtuous, talented, honest,and dedicated for the country and people to the leading positions of the Stateapparatus.

We must fight to eliminate the retrogressivethinking and concerns that an excessively robust fight against corruption andother negative phenomena might hinder development, dampen morale, “hold back”and create a “defensive”, “procrastinate”, “cover-up”, and “staying safe”mindset, and passing of responsibility to others among certain officials,especially leaders and managers at all levels.

It is necessary to focus on the goodimplementation of the personnel planning work all levels, prepareall-level Party congresses for the 2025 – 2030 tenure, especially the planningof the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Party CentralCommittee's Secretariat of the 14th tenure in the 2026 – 2031 period; and, atthe same time, to urgently and seriously summarise the theoretical andpractical issues after the 40 years of Doi moi (renewal).

On the basis of the achievements and experiencesgained, I believe that with the new momentum and motivation, our entire Party,people, and army will stay united, join hands and strive with greaterdetermination and effort; be more dynamic and creative, wisely seizeopportunities and advantages to steadfastly overcome difficulties andchallenges and successfully complete the goals and tasks set for the 13thtenure, towards building our country into an increasingly strong, prosperous, civilised,and happy nation as ever wished by Uncle Ho, and our entire Party, people,and army.

On the thresholds of the Year of Dragon 2024,and also the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam(February 3, 1930 - 2024), on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I wish theentire people, soldiers nationwide, overseas Vietnamese, and internationalfriends all the best, and a prosperous and joyful New Year full of happinessand successes!

New Year with new victories!

Reporter: Sincere thanks to the Partyleader. On behalf of my colleagues at the Vietnam News Agency, I would like towish you and your family a New Year full of healthy, happiness, and successes!