Draft documents for the upcoming 13th National Party Congress and personnel issues were high on the agenda of the 11th plenum of the Party Central Committee, which took place in Hanoi from October 7-12.

At the 11th plenum of the Party Central Committee (Photo: VNA) 

*Orienting national developing based on balanced and sustainable rules

With the discussion of draft documents to be submitted to the 13th National Party Congress, the 11th plenum of the Party Central Committee is an essential preparatory step for the Congress, an event of great significance as it will look back at 35 years implementing Doi Moi (renewal), review the 10-year implementation of the Platform on national construction during the transitional period to socialism (revised and supplemented in 2011) and the socio-economic strategy in the 2011-2020 period.

The objective and comprehensive assessment of achieved outcomes, outstanding shortcomings and weaknesses, along with correct forecasts for future situation and trends, will provide the prerequisite for making sound decisions on the directions, goals and tasks of national development in the new situation and new period. Therefore, the Party Central Committee required real objectivity, strong desire for the truth and frankness when assessing the situation, avoiding unilateral and extremist views. While the achievements are great and of historical significance, many problems and weaknesses remain, which is the reason why the Party Central Committee urged avoiding self-satisfaction.

The handling of major relations in the development process was discussed in depth at the 11th plenum. They are the relations between renewal, stability and development; between economic and political reforms; between conformity to market rules and ensuring of the socialist direction; between economic growth and cultural development, social progress and justice and environmental protection.

The Party Central Committee also paid special attention to issues arising in reality, such as reforming and perfecting institutions; mobilizing, managing and effectively using all resources for development; reforming and enhancing operational efficiency of State-owned enterprises, and developing collective economy; encouraging and facilitating the development of the private economic sector as an important driver of the economy; fighting corruption, wastefulness and other negative phenomena in managing and using land, natural resources and public assets; concentrating land for the development of hi-tech agriculture; taking advantage of advances of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, promoting renewal and innovation; building human resources, especially in health care and educatin-training.

Based on analysis of the causes of problems and lessons drawn from achievements, the Party Central Committee emphasized the need to further push forward Party building and rectification work, and the fight against bureaucracy, corruption and wastefulness in combination with building a law-governed socialist State and a pure and strong political system. The Party Central Committee vowed to work to enhance the Party’s leadership and governance capacity and the State’s management; persistently and drastically implement the Resolution of the 4th plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee on Party building; stop and drive back the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle among Party members and in society; and strengthen the bonds between the Party and people and the people’s trust in the Party and the State.

*Keeping power in check in personnel work

At this plenum, the Party Central Committee meted out disciplinary measures against two senior officials (former member of the 10th Party Central Committee and former deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Popularisation and Education Commission Nguyen Bac Son; and member of the 12th Party Central Committee, deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Popularisation and Education Commission and former Minister of Information and Communication Truong Minh Tuan). Thus, since the beginning of the 12th tenure, seven Party organisations and more than 70 high-ranking officials have been disciplined, including members and former members of the Politburo and Party Central Committee, ministers and former ministers, former Deputy Prime Ministers, secretaries and former secretaries of provincial Party Committees, generals of the police and army. This showed that the Party is serious and strict in dealing with mistakes, leaving no exceptions or “banned zones”.

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong said the punishment of those officials was painful but there is no other choice. “This is a profound and high-cost lesson for all of us,” he said.

Making personnel preparation for Party congresses at all levels towards the 13th National Party Congress provides an occasion to purify the contingent of officials and select capable and qualified persons for Party committees at all levels. For this reason, the Politburo recently issued Regulation 205-QD/TW on keeping power in check and fighting the use of money, influence to get positions and power. This is the first time the Party has promulgated a document stipulating clearly the authority and responsibility of Party committees, leaders and members of Party committees, advisors and nominated officials themselves in all steps of procedures in personnel work.

The Regulation was issued with the aim of identifying and stopping violations and negative phenomena in personnel work ahead of all-level Party congresses. However, the regulation can only produce expected results when every official and Party member applies it in a fair, honest and scientific manner in assessing and selecting personnel for Party committees at all levels.