Over the past years, taking advantage of the complex and unpredictable context as well as the difficulties of the country, the hostile forces have accelerated their subversive activities in numerous directions, especially the social networking environment to refute the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). This constitutes a breakthrough and the most rapid tactic to eradicate the outcomes that our Party and People have produced throughout the Vietnamese Revolution. However, it has been affirmed that no forces can undervalue and refute the leadership of the Party.

They have asserted that (1) the leadership of the CPV over its country and people is illogical and ahistorical since it should be the leadership of a contingent of elites; (2). Distorting and refuting the historical role and the revolutionary achievements of our people under the Party's leadership; (3). Despite the success of the CPV in leading the country to reclaim national independence and construct the country, a significant proportion of the Party's senior officials have become degenerate, corrupt, and negative so they are no longer the pioneering contingent to lead the country, etc. The abovementioned allegations manifest the malicious and distorted intrigue to refute the leadership of the Party. However, we have scientific foundations and logical arguments to refute these erroneous, reactionary, antiscientific claims.

1. Establishing the leadership of the CPV over the country and people.

Throughout the millennia-long history of our nation, our ancestors expanded the borders and developed the economy, culture, and society; and simultaneously constructed the country, struggled against foreign aggressors and gained victories over numerous ruthless imperial powers to safeguard the territorial integrity, and national independence. However, due to various reasons, when French colonists invaded our country, the Nguyen dynasty could not maintain national independence. In that context, with a strong patriotic tradition, people from all social strata continuously rose up against the invaders. However, movements such as the Can Vuong, Duy Tan, Dong Du, and uprisings like Yen The, Yen Bai, and numerous other struggles were brutally suppressed by colonial France and drowned in blood. The colonial rule of the French colonists for nearly a century proved that the feudal class and the bourgeoisie had lost their historical roles, and the fate of the nation and the people was in a deadlock. The pressing issue at that time was how, through what means, and by organising what forces to drive out the colonial rule of the French Colonists and reclaim national independence.

This imperative issue was addressed by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh). During 30 years of searching for a path to save the country, he recognised that the path to national independence must be the path of the proletarian revolution. Nguyen Ai Quoc mapped out the plans and established the revolutionary cause of Vietnam. With his efforts, he combined Marxism-Leninism with the workers' movement and the Vietnamese patriotic movement to found the CPV in 1930. The CPV, founded, educated, and trained by President Ho Chi Minh, was entrusted by the people to regain national independence and build the country on the path of socialism. The 94-year history of the Party is a journey of fulfilling extremely difficult, complex tasks but glorious.

Overview of the fifth plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure)

2. Significant achievements of the Vietnamese Revolution under the leadership of the Party.

Firstly, the Party has determined and led the people in realising the ideal goals of the revolutionary cause which comprises national independence and socialism. After its inception, our Party advocated for the socialist revolution of democratic rights and agrarian reform to advance towards a communist society. This ideology was widely embraced by the people and became an inevitable choice; at this time, socialism was not just an option but also a momentum that accelerated Vietnam's history towards transformation, a path for the Vietnamese people to build a sustainable nation. The ideal goals and the choice of national independence in combination with the socialism of the Party and our people are objectively logical and historically fitting with the requirements and tendency. It represents the fundamental values for Vietnam at present and in the future, and it is the only path to construct and develop the nation.

Secondly, the Party led our people to reclaim the independence and freedom of the nation. Recognising and acting in accordance with the choice of national independence and socialism, under the leadership of the Party, our entire people united and persevered through a protracted and arduous revolutionary process and overcame countless difficulties and challenges to achieve great victories such as the 1945 August Revolution, which broke the chains of colonial and feudal rule to establish the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory in 1954; the glorious 1975 Spring Victory, which liberated the entire South, unified the country; the triumph in the  Southwestern and Northern border war to steadfastly safeguard the Fatherland.

