(VOVworld) – The 9^th Plenum of the Party Central Committee closed on Wednesday.

In his closing speech, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong reviewed the outcomes of the week-long meeting. Delegates agreed to issue a new resolution on building and developing Vietnamese culture to meet the country’s requirement for sustainable development. They said that it is necessary to inherit, supplement and develop the party’s viewpoints on cultural development as stated in the resolution of the 5^th party plenum, stressing that culture is the spiritual foundation of society and the aim, driving force and internal strength for sustainable development. They agreed that culture should be placed on the same level as politics, economics and society and that economic growth should go along with cultural development, social progress and equality. Party leader Trong said that Vietnam is building an advanced culture embraced with national identity and the diversity of Vietnamese ethnic groups: “Vietnam’s cultural identity includes sustainable values, which have been accumulated through thousands of years of national construction and defense. Building and developing Vietnamese culture seeks to develop highly-qualified human resources. This is important in our efforts to establish a firm spiritual foundation, cultural potential and socialism. Culture should be an important factor to develop personality and standards for Vietnamese people in the process of industrialization, modernization and international integration.”

The delegates agreed on measures to complete documents to be submitted to the 12^th National Party Congress. Party leader Trong agreed with the draft political report and the draft report on the 5-year socio-economic development plan from 2016 until 2020. He stressed the importance of the 12^th National Party Congress in continually implementing the Party Manifesto (amended and developed in 2011), the 2013 Constitution, and the 10-year socio-economic development strategy between 2011 and 2020. Mr. Trong said that it is necessary to determine advantages, difficulties and challenges in order to work out appropriate policies and measures to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity, and a peaceful and stable environment for development. Concerning preparations for the 12^th National Party Congress, he said: “The party central committee has contributed practical opinions to the report and draft directive of the politburo. This should be done in an innovative way to enhance democracy and maintain the party’s discipline as well as solidify unity, improve the party’s leadership and the fighting spirit of party organizations.”

The Party leader also appreciated the Politburo’s serious and attentive working spirit and agreed on the need to revise Regulation 165 on votes of confidence. Trong said the Party Central Committee agreed with the proposal of the Government’s Party Executive Committee on canceling People’s Councils at district and ward levels. He asked the government to seriously respond to the Party Central Committee’s opinions and fine-tune the plan to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

The Party leader stressed that the 9^th plenum of the 11^th Party Central Committee was a success, underlying major tasks of the Committee until the end of its tenure. Trong said despite a number of socio-economic achievements, some of the targets set at the 11^th National Party Congress were still unachievable. He pointed out weaknesses and shortcomings in Party building, the implementation of Party resolutions, and the fight against corruption. In face of the complicated situation in the East Sea, Trong urged the Party, people and army to stay on high alert and strengthen unity to defend national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and maintain law and order to enhance national development.