Some general theoretical issues on the relationship between preventing and combating corruption and negativity with building and rectifying the Party and the political system
President Ho Chi Minh was the one who directly organized, educated and trained our Party to bring the revolutionary struggle for national liberation, independence and freedom for the people to final victory. To meet the requirements and tasks of the nation's resistance and nation-building cause, President Ho Chi Minh paid special attention to Party rectification and improving the revolutionary ethics of cadres and Party members. At the 30th Anniversary of the Party's founding (February 3, 1930 - February 3, 1960), he affirmed: "Our Party is ethical and civilized. It is unified, independent, peaceful and prosperous. The Party's contributions are truly great. The 30 years of Party history are a whole golden history" (1) . Remembering his advice, throughout the process of leading the Vietnamese revolution, our Party has always paid attention to and focused on the work of Party building and rectification, considering this a key and important task related to the survival of the regime.
According to President Ho Chi Minh: “The first thing to do is to rectify the Party , make every Party member, every Youth Union member, every Party cell strive to fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party, wholeheartedly serving the people. If we can do that, no matter how big or difficult the task is, we will definitely win” (3) . In the work “Reforming the way of working”, in the section on Revolutionary ethics and morality, he pointed out the shortcomings and mistakes in the Party, that is, there are still people who have not learned and have not been able to practice the four words “impartial and selfless”, so they suffer from individualism. Individualism is a very toxic virus, which gives rise to very dangerous diseases, such as the following: greed, laziness, arrogance, vanity, lack of discipline, narrow-mindedness, localism, and leaderism (4) ... President Ho Chi Minh's warnings still retain their theoretical and practical value, and are urgent requirements for the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity to build our Party and State to be increasingly clean and strong.
Absorbing the viewpoints and thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh, when he was elected General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, term XI (2011), Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong and the Central Committee put forth viewpoints and guidelines for building and rectifying the Party and the political system to be clean and strong; one of the contents and measures that the late General Secretary paid special attention to was the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity among cadres and Party members, especially those holding positions and powers in the political system. He pointed out: “We need to unify our viewpoints: The goal of the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity is to purify the Party and the state apparatus to develop the country” (2) . This is the consistent and pervasive viewpoint and thought of the late General Secretary and is deeply expressed, unified between words and actions, becoming the motto of our entire Party, people and army in the fight against the “internal invaders”.
The prevention and fight against corruption and negativity were mentioned by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong through a number of articles, such as: "The disease of fear of responsibility", "Public property, private property", "Collusion", "Position and prestige", "Circus", "Truth and pain"... Through the articles, the late General Secretary pointed out the limitations and shortcomings of cadres and party members that are the causes of the decline in people's trust in the socialist regime. The late General Secretary pointed out: “Taking advantage of their positions and powers, they seek every way to “scheme and scheme” to use public property indiscriminately, haphazardly, to manipulate, to extort public property, to appropriate public property for their own benefit. They set up this ritual, that procedure to show off… to create an excuse to “suck” the people’s and the collective’s money” (5) … According to the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, “under the conditions of the Party leading the government, cadres and party members are very susceptible to bureaucracy, orders, being far from reality, far from the masses (which are things that erode the revolutionary nature of degenerate and corrupt cadres and party members)” (6) . From that reality, the late General Secretary set forth urgent requirements and tasks for the fight against corruption, negativity and the work of preventing and combating the degradation of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle within the Party.
The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity contributes to improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots party organizations, preventing and repelling the degradation of a number of cadres and party members, especially leaders and managers at all levels; thereby promoting the spirit and responsibility before the Party, State and people to successfully implement the goals and tasks of socio-economic development, caring for people's lives, contributing to the best, maintaining and consolidating national defense - security and expanding international cooperation in all fields.
Building and rectifying the Party and the political system to be clean and strong to prevent and repel manifestations of corruption, negativity, authoritarianism, arbitrariness, and lack of democracy within the Party. That requires cadres and Party members, especially heads of agencies, units, and localities, to uphold revolutionary ethics, diligence, thrift, integrity, impartiality, and impartiality in performing assigned duties and tasks. The late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: “The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity… is a fight against “internal invaders”, not a fight between “factions” or “internal struggles” (6) .
