~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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[Year 2002]

Vietnamese communist orders review on capitalism

The Vietnamese Communist party chief, Nong Duc Manh, has ordered party ideologues to review whether to lift a ban on party members engaging in private enterprise. According to the state-run media, he told the party's Theoretical Council it needed to overhaul its approach to capitalism, in line with the market reforms Vietnam has pursued for the past 15 years.

Analysts say the comments are the first sign that the new party leader, appointed just nine months ago, may live up to his reputation as a reformer. Vietnam has been closely watching a controversial proposal by China's President Jiang Zemin to allow capitalists to join the Communist Party.

BBC World Service - January 31, 2002.


Vietnam's party chief urges crackdown on anti-party documents

The Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam CPV Central Committee held its first session in Hanoi on 29 January. Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh delivered an important speech at the session.

In his speech, Mr Manh highlighted theoretical work as an important scientific area, which the CPV has paid close attention to, in leading the revolution. He said, without a vanguard theory, the CPV could not play the role of a pioneer. According to the party leader, the CPV has renovated its thinking methods to further improve its comprehensive guidelines and policies and to strengthen Vietnam's profile and position. The party has clarified the overall goal of the entire party and people, namely national independence closely linked to socialism, a powerful country, a prosperous people, and an equitable, democratic and civilized society. He stressed that the party has also clarified many issues on a scientific basis, such as the socialist-oriented market economy in which economic development is closely linked with implementation of social progress and equality; building an independent, self-reliant economy with global economic integration, and building a culture imbued with national identity alongside human resources development.

General Secretary Manh highly praised the achievements in the theoretical struggle against wrong and hostile standpoints. He affirmed that this struggle has contributed to defending the party leadership and its renovation policy, maintaining socialism and foiling all peaceful evolution schemes of hostile forces. Mr Manh also pointed to the necessity and importance of theoretical work. According to him, those who hold different views from the party are very few, but they cause great harm. These people distributed anti-party documents, aimed at slandering the party leadership and socialist regime in Vietnam, sabotaging national and party unity and the cohesion between the party and people. Party leader Manh urged theoretical agencies, theorists and cadres to make further efforts in studying and actively taking part in the struggle against wrong stand points and ill-intentioned allegations.

He said that in the immediate future, theorists should try their best to clarify the path to socialism and the goal of building a powerful country with a prosperous people, and an equitable, democratic and civilized society. He also emphasized the expansion of democracy and maintaining of political orientation in theoretical work. The party leader quoted the CPV as saying that its theoretical programme should be built in an environment of solidarity, democracy, frankness, equality and principles to enhance theorists' creativity and talents to find out the truth, and there will be no imposition and compulsion. In discussions and debates, participants are free to give their opinions, even if they are different, but in action they must act upon the party's resolutions and instructions, and state laws. They are not permitted to distribute anti-party documents. Mr Manh called for the rapid building and issuance of democratic regulations in theoretical activities, and reasserted the party's determination to step up theoretical work to meet political demands in the 21st century.

The theorists should make specific contributions to planning, adding to and developing party guidelines and policies in order to strengthen solidarity, political unanimity, and ideology within the party and in society for the goal of building a powerful country with prosperous people, and an equitable, democratic and civilized society.

Voice Of Vietnam, supplied by BBC - January 30, 2002.