The Central Inspection Commission during its 34th session proposed that the Politburo and the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam consider disciplinary action against Tran Tuan Anh – Politburo member, Head of the Central Economic Commission, former Minister of Industry and Trade.
According to Vietnamese political observers, if Tran Tuan Anh is disciplined here, an unprecedented situation will occur.
That is, in the 13th Party Congress, even though it was only halfway through its term, three Politburo members lost their positions.
They are: Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Pham Binh Minh and Tran Tuan Anh.
That’s not to mention a series of members of the Party Central Committee – both current and retired – who were disciplined, prosecuted and arrested, such as Nguyen Thanh Long, Chu Ngoc Anh… and most recently Le Duc Tho – Secretary of Ben Tre.
This is something that has never happened in the history of the Communist Party of Vietnam up to now.
Public opinion is skeptical, why, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has repeatedly emphasized the importance of leadership personnel work, but let Tran Tuan Anh slip? Meanwhile, many times, Mr. Trong affirmed, “resolutely not to let into the Central Committee these who do not have enough moral qualities, abilities, corrupt elements, opportunists“… This is also is the reason why public opinion evaluates that Mr. Tran Tuan Anh’s case is very problematic and needs to be re-examined.
Dr. Nguyen Quang A, former Director of the IDS Institute, said that General Secretary Trong is the person in charge of the highest level in selecting the Party’s personnel, so he must also bear responsibility when numerous high-ranking Party leaders made mistakes and violated the law.
Speaking to the Voice of America (VOA), Dr. Nguyen Quang A, said:
“Tran Tuan Anh is a person with ‘very poor ability’ and ‘no achievements at all.’ Anh applied to work at the Ministry of Planning and Investment, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ‘all of them did nothing’… I don’t understand why he rose so quickly… It’s clear. Clearly, Tran Tuan Anh’s promotion was ‘full of subterfuge’.”
Still according to Dr. Nguyen Quang A, “Tran Tuan Anh is already very scandalous, yet he was also brought into the Politburo. Now you say he made mistakes like this and that, so who brought him into the Politburo?”
According to VOA, the position of Head of the Central Economic Commission of Mr. Tran Tuan Anh is considered a “no reward, no punishment” position, “cannot do anything“.
Activist Hoang Dung, writing on his personal Facebook, said:
“Tran Tuan Anh – son of former President Tran Duc Luong – had a chance to win the next four positions, but was suddenly kicked out of his seat.
Tuan Anh is a real player in the Central region. Not much less than Prince Bac Lieu. Prince Bac Lieu burned the family’s money, while Tuan Anh burned the people’s money.
Besides money, Tuan Anh also spends a lot on girls. Rumor has it that the former journalist who often compliments the Minister of Industry and Trade is also one of Tuan Anh’s favored people. She even gave birth to his child, and thanks to that, she escaped prison.”
Journalist Thai Khac Phu wrote on his personal Facebook page, saying:
“On March 1, 2018, the Office of the General Secretary received a letter from the collective of officials and employees of the Industry and Trade sector, sent to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Committee, and Nhan Dan newspaper accused Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh of ‘depravity and moral degradation’.”
The letter wrote: “With the desire to follow the Minister, Tran Huu Linh (Chief of the Ministry Office) has tried every trick to lead long-legged girls to the Minister… providing money, girls, and meals, lavish parties, gambling hundreds of thousands of dollars…” The Party Committee of this ministry knew everything, but turned a blind eye, because Tran Tuan Anh belonged to the red princelings group.
Observers assessed that public opinion received the news of Mr. Tran Tuan Anh’s discipline and was initially considered satisfied. But the public is still waiting to see how this matter will ultimately end?
Because a leader at the Politburo member level like Tran Tuan Anh is 1/18 of the highest-ranking leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam, but Mr. Tran Tuan Anh is always considered incompetent, lustful and immoral by public opinion.
Tran Tuan Anh’s father, former State President Tran Duc Luong – a person considered a benefactor of General Secretary Trong – who helped Trong cast a decisive vote, allowing Trong to become General Secretary for the first term first at the 11th Party Congress (2011 – 2015). Therefore, Tran Tuan Anh’s path is so vast that it is difficult to accept.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, at the 8th Plenum of the 13th Central Committee (October 2023), was accused by the Central Committee, as well as former officials of the Central Theoretical Council, of having many mistakes and in selecting into the Central Committee many officials who did not meet the prescribed standards. Perhaps, the case of Mr. Tran Tuan Anh is a valid example.
Is that the reason why public opinion has long said that the Communist Party of Vietnam and its government have never had a situation where cadres use money to run for positions? It happened as seriously as when Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong was General Secretary.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
