Corruption fight in Vietnam expected to persist as Party chief crown for third term

Vietnam’s fight against corruption is expected to continue the past-years momentum with the re-election of Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong.

Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and State President Nguyen Phu Trong. Photo: Nguyen Khanh/Tuoi Tre

Mr. Trong, 76, who is known as anti-corruption czar, will begin his third term for 2021-26 after the CPV’s 13th Congress that concluded on February 1.

Mr. Carl Thayer, professor emeritus of politics at the University of New South Wales and a Southeast Asia expert, described Mr. Trong’s re-election for a third term as “unprecedented” in the modern era.

Mr. Lye Liang Fook, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, Vietnam Studies Program at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, commented “This is a good development as General Secretary Trong has made significant contributions to Vietnam. He has led the anti-corruption fight that has borne notable results. He has also overseen the Party’s successful fight against Covid-19.”

The newly re-elected Communist Party chief vowed to pursue strong economic growth and resume his crackdown on corruption.

At the closing ceremony of the congress, Mr. Trong expressed his determination to continue the ongoing fight against corruption, noting it a rough path.

At a press conference after the closing ceremony, he told reporters that some members of the Party Central Committee and even the Politburo, the country’s highest body, have been jailed for their involvement in corruption cases, in addition, the state have taken back millions of US dollars and will persevere with the fight against corruption.

Mr. Trong, who took the position of the Party chief since 2011, continued his third term with a crackdown on corruption known as the “blazing furnace” campaign that that has swept through the party, police and armed forces.

Over the past years, it brought to justice and handed lengthy jail terms to many high-ranking officials, including two members of the Politburo.

Since he chaired the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption when it was established in 2013, more than 131,000 officials were punished for violating anti-corruption regulations in 2013-2020. Among the offenders embraced, there were more than 110 senior officials, including four incumbent and former members of the Politburo, the country’s most powerful body, 27 incumbent and former members of the Central Party Committee, and more than 30 armed force and police officers.