Following is the full text of the interview.

Reporter: Would you please tell us some outstanding achievements Vietnam recorded in the first half of the 13th tenure?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: We all know that since the 13th National Party Congress, the situation in the world and the region has experienced many rapid, complex, and unpredictable developments, with more new challenges than forecast. With a strong will and high determination and the spirit of “the superior initiates, the subordinate follow”, “one voice speaks, a hundred respond”, “one mind from top to bottom”, and “smooth sailing across both length and breadth”, the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have led, directed and organised the implementation of the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress in a drastic, harmonious, and effective manner. Our country has steadily overcome many difficulties and challenges, continuing to achieve great, relatively comprehensive, and satisfactory results in many fields.

After three years implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, we have focused on preventing, fighting, and controlling epidemics, while pushing the socio-economic recovery and development; building an independent and self-reliant economy associated with the proactive, active, comprehensive, intensive, extensive, and effective international integration. Our country's economy remains a bright spot, the macro-economy is basically stabilised, inflation, public debt and state budget overspending controlled, and major economic balances ensured. The 2021 economic growth was recorded at 2.56% while many economies worldwide posted negative growth; the 2022 figure was 8.02%, much higher than the plan of only 6 - 6.5%. Last year, it topped 5%, a high level compared other countries in the region and the world. For the first time, our country's GDP hit 430 billion USD, ranking third in the ASEAN and standing among the 40 largest economies in the world, and the 20 leading economies in terms of trade and foreign investment attraction.

Despite a host of difficulties, the cultural and social fields have received further attention and investment, achieving many important, marked results. Notably, in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with the tradition of heroism, patriotism and "loving others as if loving yourself”, the superiority of our regime has been advanced to a new level.

A new point lies with the fact that the Politburo and the Secretariat have been very active in preparing and soon organising national cadre conferences to implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress at National Assembly, Government, and Vietnam Fatherland Front agencies, and such sectors as home affairs, national defence-security, culture, and foreign affairs. The Politburo has also issued, elaborated, and implemented six new resolutions on socio-economic development, and ensuring national defence and security in all the six socio-economic regions of the country. The organisation has been done concertedly and methodically right from the beginning of the term, soon setting clear and correct directions for further revamping, building, and perfecting the law-governed socialist State of Vietnam, and consolidating and strengthening the great national solidarity bloc. This can be confirmed as an outstanding result, contributing to the achievements recorded since the beginning of the 13th tenure.

Reporter: The fight against corruption and other negative phenomena continues to be directed in a methodical, concerted, and drastic manner, and has produced obvious efficiency. Could you please tell us about the new points and outstanding results in the fight over the past time?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: The fight against corruption and other negative phenomena has been continued in a resolute manner, with many new, in-depth, concerted, and effective ways. The previous central steering committee for corruption prevention and fight has had its functions and tasks supplemented and expanded, including steering the prevention and combat of both corruption and other negative phenomena, focusing on preventing and combating the deterioration of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle among officials and party members, considering this to be the root of all problems.

At the same time, provincial-level steering committees for corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention and combat have also been established in all the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities and started their operation, gaining initial but good results, thus helping to gradually address the situation of the superiors directing drastically but the subordinates implementing cursorily as we have long said. The Politburo has issued Regulations 114-QD/TW, 131-QD/TW, and 132-QD/TW on controlling power, preventing and combating corruption and other negative phenomena in personnel work and those of inspection and audit, and investigation, prosecution, trial and judgment enforcement to ensure concerted, methodical and strict implementation.

The work of building and perfecting institutions and policies on socio-economic management and corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention and combat has also been pushed to gradually move towards the state of "dare not to", "cannot", "don't want to", and "don't need to" corrupt. The perfection of the personnel organisational apparatus and administrative reform has ensured openness and transparency. The operational quality and efficiency, and coordination among the agencies and units involved in corruption and other negative phenomenon prevention and combat have improved. Dissemination and education on the work has also seen progresses.

The Party's inspection, supervision and discipline works continue to be innovated and strengthened on the basis of quality promulgation and serious and concerted organisation of the implementation of many new regulations, helping restrain, prevent, and drive back the deterioration of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" in the interior; and the corruption, "group interests", "taking advantage of term of office to make profit", "individualism", and "being corrupted by power" among a no minor section of the contingent of officials and party members. At the same time, the Party's leadership capacity and combativeness has been improved; solidarity and unity within the Party enhanced; the people's trust consolidated; political stability, discipline, social order and safety maintained; and socio-economic development accelerated.

Reporter: The 13th National Party Congress continued to define the modern and comprehensive diplomacy with three pillars of the Party, the State, and people-to-people foreign activities, contributing to raising the country’s position and prestige. What do you comment on the foreign affairs work of the Party and State over the past time?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Over the past three years, the Party’s foreign policy worked out by the 13th Congress has been thoroughly grasped and implemented in a concerted way, achieving important results of historical significance and becoming an impressive bright spot in the country’s overall achievements, making important contributions to maintaining an environment of peace and stability, thus facilitating the country’s socio-economic development and raising the country’s position and prestige in the international arena.