The relationship between preventing and combating corruption and negativity with building and rectifying the Party and a clean and strong political system is consistently demonstrated by the late General Secretary's ideology and guiding principle , which is to be resolute, persistent, continuous, tenacious, without stopping, without stopping; proactively and actively preventing and combating corruption and negativity, in which prevention is the main, fundamental, long-term, and combat is important and urgent. The Party's leadership and direction methods for preventing and combating corruption and negativity are constantly innovated in accordance with the requirements and tasks set forth and the political determination of our Party and State in the fight against corruption and negativity, with "no forbidden areas", "no exceptions", "no matter who that person is". In the fight against corruption and negativity, the Party's leadership and direction are of decisive significance, not only as a support and firm belief for cadres, party members and the masses, but also as a new momentum, motivation and vitality for the fight against "internal invaders" for the survival and development of our Party and State.
During the process of leading the Vietnamese revolution, our Party has constantly “innovated itself” and “rectified itself” to overcome limitations and shortcomings in leadership and direction, and built a contingent of cadres and party members with sufficient qualities, capacity, and prestige equal to the tasks, increasingly better meeting the requirements of the situation and tasks at each historical stage and moment. The Party’s prestige and trust in cadres, party members, and people have been increasingly consolidated and enhanced. According to the late General Secretary: “Since the Party was founded, it has been proven that the correct and wise leadership of the Party is the leading factor determining all victories of our country’s revolution, creating many miracles in Vietnam; at the same time, in the process of leading the revolution, our Party has been tempered, tested, and constantly matured, gaining experience to become increasingly worthy of its role and mission of leading the revolution, worthy of the people’s trust” (7) . “Following the socialist orientation is a process of constantly consolidating, enhancing, and promoting socialist factors so that they increasingly dominate, overwhelm, and win. Success or failure depends first and foremost on the correctness of the Party's guidelines, political mettle, leadership capacity, and fighting strength” (8) . The fight against corruption and negativity is aimed at eliminating negativity and obstacles on the path of building and developing the country; at the same time, motivating, encouraging, discovering, and protecting positive factors in each agency, unit, and locality to successfully implement the set goals and tasks of socio-economic development, maintain political stability, social order and security, and enhance the country's position and prestige in the international arena.
The 13th National Party Congress determined the roadmap, goals, and steps for each specific stage and path towards the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding and the 100th anniversary of the country's founding, becoming a developed industrial country with high income following the socialist orientation by the middle of the 21st century. The late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: "To build our Party and State to be truly clean and strong; we must prevent and repel corruption and negativity at all costs. Although we have achieved very important results, the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity still has many issues that need to be resolved" (9) . One of the four risks pointed out by the 7th Mid-Term Party Congress (January 1994) is that "corruption and social evils" still exist today, in some aspects they are more severe, drastic, and complicated. VI Lenin once warned: “No enemy, no matter how ferocious, can defeat the communists, except by their own disintegration, their own mistakes, and their failure to correct them” (10) . Therefore, the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said: “All cadres must constantly practice and cultivate revolutionary qualities, be exemplary in ethics and lifestyle, harmoniously combine personal interests and common interests; when personal interests conflict with common interests, put common interests first and foremost. This is what creates the prestige of cadres, creates the prestige of the Party” (11) .
Fully aware of his responsibility to the Party, the State and the people, as the head of the Party, the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, together with the Central Executive Committee, raised high the flag of justice in the fight against corruption and negativity. The late General Secretary's consistent viewpoint and ideology in the fight against corruption and negativity was to "treat the disease and save people", to discipline a few people to save thousands, to prosecute a case to alert an entire region or field; from there to warn, deter, educate, and prevent... so that cadres and party members know how to protect themselves, remember the prohibitions, and keep the limits" (12) . The "furnace burning" campaign initiated and led by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received the consensus and support of a large number of cadres, party members, and people; creating an atmosphere of trust in the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army about the political determination in the fight against "internal invaders", contributing to improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots party organizations, fostering people's trust in the leadership of the Party, in socialism, and the path to socialism in Vietnam.
