The fight against corruption is an arduous and drastic long-term work, General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong has said.

Mr. Trong was speaking at the press conference to announce the results of the 13th National Party Congress held in Hanoi on February 1.

General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the press conference held in Hanoi on February 1. Photo: kinhtedothi

Responding a reporter’ query about the prevention and fight against corruption in the next term, Mr. Trong said the corruption has recently been prevented but the number of handled cases is still limited. “This is a big problem. Corruption appears in every country and in all times, only many or less and wide or narrow.”

He said the Vietnam’s anti-corruption fight started in 2013 when the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption was established. Since then, many Central Committee members and Politburo members have been sentenced to prison, recovered millions of dollars and billions of dong.

Mr. Trong reminded the anti-corruption fight’s principle: “No stop, no rest, no matter who they are and no zones off limits,” and said that: “As the 13th Party Congress was coming near, we still handled many cases, even those relevant to Poliburo members and leaders of majors cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.”

“Everyone likes wealth, likes money. But honor is the most sacred and noble thing. When we die we can’t take money along,” Mr. Trong said.

The Party leader emphasized that the upcoming tasks are still difficult with many risks and unpredictable and complicated developments. “I will try my best in this fight, whether I will succeed or not depends on the consensus of entire Party and entire people.”