The Party Central Committee has announced that it would hold the Eleventh Party Congress at the National Convention Center in Hanoi from January 12-19.

A preparation session will be held January 11, according to a statement released on Wednesday at the end of a Party conference that opened on December 13.

Pham Xuan Son, deputy head of the committee’s external affairs division, said that the Congress will focus on continuing to improve the strength and management of the Party, building up the strength of the Vietnamese people as a whole, pushing forward the reformation process and laying a foundation for Vietnam to become a modern industrialized country by 2020.

He said the Party is looking to have more young members join the new central committee.

He said the number of young people, women, ethnic minorities and scientists in the central committee will be increased, with new members accounting for at least one-third of its total strength.

At least 1,400 delegate representing more than 3.6 million members are expected to attend the Party Congress.

Several parts of the event including the opening and closing sessions will be televised live. Apart from local reporters, more than 150 foreign reporters have registered to report on the event, Son said.

Members of the Congress have been elected by their party colleagues at the provincial or central level. They will vote in a Central Committee of about 150 members, which will in turn elect the Politburo, the decision-making body of about 17 members. The Politburo then assigns among itself the key positions.

The Congress is also expected to adopt a five-year socio-economic strategy with a long-term vision until 2020.