Vietnam’s corruption fight to be ‘relentless’: Party leader To Lam

At a Saturday conference of the 13th Party Central Committee, President To Lam was elected the Party General Secretary for the 2021-2026 term.

He chaired a press conference in Hanoi right after the meeting, answering questions from among hundreds of domestic and international journalists.

What are your thoughts on being elected the Party General Secretary of the 13th Party Central Committee with a 100% consensus?

To receive the messages and expressions of affection and congratulation, which are also missions, makes me very moved. I sincerely give my thanks to the love of our comrades, people and international friends. To be trusted by the Central Party Committee to hold the position of Party General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, I am aware that I am shouldering a major duty before the Party, the people, the achievements that our Party has achieved over more than 94 years, as well as the hope into the strong development of Vietnam in the coming times.

We have gone through two-thirds of our journey to realize the resolution of the 13th Party Congress, as the situations in the world and the region are developing quickly and in a complex manner, with several challenges and difficulties. We have many missions remaining, requiring breakthrough efforts, unity of the entire Party, the people and the army to achieve the goals we had outlines. There is nothing better than solidarity and unity, as they are our strength. I am glad that the solidarity and unity from the Party, the Politburo and the Central Party Committee have been spreading and continue to thrive. This is the strength that had helped our country overcome many difficulties and challenge, and achieve victories and goals that the Party had outlined. Surely future of our country’s development will be bright, per the path that the Party had outlined.

The work to build and direct the Party to fight and prevent corruption has always been highly regarded by the Party and the state; and was instructed by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in a relentless manner, achieving many important results, and was trusted and supported by officials, Party members and the people. As the leader of the Party, how will you continue to inherit and conduct this work in the coming times?

I understand that the populace is waiting, after the anti-corruption fight by the Party and agencies, spearheaded by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, has achieved several important results. In the coming times, the work to build and direct the Party, to fight and prevent corruption and negativity will continue to be done with the goals, stances, mottos, missions and solutions same as before.

The fight against corruption and negativity will be bolstered with the motto of “relentless, restless, without exceptions, no matter who the person is; dealing with one case would make an example for an entire region and an entire field.” Agencies will focus on preventing and fighting corruption and negativity, first from agencies with the functionality of preventing and fighting corruption and negativity; pushing back “minor corruption” through multiple specific solutions; expanding the fight and prevention against corruption and negativity outside the state sector, contributing to the clean-up of the Party organization and state agencies. Measures to manage power and direct official ethics, mannerisms and styles to serve the people, will be bolstered.

Along with activities to fight corruption, we will continue to renovate the system, remove difficulties regarding institutions and policies, creating new spirits and space for socio-economic development. Personally, I was very lucky. When I was the Minister of Public Security, I was also the deputy head of the Central Steering Committee on Anit-Corruption, and directly led and instructed the work to fight and prevent corruption and negativity, following the guidelines of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for many years. As such, I’ve had certain experience. Now, entrusted by the Party and the people to become the Party General Secretary, as well as the role of the head of the Central Steering Committee on Anit-Corruption, I believe this work will continue to be done with the direction, intensity, frequency and rhythm unchanged from before, and we will certainly emerge victorious against “inner invaders.”

The country has been overcoming several difficulties and challenges, achieving major and comprehensive results on many fields. To continue achieving the goals of the resolution of the 13th Congress as outlined by the Party, can you name the priorities to be done right after high-ranking personnel work for the Party is done?

The foremost priority is to evaluate all the quotas and missions that the 13th Congress had outlined, as well as the results achieved so far, and from that determine the specific missions for each month, each quarter and each authority to do. There’s only over a year left, so agencies need to speed up to ensure the finish line is reached, and for all the goals and quotas to be met.

Additionally, the Politburo, the Party Central Committee, the smaller committees on documents, personnel, society-economy, Party regulations are conducting and completing missions, preparing for congresses at different levels leading to the 14th Congress. Personnel choices must be prepared well, choosing officials with morals and talents, who are dedicated to the country and the people, who are willing to think, do, say and take responsibilty for the greater cause. We must ensure that we have a good system and good personnel to achieve the goals and meet the expectations of the people.