Apparatus streamlining, high GDP growth focuses of 13th Party Central Commitee's meeting

A two-day Party Central Committee conference opened in Hanoi on Thursday, with issues related to political system restructuring and national socio-economic development overshadowing the agenda.

General Secretary To Lam presided over and delivered the opening address, while Politburo member and State President Luong Cuong chaired the opening session.

In his opening remarks, Party leader Lam highlighted that the Party Central Committee over the two working days would discuss and provide opinions on five key topics, including three critical groups of issues.

They are reviewing Party Central Committee's Resolution 18 on the reform and restructuring of the political system to make it streamlined, effective, and efficient; proposing additional targets for GDP growth to exceed 8% by 2025 and achieve double-digit growth during the 2026-2030 period; personnel work under the authority of the Party Central Committee, along with reports on the Politburo and Secretariat's leadership and oversight in 2024, and plans for inspection and supervision in 2025.

Focusing on the review of Resolution 18, the top leader underscored that this would be the most central agenda item of the plenum.

Following the Central Committee's conclusion at the November 25, 2024 meeting, the Politburo and Secretariat had actively directed a rapid and thorough review of Resolution 18 and the restructuring of the organizational apparatus.

This effort had been executed with a practical approach of "building while advancing," avoiding perfectionism while ensuring systematic, scientific steps aligned with the Party's rules and directives.

In just two months, the Politburo and Secretariat issued 21 conclusions and decisions. The Central Steering Committee for reviewing Resolution 18 issued 39 guiding documents for related activities.

Lam noted that central agencies, government bodies and local authorities had proactively implemented policies to streamline organizational structures while ensuring the rights and interests of officials, Party members, and workers.

This process had received high approval from both Party members and the public, demonstrating progress beyond initial targets.

The review and restructuring efforts had been accelerated thanks to the experience from previous terms, which had already identified issues such as overlap and inefficiency in the organizational system. By addressing these long-standing challenges, the Central Committee had garnered widespread consensus.

The Politburo would now submit a comprehensive report on Resolution 18, propose reforms to streamline the political system, such as reducing intermediaries in the Party, National Assembly, and Government systems, and potentially discontinuing district- and municipal-level police agencies within the Public Security apparatus.

These were revolutionary proposals requiring careful discussion and strong determination for implementation.

Regarding economic and social issues, Lam emphasized that since the 10th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo had led and directed multiple critical contents to create stepping stones for national development in the new era.

Key focuses included reformed thinking in legislation, institutional refinement, removal of bottlenecks, unlocking of resources, robust decentralization and delegation of power in combination with the political system streamlining.

The moves aimed at assuring lean, effective, efficient operations while strengthening human infrastructure, particularly addressing emerging growth-driving issues.

Lam noted this approach would provide a basis for setting higher development targets such as achieving GDP growth of 8% or higher in 2025, creating momentum for consecutive double-digit growth during the 2026-2030 period.

He warned that failure to pursue these objectives would likely result in missing the entire 2021-2025 period's goals, preventing the country from escaping the middle-income trap and jeopardize the realization of two critical 100-year goals of becoming an upper middle-income country with modern industry by 2030, and a high-income developed country by 2045 as outlined in the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress.

Lam urged the Party Central Committee to focus on discussing and providing opinions on these issues, particularly on how to overcome bottlenecks, unlock resources, and seize opportunities to fully utilize potential and advantages for rapid and sustainable development, thus helping to achieve the goals set for 2025 and the 2026-2030 period.

A key point in this process was that each locality, ministry, and sector must identify immediate tasks and drastically implement them to meet the set targets, he stressed.

Regarding personnel affairs, the Party leader highlighted that the Politburo would present to the Party Central Committee the guidelines and plans for consolidating the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission, supplementing members of the Politburo and the Secretariat, as well as plans for the introduction and arrangement of personnel in various agencies after the restructuring and strengthening of some other related tasks.

These steps were aimed at gradually improving and enhancing the Party's leadership strength, and ensuring that agencies within the political system operate effectively and efficiently to meet the high requirements of national development in the new era, Lam said, adding that these efforts would lay the groundwork for personnel affairs for the 14th National Party Congress.

Regarding the evaluation and review of the Politburo's and Secretariat's leadership and direction, the report on inspection and supervision work in 2024, and the inspection and supervision programme for this year, the top leader requested the Party Central Committee provide feedback, particularly on aspects related to the management and direction of the Politburo and Secretariat, with focus on affairs that had not been accomplished, the existing shortcomings, and the issues that needed to be corrected, adjusted, and implemented.

In light of urgent new circumstances, the General Secretary called for decisive and united efforts to implement policies and meet the country’s development goals. He urged all attendees to contribute their intellect and responsibility to ensure the plenum achieves its objectives.