Tran Tuan Anh relieved from Politburo, Party Central Committee posts

The Party Central Committee (PCC) on Wednesday agreed to release Tran Tuan Anh from his positions as Politburo and PCC member and head of the Central Economic Commission for letting multiple violations occur at the Ministry of Industry and Trade during 2016-2021 when he served as minister.

The decision was made at the PCC’s extraordinary meeting in Hanoi per an application to step down from these positions and retire made by Anh, announced the committee’s office.

Anh was a high-ranking Party and State official and entrusted with important leadership positions by the Party Central Committee and Politburo. As Secretary of the Party Committee and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in the 2016-2021 tenure, he "exerted efforts to lead and direct the industry and trade sectors to obtain significant results".

However, he bore the political responsibility of a leader for letting multiple wrongdoings occur at the ministry, and allowing many officials and Party members to break the law. These people have consequently been subject to criminal punishments and Party and administrative disciplinary measures.

The PCC also relieved Phan Viet Cuong, a Party Central Committee member and secretary of Quang Nam province's Party Committee, from his posts.

Cuong was also a high-ranking official of the Party and State and entrusted with important leadership positions in his locality by the PCC and Politburo. As secretary of Quang Nam province's Party Committee in the 2015-2020 and 2020-2025 tenures, he bore the political responsibility of a leader for allowing subordinate Party organizations and members commit violations, causing serious consequences. These people have been subject to discipline and even criminal punishments. Deeply aware of their responsibilities towards the Party and people, they submitted their resignation.

At the meeting, the PCC also considered disciplinary measures against Tran Duc Quan, a Party Central Committee member and secretary of Lam Dong province's Party Committee, and Nguyen Nhan Chien, a former Party Central Committee member and former secretary of Bac Ninh province's Party Committee.

Quan and Chien showed degradation in political thought, morality, and lifestyle; had negative acts; infringed the Party’s regulations and the State’s laws while on duty; and broke the rules of the Party members' code of conduct and responsibility to set a good example. Their violations resulted in very serious consequences, stirred public concern, and caused serious bad impacts on local Party organizations and administrations, the PCC said.

Earlier this month, the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission proposed the PCC’s Politburo and Secretariat take disciplinary action against Tran Tuan Anh, together with former Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung and former Minister-Government Office Chairman Mai Tien Dung.

The Politburo then gathered and decided to reprimand Trinh Dinh Dung and Mai Tien Dung, but did not mention disciplinary action against Tran Tuan Anh.

According to the Inspection Commission, the MoIT’s Party Committee violated the Party’s democratic centralism principle and showed a lack of responsibility.

The commission also found violations related to their recommendations and adoption of mechanisms for developing solar power and wind power; implementation of the adjusted Power Development Plan VII; adoption of gasoline trading mechanisms, misuse of the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund; and carrying out bidding with Advanced International JS Company (AIC).

The inspectors concluded that the above-mentioned violations and mismanagement had caused serious consequences which will be hard to remedy, leading to potentially heavy losses to state assets and triggering public indignation.