The fight against corruption and negativity, focusing on preventing and combating the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle according to the late General Secretary's viewpoint, takes place in all economic, political, cultural and social fields with increasingly serious nature and level, and very sophisticated, sinister and cunning tricks. The late General Secretary emphasized: "Previously, we were mainly concerned with the immediate and material harm (economics, money). Now we are more concerned, seeing more clearly the hidden and unpredictable harm of corruption and negativity, which causes the loss of cadres, loss of people's trust in the Party, the State, the regime and ultimately the loss of the regime as has happened in each historical period in the world" (13) . Therefore, the fight against corruption and negativity among cadres and party members is essentially to build and rectify the Party and the political system, to make each individual and each party organization uphold the vanguard and exemplary character, set high standards for themselves; to voluntarily cultivate and train their moral qualities and lifestyle; to feel ashamed when they and their family members are involved in corruption and negativity that cause great damage to state assets. "Our Party recognizes that stepping up the fight against corruption and bureaucracy and purifying the party membership is an important content of the work of building and rectifying the Party" (14) . Our Party also clearly states that the fight against corruption and negativity is "a particularly important task in the work of building and rectifying the Party, building and consolidating a clean and strong political system, and consolidating the great national unity bloc" (15) .
Under the direction of the Central Steering Committee on anti-corruption and negativity, the fight against corruption and negativity among cadres and party members has been strong and fierce, contributing significantly to the work of building and rectifying the Party and a clean and strong political system, meeting the requirements and tasks of national development in the new period. In 10 years (2012 - 2022), the fight against "internal invaders" launched by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has disciplined 2,740 party organizations and more than 167,700 cadres and party members, including more than 190 cadres under the Central Committee's management (including 4 Politburo members, former Politburo members; 36 Central Committee members, former Central Committee members; more than 50 generals in the armed forces); Through inspection and audit, it was recommended to handle the responsibilities of nearly 44,700 collectives and individuals, transfer to investigation agencies, and handle nearly 1,200 cases with signs of crime" (16) .
That proves that the political determination of our Party and State in the fight against corruption and negativity is very great, uncompromising, and undaunted in "declaring war" against "internal invaders". The late General Secretary pointed out: "Never before have we dealt with so many officials, including high-ranking officials, who have committed violations as recently. This is something that no one wants, even very painful and heartbreaking; but for the common cause, for the strictness of Party discipline, the rule of law of the State, the purity, strength and prestige of the Party, the State and the will of the people, we must do it and resolutely do it, do it more resolutely and strongly in the coming time" (17) .
However, in addition to the achievements, the fight against corruption and negativity still has certain limitations: The work of propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility of some Party committees, Party organizations, and leaders in the political system at all levels is not comprehensive; the work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity has not been closely linked with the work of building and rectifying the Party and a clean and strong political system. There were times and periods when we only focused on preventing and combating corruption and negativity in the public sector, paying little attention to the private sector; we have not fully seen the increasingly sophisticated and cunning tricks of the "internal invaders"; a number of mechanisms and policies on preventing and combating corruption and negativity have not been completed, have not been promptly adjusted and supplemented to suit the requirements and tasks of the revolution in the new situation. “The work of perfecting the institutions on corruption prevention and control is still slow… Many measures to prevent corruption are still formal… Corruption is still a challenge and one of the most pressing issues in society today” (18) . The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity is not closely linked with the work of preventing and combating waste.
Our Party clearly states: "Corruption is still one of the risks threatening the survival of the Party and the regime" (19) as reminded by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: "We have never been subjective, always warning about the risks and harms of corruption at the highest level" (20) .
To maintain and strengthen the Party's leadership in the new situation, one of the contents and measures that the late General Secretary paid special attention to in the fight against corruption and negativity is first of all the correct leadership of the Party - the most important factor determining all victories of the Vietnamese revolution. The late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed: "The leadership of the Communist Party is the decisive factor in the victory of the renovation process and ensures that our country develops in a socialist direction. We attach special importance to the work of Party building and rectification, considering this a key task of vital significance to the Party and the socialist regime" (21) . Second, it is necessary to promote the role of the masses in the fight against corruption and negativity to consolidate and maintain the people's trust in our Party and State today . The late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: “The great strength and motivation of the fight against corruption and negativity is the consensus, support, response, and active participation of the people and the entire political system” (22) . Third , continue to perfect the mechanism and policies on corruption and negativity prevention and control to build and rectify a clean and strong Party and political system . This is a very important content and measure, ensuring the effective fight against corruption and negativity, contributing to “closing” legal loopholes, preventing corruption and negativity. The General Secretary affirmed: “Step by step perfect the institution to ensure that corruption and negativity are “impossible”, “not daring”, “not wanting”, and “not necessary”” (23) . Fourth , promote the role and responsibility of the standing agency of the Central Steering Committee on corruption prevention and control. The cadres and party members who work to prevent and combat corruption and negativity must be truly clean, honest, fair, impartial and objective. “The cadres who work to prevent and combat corruption and negativity, more than anyone else, must have a strong will and the courage to fight; must be honest, upright, “impartial and impartial”, truly “the sharp sword” of the Party and State in the fight against corruption and negativity” (24) . Fifth , each cadre and party member, especially leaders and managers at all levels, must be truly exemplary and pure in ethics and lifestyle. “Cadres and party members, first of all leaders, must know how to respect integrity, maintain honor, and feel ashamed when they or their relatives are corrupt or wasteful” (25) . “Strengthening the fight against corruption and building and rectifying the Party only “hesitates” those with impure motives, those who have “got their hands dirty”, and those who do not have a firm grasp of the Party’s policies and guidelines, and lack knowledge, experience and courage” (26) .
