General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said he continued to hold power because of “complying with the Party member’s duties” even though he once “requested for retire.”
This information was shared with the press on the closing day of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).
In the press conference after the closing ceremony of the congress on the morning of February 1, Mr. Trong said health is important and a decisive factor for working.
“I am not very well, my age is already high. I have already resigned, but once the Congress still has elected me, I will continue because as a party member I must obey.”
“I will try my best, but whether I can do it or not is the collective, solidarity, unity, one heart, the whole party, the whole people, the whole army unanimously. The role of individuals is important but just personal.”
General Secretary cum State President Nguyen Phu Trong was elected as General Secretary of the Party Central Committee in the 2021-2026 term, for the 3rd consecutive term, different from the party’s Charter.
The early conclusion of the congress was thought to be due in part to concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now reappeared in many provinces and in the capital Hanoi, where the political event was held with nearly 1,600 delegates and hundreds of journalists, security, and service staff participated.
“Many comrades from remote, mountainous and coastal regions came to the capital, ensuring safety, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, is also very worried,” said Trong at the press conference.
Prior to the Congress, a source in the government who wanted to remain anonymous told the BBC that the travel of the delegates this time would be strictly controlled, partly to prevent Covid-19 (although when there is no new outbreak yet) but a part also prevent the delegates from contacting each other in order to lobby.”
General Secretary Trong in the press conference also talked about measures “against the meeting, eating, drinking, campaigning, and lobbying” at this Congress.
Mr. Trong described “HR work was agreed very quickly.”
“This time, you see that all the one-time voting is fully completed, officially and alternately. Yesterday, the meeting of the Central Committee, scheduled to meet all day, but finished in a half-day with electing the Politburo, the Secretariat, the General Secretary, Central Inspection Commission, Head of Central Inspection Commission.”
Using dollars in lobbying for senior posts
While the topic of anti-corruption was not covered much in the long report Trong read at the opening of the congress, the 76-year-old seemed to have made the most of the power of the media when talking about corruption at the press conference right after the closing ceremony of the congress.
“This [corruption] is a disease of those who have rights, positions, power, hold money in their hands too, and wealth is very easy, not only corruption but also negative and group interests.”
“From 2013 until now, I have been working continuously, punished many cases, many members of the Central Committee and the Politburo went to jail, even I cannot imagine millions of dollars recovered from these cases.”
“There has never been a period of politburo members who had to go to prison, remove their posts, recover many assets, only one case, but millions of dollars. … The fight against corruption is complicated and difficult. If you don’t have the courage, true feelings, and bravery, it’s easy to get it,” said Trong. “Everyone likes wealth, likes money, but honor is the sacred thing, the noblest thing, dead people cannot bring money with them.”
Mr. Trong also added: “Someone brought a suitcase of money to the Central Inspection Commission in order to bribe inspectors to ask them to ignore their faults. I told the inspectors to open the suitcase, full of dollars!”
While General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong described the Congress successfully, he also sent the message that the problem is not just in the “resolutions.”
“More important is how we will bring the resolution to live in the future, how to make it a reality … Must have material wealth, the country must be rich, the people must be strong, the people’s lives must be happy. Moreover, that is called success at that vision. Rather than passing the resolution, then clapping will be successful,” said General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
In 2016, Professor Nguyen Phu Trong also shared with the press that he was “surprised by his election” as General Secretary again.
“I was surprised because I am old with limited health and qualifications. I have already resigned, but because of the Party’s responsibility, as I am a member, I must obey.”
Thoibao.de (Translated)
Source: https://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/vietnam-55887444
