The reappointed General Secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party Nong Duc Manh at his new-term speech Tuesday committed to accelerate economic reforms and root out corruption, which has been identified as a major threat to the survival of the party’s leadership.
“We always try to curb negative phenomena, including corruption, wastefulness and bureaucracy" Manh, 65 told a press conference shortly after he secured a second term as the party boss.
“We should not let the wrong-doers escape. It’s a matter of uncovering them, and when we have uncovered them we need to punish them resolutely” Manh said to his 1,176 party fellows at the closing ceremony of the five-yearly National Congress.
The crucial eight-day gathering was held in the shadow of a corruption scandal in which transport ministry officials embezzled millions of dollars, mainly from World Bank and international donors’ loans, to buy lavish homes and cars and bet on European football.
According to unofficial statistics, as many as 9,960 corruption-related cases were unearthed in Vietnam in the 12 years prior to 2005, causing damages worth VND7,558 billion (US$478.4 million). However, the statistics are believed to be just the tip of an iceberg.
A party spokesman said that about 40,000 party members have been disciplined - some for corruption - in the past five years.
"The whole party, people and army will strive for comprehensive reform, bringing our country out of underdevelopment and creating a foundation for our country to become an industrialized nation by 2020," said Manh.
The communist governed nation has set targets to maintain a high growth rate of 7.5-8.0 per cent a year by then.
The Southeast Asia nation has set targets to raise its annual per capita income to US$1,100 by 2010 from the current US$640.
Vietnam, which booked 8.4 percent GDP growth last year, hopes to join the World Trade Organization before November, when it will host its largest ever international event, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Political analysts inside and outside of Vietnam expect Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, 56, who is an advocate of the greater liberalization of state-run companies and has been recommended to become Prime Minister, will team up with talented staff to further contribute to socio-economic development.
If confirmed by the legislature, Dung would work with a new, younger and technocrat-minded 14-member Politburo to continue economic reforms that have brought recent growth to the communist country.
The 14 newly-elected political bureau members, including 8 members elected for the first time and 6 members of the Political Bureau in the 9th tenure, are in the age bracket of 56-66, averaging at 59.9.
The Communist Party of Vietnam now has some 3.1 million members, who form the backbone of the Vietnamese Government and the State. As the only legal party in Vietnam, the 75-year-old CPV still retains a monopoly on power in the 83-million-people strong country and does not accept a multi-party political system.
The People, Youth, VNA, Vietnam Panorama
April 24–25, 2026
Kinh Bac Cultural Center, Bac Ninh Province
Vietnamese
