said Associate Professor Nguyen Viet Thong, Secretary General of the Central Theoretical Council.

According to Thong, the 10-year implementation of the Political Platform which was supplemented and developed in 2011 has resulted in the development in terms of both theory and reality.

“In the field of theory, we have continued to clarify various important issues such as the characteristics of socialism, the orientations of socialism and especially the major relationships,” he said.

It could be affirmed that the Platform remains a flag of ideology, combat and great national unity to build a strong country with rich people and equitable, democratic and civilized society, Thong said.

From the perspective of building the Party and political system, Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council Prof. Phung Huu Phu said over the past decade, especially during the 12th tenure, drastic actions have been taken to build and rectify the Party, producing good progress. Party units from the central to grassroots levels were consolidated with clearer functions and missions. Their operating methods continued to be reformed.

Attention was paid to Party building in terms of ideology, politics, organization and ethics in tandem with reforming personnel work, intensifying inspection, supervision and discipline, spreading the campaign on studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, moral virtue and lifestyle, raising the sense of responsibility and exemplary role of officials and Party members, especially those holding the top positions, from the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Central Party Committee to Party committees at the grassroots level.

The Party’s leadership and combat capacity have gradually improved. Party building and rectification were carried out simultaneously, with a focus on addressing urgent issues, fighting and gradually driving back degradation in political thought, morals and lifestyle, signs of “self-evolution”, “self-transformation” from inside, and cracking down on corruption. The Party leadership and prestige as well as public trust have been strengthened.

Party building work was carried out in combination with renewing the political system, focusing on building a law-governed socialist State of the people, by the people, for the people. Law making work saw positive progresses, administrative and judicial reforms were stepped up while the designation, control and coordination of power among legislative, executive and judicial agencies reaped initial results. The State apparatus was rearranged in a more streamlined, effective and efficient manner. The organisation and operating method of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations were renewed and became closer to the people. They perform the function of social supervision and criticism, contributing actively to the building of the Party and State and social management.

Former head of the Institute of Philosophy Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Chuan, who joined the drafting process of documents for the 7th National Party Congress, including the 1991 Platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism, said that the 13th National Party Congress will make new contributions.

The 13th Congress will look at many issues regarding the country, the world, as well as the path Vietnam is taking to narrow the development gap with developed countries and maintain the socialist orientation.

He said documents to be submitted to the 13th Congress have summed up 45 years since the national liberation, and expressed his belief that the Platform will be implemented in the best manner.

Achievements in the building of the Party and the political system along the orientations mapped out by the Platform are the leading factor ensuring the promotion of socialist democracy and the strength of great national unity, thus creating a great driving force for national development.

The country's achievements after 35 years of renewal, 30 years of implementing the 1991 Platform, especially 10 years of implementing the 2011 Platform have continued to affirm the Party’s sound and creative renewal policy. Those great achievements which have historical significance are the crystallisation of the Party and people’s innovation, testify that the country's path to socialism suits Vietnam’s reality and the development trend of the era. They also showed that the Party’s sound leadership is the leading factor deciding the success of the Vietnamese revolution.

In the context of rapid and complicated changes in the world situation, the Platform continues to be the lodestar for Vietnam’s sustainable development./.VNA