Whether the 11th National Party Congress succeeds or not depends on each delegate’s responsibility and intelligence, said Nong Duc Manh, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC).

 

Mr. Manh made the statement at the 15th congress of the CPVCC in Hanoi on January 9. In his closing speech, he asked CPVCC members to uphold their responsibility and make greater efforts for the success of the upcoming National Congress.

 

The 11th National Congress is a significant political event of the Party and the whole nation in general, in which strategic guidelines and policies will be discussed.  The Party’s vitality and the nation’s destiny are dependent on party members and people’s unanimity and their effort to put the Party’s policies into practice.

 

During the Congress, the delegates will discuss and decide major important issues such as personnel for the next term, party’s political platform and regulations, and the country development strategy. The Congress, therefore, will be a great success if each delegate is imbued with the Ho Chi Minh Thougth which emphasises that the Communist Party of Vietnam represents the interest of the working class, the mass, and the nation.

 

The Party’s objectives are liberating the country, strengthening socialism and moving toward a new area of development with “rich people, strong country, and equal, democratic, and civilised society.”

 

By setting the Congress’s theme as “Continuing the Party’s leadership and fighting capacity, upholding national strength, comprehensively spurring the renovation, and laying the foundations for Vietnam to become a modern industrial country by 2020”, the Party focuses much of its attention to Party building and socio-economic development.

 

The leadership of the Party is dependent on not only the strength and the transparency of each Party committee and the whole political system, but also the spirit of sacrifice of each Party member. Whether the Party is able to uphold the national unity bloc is contingent upon its prestige which is built and strengthened by Party members and committees at all levels.

 

Each of the National Congresses is a milestone in the country’s history with significant socio-economic development. Preparations for the 11th Congress have been completed. 1.377 delegates, representing more than 3.6 million Party members and 80 million people, are doing their best for the success of the congress.

 

Historic responsibility of 11th National Party Congress

 

The 11th National Party Congress has taken pride of place in all major Vietnamese newspapers after the past few days.

 

Under the titles “the 11th Congress with its historic responsibility,” the Phap Luat Viet Nam (Vietnam Law) newspaper quoted the political report presented by the Party’s General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, in which he emphasized that the 2011-2020 economic development strategy is aimed at promoting the industrialisation and modernization process and sustainable development, making Vietnam become a socialist-oriented industrialised country.

 

The 2011-2015 period is considered to be very important in the implementation of the socio-economic development strategy for 2011-2020. In the next five years, Vietnam should make greater efforts to achieve major targets including economic growth rate of 7-7.5 percent, per capita income of US$2,000 by 2015, agriculture representing 17-18 percent of GDP, industry and construction, 41-42 percent, services, 41-42 percent, and the rate of trained labourers 55 percent.

 

In order to reach import-export balance by 2020, export revenues will annually go up by 12 percent while import surplus will be gradually controlled. State overspending will represent only 4.5 percent of GDP by 2015. Eight million jobs will be created and the population will grow by 1 percent by 2015. Average longevity will reach 74 in 2015 and the poverty rate will see a yearly reduction of 2 percent while forest coverage will reach 42-43 percent in 2015.

 

In the meanwhile, the Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourer) newspaper affirmed the Party’s goal of promoting the renewal process by quoting the Party leader’s report which underlines the importance of completing of the socialist-oriented market economic institution, renewing the growth model and economic structure and accelerating the industrialisation and modernisation process, developing culture, education and training, and science and technology, protecting the environment, achieving social equality and progress, ensuring national security, and expanding diplomatic ties with other countries over the world.

 

Some newspapers highlighted Vietnam’s significant achievements over the past 25 years, which were mentioned by State President Nguyen Minh Triet in his speech of the Congress. The Tien Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper quoted President Triet as saying that Vietnam has been successfully in the early stage of the renewal process, bringing the country out of its underdeveloped-nation status; reinforcing the nation’s strengths in all fields; improving the people’s living condition, raising Vietnam’s prestige and position in the international arena, and laying a firm foundation for sustainable development.