The fight against corruption and negativity is an important content and measure of the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system, which have a unified and inseparable dialectical relationship. It is a supplement, support, and creates the foundation and premise for the stable and sustainable development of the country.
Continue to step up the fight against corruption and negativity to build and rectify a clean and strong Party and political system, bringing the country into a new era.
The country is standing on the threshold of a new era, an era of national growth, strong development, prosperity, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's powers. The 13th National Party Congress determines the roadmap and steps for each stage and journey with two important milestones, the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding and the 100th anniversary of the country's founding; in addition to promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc, arousing the will, aspiration, spirit of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-reliance and national pride, it is necessary to continue to properly resolve the relationship between preventing and combating corruption and negativity with building and rectifying the Party and a clean and strong political system.
After being elected by the Central Committee with absolute confidence as General Secretary of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, speaking at a press conference on August 3, 2024, General Secretary and President To Lam affirmed: “Focus on building a truly clean and strong Party; resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption and negativity, building a contingent of cadres and Party members with sufficient qualities, capacity, prestige, equal to the task, wholeheartedly serving the Fatherland and the People” (27) . Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, headed by General Secretary To Lam, the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system with the fight against corruption, waste, and negativity continues to be promoted and has achieved many important results. The Politburo has disciplined many key Party officials; many backlogged projects causing waste have been resolved and handled thoroughly; Cases of public concern have been brought to public and transparent trial. Many officials under the management of the Politburo and Secretariat have been disciplined. General Secretary To Lam emphasized: “The work of preventing and combating corruption and negativity continues to be implemented strongly, resolutely, persistently, continuously, without rest, without forbidden areas, without exceptions, putting the interests of the nation, people, and Party above all; best serving the task of socio-economic development” (28) .
To continue to promote the fight against corruption and negativity, contribute to building a clean and strong Party and political system, and bring the country into a new era, it is necessary to focus on the following measures:
First, thoroughly grasp and seriously implement the Party's viewpoints and guidelines, and the State's policies and laws on preventing and combating corruption, negativity, and waste .
Party committees, party organizations, heads of agencies, units and localities must thoroughly understand and deeply perceive the importance of the fight against corruption, negativity and waste, which is closely related to the building and rectification of a clean and strong Party and political system. Based on the Party's viewpoints and guidelines, agencies, units and localities need to concretize them into specific action programs and plans, closely aligned with the characteristics of the situation, requirements and tasks. Party committees, party organizations and heads of agencies, units and localities need to strengthen actions, resolutely lead and direct the fight against corruption, waste and negativity of their agencies, units and localities. Innovate the working methods of steering committees for corruption, waste and negativity prevention and control at all levels towards being streamlined, compact and strong; At the same time, promote the role and responsibility of each cadre and party member in preventing and fighting corruption, waste, and negativity to build our Party and State clean and strong.
Second, Party committees, Party organizations and steering committees for the prevention and fight against corruption, waste and negativity at all levels need to focus on leadership and direction to remove institutional bottlenecks to effectively prevent and fight against corruption, waste and negativity .
The legal system on preventing and combating corruption, waste and negativity plays an important role, creating favorable conditions to promote socio-economic development, promoting people's mastery. From the request of General Secretary To Lam: "Urgently perfect the system on preventing and combating waste" (29) , Party committees, Party organizations and steering committees on preventing and combating corruption, waste and negativity at all levels need to review and re-evaluate the system of documents related to the work of preventing and combating corruption, waste and negativity in each specific field in order to amend, adjust and supplement necessary issues. Urgently and decisively remove difficulties and obstacles in the law on preventing and combating corruption, waste and negativity in the implementation of projects and plans for socio-economic development, construction of transport infrastructure and social welfare works. Strictly handle organizations and individuals who take advantage of their positions and powers to infiltrate and gain group interests in the development of laws on preventing and combating corruption, waste, and negativity.