We have inherited and brought into play the strength of the modern foreign policy of the Ho Chi Minh era, imbued with the characteristics of the "Vietnamese bamboo", “strong root, sturdy trunk and flexible branches” that extol the Vietnamese people’s virtues and nature of flexibility, smartness, and resilience.

I would like to cite a number of concrete results to prove that fact: After the 13th National Party Congress, the country has seen robust and busy foreign activities that have become an impressive and prominent bright spot. The successes of the state and official visits, the phone talks and online talks by our Party and State leaders, especially the more than 40 visits by key leaders to neighbouring countries, major powers, ASEAN countries, many important strategic partners, and traditional friends. It is noteworthy that in 2023, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China Xi Jinping and his spouse paid a state visit to Vietnam. For the first time in the history, US President Joe Biden made a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Party General Secretary. The high-level Hanoi meeting of the heads of the Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian parties by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President of the Cambodian People’s Party Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith was a fine success, etc., and many heads of important states to Vietnam. Those are foreign and political events of special importance in not only bilateral cooperation but also regional and international issues. They hold historical significance and have been welcomed and highly valued by both domestic and foreign public opinion, as I always say “We have never had such a great fortune, potential, and international position and prestige as we are having now.”

To date, our Party has set up relations with 253 political parties in 115 countries across the globe, including 92 communist parties, 63 ruling parties, and 38 parties in ruling coalitions and administrations.

Regarding diplomatic relations, Vietnam has expanded and deepened its relations with 193 countries, including special ties with three, comprehensive strategic partnership with six, strategic partnership with 12, and comprehensive partnership with 12. Vietnam has become an active and responsible member of most of the regional and international organisations and forums. Besides, Vietnamese people’s organisations and groups have established cooperation and friendship relations with more than 1,200 foreign organisations and partners.

Reporter: The new situation is forecast to have both opportunities and challenges mingled. Could you elaborate on major policies and decisions that need a focused leadership and direction to be implemented in the second half of the 13th tenure?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: From now to the end of the 13th tenure, it is forecast that besides opportunities, there will be many difficulties. We need to continue to thoroughly grasp and organise the strict and effective implementation of the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on rapid and sustainable development. Attention must be paid to consolidating and strengthening the macroeconomic foundation, controlling inflation, improving the intrinsic capacity and the autonomy of the economy. Priority must be given to improving the investment and business environment; raising the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy; and speeding up the national digital transformation, developing the digital economy and society, and green and circular economy in association with intensifying resource management and environmental protection.

Besides, it is necessary to pay more attention to the task of cultural and social development so that it is harmonious and on par with the economic development; ensure social security and welfare; and constantly improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

We need to continue consolidating and enhancing our defence and security potential, maintaining political stability and social order and safety, and improving the effectiveness of foreign activities and international integration.

The acceleration of the building and rectification of the Party and the political system, especially the system of legislative, executive and judicial agencies from the central to local levels, must be continued to make them truly clean and strong. A clean, honest and strong Government and local authorities must be built.

The personnel work must be better done in order to correctly select and place those who are truly virtuous, talented, honest, and dedicated for the country and people to the leading positions of the State apparatus.

We must fight to eliminate the retrogressive thinking and concerns that an excessively robust fight against corruption and other negative phenomena might hinder development, dampen morale, “hold back” and create a “defensive”, “procrastinate”, “cover-up”, and “staying safe” mindset, and passing of responsibility to others among certain officials, especially leaders and managers at all levels.

It is necessary to focus on the good implementation of the personnel planning work all levels, prepare all-level Party congresses for the 2025 – 2030 tenure, especially the planning of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Party Central Committee's Secretariat of the 14th tenure in the 2026 – 2031 period; and, at the same time, to urgently and seriously summarise the theoretical and practical issues after the 40 years of Doi moi (renewal).

On the basis of the achievements and experiences gained, I believe that with the new momentum and motivation, our entire Party, people, and army will stay united, join hands and strive with greater determination and effort; be more dynamic and creative, wisely seize opportunities and advantages to steadfastly overcome difficulties and challenges and successfully complete the goals and tasks set for the 13th tenure, towards building our country into an increasingly strong, prosperous, civilised, and happy nation as ever wished by Uncle Ho, and our entire Party, people, and army.

On the thresholds of the Year of Dragon 2024, and also the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 - 2024), on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I wish the entire people, soldiers nationwide, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends all the best, and a prosperous and joyful New Year full of happiness and successes!

New Year with new victories!

Reporter: Sincere thanks to the Party leader. On behalf of my colleagues at the Vietnam News Agency, I would like to wish you and your family a New Year full of healthy, happiness, and successes!