 

Meanwhile, the Phap Luat Viet Nam newspaper praised the achievement while citing General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s report saying that despite the economy’s shortcomings and challenges caused by natural disasters, epidemics, and the global economic crisis, Vietnam has made great efforts to achieve the targets set by the 10th National Congress of the Party.

 

The An ninh Thu do (Capital Security), Tien Phong, and Cong An thanh pho Ho Chi Minh (HCM police) emphasized the Party’s economic development strategy for 2011-2020 aimed at promoting the process of industrialization and modernization, to ensure fast and sustainable development, towards a socialist-oriented industrialized country.

 

To this end, the strategy is focused on five development viewpoints and three breakthrough steps including completing the socialist-oriented market economic institution through the improvement of an equal competitive climate, pushing through administrative reform; developing the human resources, especially high-quality workforce through the national educational system; and associate human-resource development with scientific and technological development and application and the upgrading of infrastructure facilities.

 

The Congress also defined the targets for the next five years including improving the Party’s leadership role and combative capacity, building a transparent and strong political system, pushing through administrative reform, promoting democracy and national unity to ensure fast and sustainable development and improve the people’s material and spiritual living conditions, maintaining socio-political stability, strengthening external activities, maintaining national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

 

Meanwhile, the Nong thon ngay nay (Today rural areas) newspaper stressed the importance of personnel work in the process of Party building and national development.

 

In addition to economic development, national security; external relationship; global integration; cultural, educational and scientific-technological development, environmental protection, and social equality and progress are important issues in the future development of Vietnam.

 

Party’s strong political will and wise leadership – key to success

 

The sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is the key to Vietnam’s revolutionary victories.

 

For the past 80 years, the Party has led Vietnam to glorious historic victories which showed not only the spirit of national great unity but also the Party’s political strength.

 

In the context of global integration, the political power should be strengthened as it is considered the key to every success.

 

The draft political platform for the transitional period to socialism in Vietnam proposed at the 11th Party’s National Congress emphasized that defeating feudalism and imperialism, Vietnam became an independent country and decided to follow the path to socialism.

 

Freed from colonist rules, the Vietnamese people became masters of their own country. From a poor and underdeveloped nation, Vietnam took giant steps toward building an industrialised and modern country, established diplomatic ties with many countries and continued to enhance its position in the region and the world, said the platform.

 

According to researchers, during its 80-year history, the CPV has twice experienced dangerous and difficult situations. In the 1945-1946 period, Vietnam was threatened by internal and external hostile forces, hunger, ignorance, and foreign invaders, but under the wise leadership of the Party, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam overcame all difficulties to defend the young revolutionary government and national independence. In 1986, despite the embargo and protests instigated by hostile forces and a socio-economic crisis, the Party rectified its mistakes and shortcomings and launched a renewal process at its 6th National Congress.

 

Great achievements recorded in the past 25 years have proved the Party’s improved policies and its close relationship with the people. The renewal process has received strong support from the people, but still faces numerous challenges, so the Party is meeting to decide on the best way of leading the country effectively.

 

Dr. Dao Huu Tien, former Director of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, said in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Vietnam faced a lot of challenges rising from the collapse of socialism in East Europe and the Soviet Union, the embargo imposed by the US, the triple-digit inflation rate, and the reactionary propaganda of hostile forces against Vietnam. However, the CPV confirmed its consistent policy of combining national independence and socialism to promote the renewal process.

 

Following the Party’s decision to develop a socialist-oriented market economy with the participation of different economic sectors, Vietnam was still confronted with many difficulties, especially the negative impact of the Asian financial crisis which took place in 1997 and 1998.

 

Recently, Vietnam was struck by the global economic crisis. However, the country did its best to weather the crisis and maintain a high growth rate, while stabilising the macroeconomy. This is attributed to the Party’s trong political will and the people’s consensus.