Third, applying science and technology and implementing digital transformation in preventing and combating corruption, waste and negativity.
Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, of the Politburo, on "Breakthrough in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation" states: "There is a plan and roadmap to bring all activities of agencies in the political system to the digital environment, ensuring connectivity, synchronization and state secrets. Building a national shared digital platform, developing a smart monitoring and operating system to strengthen public management" (30) . With this spirit, Party committees, Party organizations, heads of agencies, units and localities promote the application of science and technology, carry out digital transformation in the management and evaluation of cadres and Party members; control the declaration of assets and personal income of cadres and Party members, especially leaders and managers with positions and powers; Set up application software so that people and businesses can access, evaluate, and reflect on the capacity, qualifications, ethics, lifestyle, and relationships of cadres and party members; have confidential data for those who complain and denounce cadres and party members. Party committees, party organizations, and leaders take strong and decisive actions, lead and direct departments and forces to practice digital transformation right in every activity of agencies, units, and localities, reduce the time for centralized meetings; use the system of science and technology application software to deploy and grasp the situation of cadres, party members, and civil servants. Build a remote monitoring system for each agency, unit, and locality managed by the head and responsible to the organization if there is a situation of corruption, waste, and negativity among cadres and party members.
The fight against corruption, waste and negativity aimed at building and rectifying a clean and strong Party and political system that meets the requirements and tasks of national development in the new period is the driving force to increase internal solidarity, making our Party and State increasingly strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organization and cadres, capable and prestigious enough to lead the country to overcome difficulties and challenges, proactively seize opportunities and chances to bring the country into a new era, an era of national development./.
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(1) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 12, pp. 403 - 404
(2), (5), (6), (11), (12), (13), (14), (16), (17), (20), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26) Professor, Dr. Nguyen Phu Trong: Resolutely and persistently fight against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State to be increasingly clean and strong , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2023, pp. 14, 474, 489, 14, 259, 24, 18, 18, 26-27, 28, 17, 21, 30, 40, 108, 100
(3) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works , op. cit. , vol. 15, p. 616
(4) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works , op. cit. , vol. 5, pp. 295 - 296
(7), (8), (21) Professor, Dr. Nguyen Phu Trong: Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2022, pp. 208, 35 - 36, 29
(10) VI Lenin: Complete Works , National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2005, vol. 42, p. 311
(15) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. I, p. 193
(19) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. II, p. 213
(27) To Lam: Constantly striving, together with Central comrades, to strengthen solidarity and unity within the Party, great national solidarity, linking "Party's will and people's hearts", for a strong Party; for a rich, democratic, fair, and civilized Vietnam, Electronic Communist Magazine , August 3, 2024, https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/media-story/-/asset_publisher/V8hhp4dK31Gf/content/khong-ngung-no-luc-phan-dau-cung-cac-dong-chi-trung-uong-tan-tam-tan-luc-tan-hien-phan-dau-hy-sinh-vi-dang-cong-san-viet-nam-vung-manh-vi-nuoc-viet-na
(28) According to VNA: General Secretary To Lam chaired a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption, waste, and negativity. Government Electronic Newspaper , October 30, 2024, https://baochinhphu.vn/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-chu-tri-hop-thuong-truc-ban-chi-dao-trung-uong-ve-phong-chong-tham-nhung-lang-phi-tieu-cuc-102241030171518045.htm
(29) According to VNA: The 27th meeting of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption, waste, and negativity, Government Electronic Newspaper , December 31, 2024, https://baochinhphu.vn/phien-hop-thu-27-ban-chi-dao-trung-uong-ve-phong-chong-tham-nhung-lang-phi-tieu-cuc-102241231164823806.htm
(30) See: Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, of the Politburo, on “Breakthrough in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation”, https://tulieuvankien.dangcongsan.vn/he-thong-van-ban/van-ban-cua-dang/nghi-quyet-so-57-nqtw-ngay-22122024-cua-bo-chinh-tri-ve-dot-pha-phat-trien-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-doi-moi-sang-tao-va-chuyen-11162
Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/nghien-cu/-/2018/1126202/moi-quan-he-giua-phong%2C-chong-tham-nhung%2C-tieu-cuc-voi-xay-dung%2C-chinh-don-dang-va-he-thong-chinh-tri-trong-sach%2C-vung-manh.aspx
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