Thirdly, the Party led the construction of socialism with the content, goals, and tasks formulated based on practical activities and elevated theory. "Building socialism is the overall task of the entire Party, the State, and our people to make our country advance with the lofty goal of “Prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, equality, and civilisation, where the people are the masters; having a developed economy based on modern means of production and progressive and suitable relations of production; having a progressive culture with profound national identity; people living a life of welfare, freedom,  and happiness with conditions for comprehensive development; ethnic groups within the Vietnamese community being equal, united, respectful for mutual development; having a CPV-led socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, for the people with friendly relations and cooperation with countries across the globe.

The turning point in our nation's socialist construction was when our Party launched and led the implementation of the reformation policy that made a comprehensive breakthrough and advanced the country forward. The reformation transformed our country from a state of privation, where we had to import food every year to ensure a minimal standard of living, into a leading exporter of rice and many agricultural products worldwide. The pace of development and change has never been as rapid and robust from rural areas to urban areas, from mountainous regions to deltas as it is today. Never before has the lifestyle and work of the people ever had such new, vibrant, and lively features as they do today. The reformation has brought a new vitality to the country that supports and lifts our steps on the path to happiness. After nearly 40 years of reformation, "Our country has never had the fortune, potential, position, and international prestige as we do today.

3. The Party and the State are determined and persistent in containing and combating corruption, degeneration, and deformation within the contingent of cadres and party members; numerous positive outcomes have been achieved.

Recognising that corruption, degeneration, and deformation within a proportion of the cadres and party members will weaken the Party, diminish the authority of the State, and seriously affect the overall situation of the country, the Party and the State have shown very high political determination in the fight against these negative manifestations. It has become an imperative task in Party building and the construction of the State, and the political system.

At the 7^th National Congress held in 1994, the Party determined that corruption and other social evils are one of the four risks to the Party. In subsequent terms, the Party has regularly issued resolutions regarding containing and combating corruption, degeneration, and deformation. The 12^th National Party Congress outlined the central tasks with a priority given to “Promoting Party building and rectification; containing and eradicating the  degradation of “self-transformation” and “self-evolution” within the Party.”

Concretising the viewpoints and guidelines of the Party, the State has issued a system of documents to lead and direct the prevention and struggle against these issues. Agencies in charge have been reorganised, and efforts have been intensified to enhance their action and effectiveness. In parallel with domestic measures, Vietnam has actively participated in and signed numerous international legal documents on preventing and combating corruption. With a high political determination of the Party and the State, the active participation of the entire political system, and the unanimous support and response from the people, the efforts to combat corruption, degeneration, and deformation have produced positive outcomes. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency at the beginning of 2023, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that “In 2022, the prevention and struggle against corruption and negativity was drastically led by the Central Party Committee with multiple specific results, which widely acknowledged and highly appreciated by cadres, party members, the people, and the international community”. He pointed out that 'Contrary to several opinions that over-concentration on anti-corruption would “discourage” those who dare to think and act and slow down the development of the country. However, it can be affirmed that through effective efforts in the building and rectification of the Party and the political system, the prevention and struggle against corruption and negativity, we have maintained political and social stability, revived and developed the socio-economy, expanded diplomatic relations, and reinforced the confidence of the people and international friends”.

It is undeniable that since the Party came into being, the path to the cause of socialism-oriented national liberation, defence, and construction has become remarkably glorious This has demonstrated that the revolutionary path leading to national liberation and advancing towards socialism is correct and innovative. Currently, the path of reformation and international integration initiated led and organised by the Party has effectively accord with the pace of the times. Reformation and international integration are two strategic tasks to achieve the common goal of national development. The success of the reformation and international integration has significantly transformed the face of the country, intensified the momentum for social life, and improved the material and spiritual lives of the people. The sustainable development of the country has generated a new driving force and strength to be on par with other countries across the globe. We all believe that Vietnam will continue developing steadily for the goal of “Wealthy people and a strong, democratic, equal, and civilised country to advance towards socialism. This affirms that no force can undervalue and refute the leadership of the CPV

Professor, Doctor  VU VAN HIEN