 

According to the Party’s draft political report, the Party should be intelligent, determined, and creative in working out appropriate policies for the country to keep pace with new developments in the world.

 

Dr. Ngo Quang Minh from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration said one of the factors behind the success of the Vietnamese revolution is the strong vitality and enthusiasm of the Vietnamese people.

 

People tend to actively respond to any policies introduced by the Party, said Dr. Minh.

 

In its draft political report, the Party attaches great importance to strengthening the political will and improving the brainpower of Party members in the struggle against conservatism, subjectivism, and dogmatism within the Party. It shows its determination and firm political will in the renewal process.

 

 Human resources – important factor in industrialising rural areas

 

Since the renewal process was launched in 1986, Vietnam has made great achievements and is now during the process of industrialisation and modernisation, in both urban and rural areas. The country is making every effort to become a modern industrialised country by 2020.

The industrialisation and modernisation in the rural areas is attracting much attention from delegates attending the 11th National Party Congress.

 

In a report on building Vietnamese farmers class in the industrialisation and modernisation process, Nguyen Quoc Cuong from the Vietnam Farmers’ Association, emphasised the role and contribution of Vietnamese farmers in the national defence and construction, the revolutionary struggle for national independence, the renewal process, and the building of socialism.

 

The resolution of the seventh congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (10th tenure) stressed that agriculture, farmers, and rural areas play a strategic role in the country’s industrialisation and modernization and in the national construction and defence.

 

Farmers are the major force contributing to maintaining sustainable socio-economic development and political stability, ensuring national security, preserving and upholding the traditional culture value, and protecting the country’s ecological environment, says the resolution. It also attaches great importance to reinforcement of the alliance between workers, farmers, and intellectuals during the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

 

In order to implement the Party’s resolution, Vietnamese farmers have brought into full play the patriotic tradition to overcome difficulties and challenges, contributing to the country’s achievements. Stable development of agriculture has not only ensured Vietnam’s cooking security but also made the country become the world’s leading rice exporting country. In addition, Vietnam has made great achievements in poverty reduction.

 

Cuong said building a strong farmers class does not mean focusing on quantitative development but to help them improve their qualifications and skills and bolster their confidence in the leadership of the Party.

 

He also proposed that the Party and State introduce policies to promote socio-economic development in rural areas, improve farmers’ living conditions, provide rural workers with training, and create jobs for rural residents. In addition, it is necessary to ensure the investment to upgrade rural infrastructure as mentioned in the Party’s resolution.

 

All of the above will help Vietnamese farmers become qualified to meet the needs of the industrialisation and modernisation, Cuong said.

 

 

According to Le Thi Thanh Nhan, Director of Lang Son provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Party has paid much attention to agriculture and rural development which is reflected in the Congress’s documents.

 

Programmes on building new rural areas also stressed the importance of finding different sources of capital for agriculture and rural development, especially irrigation.

 

Delegates are confident that Vietnam’s agriculture, particularly the development of rural human resources, will enjoy a significant development after the Congress. It will be one of the key factors contributing to the socio-economic development in the 2011-2020 period.

 

Nguyen Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long Provincial People’s Committee, expressed his hope that the Party and State will introduce better policies for officials at grassroot levels  as they are implementers of the Party’s and State policies in their localities.

 

Thanh expressed his agreement with the national target programme to create new rural areas, saying that it will benefit farmers. He also proposed increasing the investment, especially in the infrastructure, to make the programme more successful.

 

In the draft 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy, the Party stressed the importance of taking advantage of tropical agriculture to develop large-scale production with high productivity and effectiveness, increase the output of farm products and their export revenue, improve farmers’ living conditions, and ensure national food security. It shows the consistency of Party’s policies in developing agriculture and building new rural areas in the context of the transition toward socialism.

 

Source: VOV