General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong on November 25 in Hanoi chaired the standing committee of the Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption to review its work since the beginning of this year.

Trong said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, historic floods and storms in the central region, and organisations of local Party congresses ahead of the National Party Congress next year, the progress on cases under special supervision and instructing are still positive and in line with the schedule, especially those drawing high public attention and involving high-ranking members of the Party.

Corrupt asset recovery has shown positive progress, according to a report heard at the meeting, and since 2013, civil law enforcement agencies have recovered 22.659 trillion dong ($980 million), accounting for 26.7 per cent of the value of the assets needed to be recovered.

This year alone, justice agencies have either frozen assets or blocked transactions with a total value of approximately 3.851 trillion dong, $16.858 million, 17.2 million shares, 51 pieces of real estate, five cars and other property; while corrupt assets worth 14 trillion dong have been recovered, 61 per cent of the total amount to be recovered.

The committee urged for expediting the initial trials into five high-profile corruption cases – including alleged violations of bidding regulations taking place at the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control regarding the purchase of Covid-19 diagnostic machines, land management violations at state-run beverage company Sabeco, violations of public investment projects and abuse of power at PetroVietnam Central Biofuels JSC, mismanagement of state assets at Yen Khanh Production, Trading Service Co Ltd – related to the Vietnam People’s Navy, and banking regulations offences at DongA Joint Stock Commercial Bank.

Trong stressed that progress on cases on the supervision list of the committee should be ensured.

“Every case is challenging, so if it requires working day and night then so it will be. We already have experience with steps such as asset and property evaluation, crime assessment and corrupt asset recovery,” he said, urging for better coordination between the courts, public security units, procuracy and inspectors.

At the meeting, the committee agreed to end special supervision on 16 cases as they have been dealt with via legal processes.

The case involving violations on the use of state assets leading to losses and waste at Binh Duong Production and Import-Export Company (PROTRADE) was added to the supervision list, the committee announced.

For the upcoming national conference on anti-corruption efforts, Trong said it’s important to point out the merits and weaknesses witnessed so far in the reports, and learn experience for the future.

“Achievements in the fight against corruption in recent times have generated confidence and uplifted morale among Party members and the country’s people, making positive contributions to socio-economic development and boosting national security, defence and foreign affairs relations,” he emphasised.

Trong said the committee will expand its supervision to cases in more diverse fields – including foreign-invested projects, culture, education and health.

VIET NAM NEWS/Asia News Network