After an extraordinary meeting of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee on December 30, 2022, the resignation of Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam is becoming a hot topic. According to comments from political observers, the event is likely related to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s “burning furnace” campaign. The article “Practice setting an example in high-level political activities” by author Nghia Nhan appeared on Vietnamnet on January 4, 2023, seems to be a kind of orientation amid the public attention.
To emphasize that this is a “special series of events,” the author points out the resignation of General Secretary Truong Chinh in the party’s history, which happened in 1956, because of mistakes in the Land Reform. Author Nghia Nhan explains that: “Resigning here is understood as those senior cadres, realizing their responsibility before the Party, before the people, being politically self-aware, and accepting the highest political responsibility. It is absolutely not because of limitations, shortcomings, or mistakes that they want to resign as a way to abdicate responsibility.”
Also in this article, the author cites the exchanges between the author and the Central Committee members about this special political activity. They all feel that Deputy Prime Ministers Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam are people who have participated in Central Committee in many terms and held high positions, but taking on political responsibilities and setting such an example, they will also open way for other party members, if they feel that their level of accomplishment is not good, are also ready to retire to make room for others.
However, it seems that the article always wants to guide the fact that the two Deputy Prime Ministers are dismissed, become an encouragement to resign, encourage the acceptance of political responsibility, and “Practice setting an example in high-level political activities,” showed even more contradictions. Because this decision to dismiss them took place during an extraordinary session of the Central Committee’s plenum.
Although, author Nghia Nhan said, this is a “special series of events” but only pointed out that “the two Deputy Prime Ministers are senior leaders, so they are aware of having political responsibility before the Party and the people and has taken political responsibility to the highest degree.”
When the author mentioned Nguyen Phu Trong’s direction, he quoted his words during the recent extraordinary plenum, that the General Secretary “expressed the Politburo’s appreciation of two high-ranking cadres as comrades who have been trained, mature and have made many contributions.”
“But at this point, when they saw that they had made their best efforts, but did not meet the requirements and tasks, they took the initiative to retire and withdraw with honor, this is to properly fulfill the responsibility of setting an example of the members of the Politburo, Party members, first of all a member of the Politburo, a member of the Secretariat, a member of the Central Committee.”
Along with comparing the example of Mr. Truong Chinh’s resignation, it can be seen that the purpose of the article is to steer public opinion, that Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam have resigned themselves, not being punished.
Thus, it can be seen that, in addition to dismissing, prosecuting those directly involved in the Viet A test kit case and the rescue flight case, including Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, Minister of Science Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Long and assistants to two Deputy Prime Ministers, and many other officials, according to the motif of “burning campaign,” that the Politburo led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong purging two Deputy Prime Minister, has become a crude play “Exercising by example” rather awkwardly staged.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
