It is not difficult to see that in recent times, with malicious intentions, hostile forces that sabotage the revolution have used many tricks and tactics to destroy and distort the achievements and significance of the fight against corruption and negative (PCTNTC) in Vietnam. However, the light of truth will shine on its own, dispelling the fabricated darkness that reactionaries and saboteurs deliberately smear and tarnish.

1. Recently, an online newspaper with an overseas address published an article “The specific medicine to cure corruption: Change the system”. The article contains contradictory and critical content, claiming that: Vietnam has been determined to fight corruption for many years, but hundreds of high-ranking officials have still been disciplined for falling into corruption and negative. Can corruption be eradicated in the current system? Then the author of the article “suggested” that in order to fight corruption in Vietnam, the current mechanism must be completely changed; and directly, it must implement multi-party leadership.

With similar intentions, many articles published in foreign online newspapers have made the claim that in Vietnam, there should be leadership competition between political parties to be able to detect each other's "boils"; helping the work of anti-corruption change significantly. Along with that, they also slandered the Party and State of Vietnam as being in a "dilemma" with the implication of fighting corruption but being afraid of changing the political system,... They also intentionally posted on social networks many articles and clips with content that slandered and denied the efforts and results of the fight against anti-corruption in Vietnam in recent times; intentionally spread the rumor that the Party and State of Vietnam have been trying to launch anti-corruption but have been completely unsuccessful; In fact, this problem is increasingly widespread. Because "digging" everywhere, corruption is found, wherever you touch, violations are discovered, forcing officials to be disciplined there; then generalizing the phenomenon into its essence, claiming that the one-party leadership regime - the socialist regime is the father of corruption.

Illustration photo/Tuyen Giao.vn

In fact, these are sophisticated and insidious tricks of hostile forces, aiming to paint a bleak picture of the reality of Vietnamese society under the socialist regime led by the Communist Party of Vietnam . From there, they cause people to doubt the leadership and the government system from the central to the groundswells levels; make people lose confidence in the Party and the regime, create "doubt" about the correctness of the leadership's policies and guidelines, and deny the determination and results of anti-corruption of the Party, the State, the political system and the whole society. Thus, hostile forces have, are and will continue to take advantage of the issue of corruption and the fight against anti-corruption in Vietnam as "tools", "vanguards" to carry out bad intentions, sabotage the Vietnamese revolution. If these tricks and tricks are not identified early, resolutely exposed, dismantled and effectively fought, the consequences will be unpredictable.

2. Looking back at the historical flow of the nation, we see that the Party's work on anti-corruption has always received special attention, but at some previous times, the effectiveness was not yet comprehensive and solid. From the 13th National Party Congress to the present, this field has achieved many great, comprehensive, solid and historic results.

The proof is: If during the 11th Party Congress, the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Central Inspection Committee , and the official Party committees only handled 11 cases of cadres under the Central Committee's management, and none of them were members of the Party Central Committee; then during the 12th Congress, hundreds of cadres under the Central Committee's management were disciplined; by the 13th Congress, this result was not only reflected in terms of quantity, but also "named and shamed" high-ranking cadres of the Party, State, Government, comrades of the Politburo, members of the Party Central Committee, senior generals in the armed forces... This is a convincing proof of the very high determination of the Party and State in fighting corruption, "no forbidden zones, no exceptions, regardless of who that person is, not subject to pressure from any individual".

If in the past, corruption was often understood as acts of economic self-interest, now, with the increasingly complete and synchronous improvement of the anti-corruption regime, acts of corruption are expanded and deepened; including corruption in power, mechanisms, policies, relationships, areas that can generate group interests as well as the seeds of corruption. From fighting corruption in the public administration sector to uncovering major corruption cases in economics and positions; from fighting big corruption to fighting petty corruption; from fighting corruption in the public sector to fighting corruption in the private sector and resolutely fighting corruption right in the anti-corruption agency.

3. The Party's determination to fight against "internal invaders" is clearly demonstrated in the following: Although there were Resolutions of the 4th Central Committee, 11th and 12th tenures on Party building and rectification, at the 4th Central Committee Conference, 13th tenure, 100% of the Party Central Committee attending the Central Committee Conference unanimously voted to approve and promulgate Conclusion 21-KL/TW, dated October 25, 2021 on promoting Party building and rectification and the political system; resolutely preventing, repelling, and strictly handling cadres and Party members who have degraded in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation"; with the spirit of: Having been determined, we must be more determined, more determined, more determined, and more persistent, without exception, without forbidden areas. That shows that our Party's political determination is consistent, setting increasingly higher requirements on the nature, level, and goals to be achieved; Fight against corruption and negativity with the spirit of "one loss, one gain" to protect the Party, the political system and the survival of the regime.

The clear change in the work of anti-corruption is also reflected in the effectiveness of the inspection and auditing sector when there are many efforts, impartiality, objectivity, recommendations for recovery and financial handling have achieved many clear changes. The work of investigating, prosecuting and trying corruption and economic cases is carried out resolutely, without tolerance, without leniency, without injustice, without letting criminals escape, but also very humanely, with reason and emotion; has a strong warning, deterrence, education and prevention effect, which is highly appreciated and agreed by public opinion and people.

Thus, our Party's fight against "internal invaders" has made steady strides, not only gaining the trust and recognition of the masses but also being highly appreciated by friends around the world and international organizations. Therefore, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed: The work of anti-corruption has become an irreversible trend and has made strong progress, achieving many comprehensive and clear results, leaving a good impression, creating positive effects, spreading strongly throughout society.

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(*) Excerpt from the work that won the A prize, the third political essay contest to protect the Party's ideological foundation, 2023, at the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army.

NGUYEN TAN TUAN