VietNamNet Bridge – After releasing the inauguration speech on the afternoon
of July 25, President Truong Tan Sang talked with the media about sea and island
sovereignty, combating corruption and combining the Party Secretary General
title and the Presidency.
President Truong Tan Sang: The NA asked the government to report about the East
Sea situation. The NA will make a resolution on the East Sea or not will depend
on the actual situation and the aspiration of deputies.
Q: What should Vietnam do to both defend the country’s sea and island
sovereignty and maintain Vietnam’s position besides a big country?
President Sang: As I spoke to the NA this afternoon, the marine and island
sovereignty is sacred and inviolable for any country, both big and small.
To maintain sea and island sovereignty, I think there are three significant
foundations: law, history and actual possession and exploration.
In law, there are international and national laws. The UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) are the fruits of mankind’s long-term struggle;
particularly small countries. Therefore, we have to rely on the UNCLOS, the
power of community to defend our sea and island sovereignty, exclusive economic
zone.
In addition, based on the UNCLOS, we have to legalize marine and island
sovereignty in national law and perform actual possession and exploration. The
historical and legal foundations, actual possession and exploration are the
three elements to establish sea and island sovereignty.
Q: Fighting corruption is the people’s big concern. As the President, what do
you want to tell the people?
President Sang: Corruption is a big concern of constituents. In this term,
leaders have to take great responsibility in managing the country, particularly
in fighting corruption. I’m sure that many NA deputies promised with constituent
to combat corruption. I hope that they will never forget their promises to the
people and the people should supervise and inspect us to contribute to promoting
this task so that it will be better in the previous term.
Q: In you opinion, corruption is not been rolled back because of the law is
not strict enough or owing to other reasons?
President Sang: The Law on Fighting Corruption and Thrift Practice are very
clear. The NA has allowed the establishment of the provincial and central
steering boards for fighting corruption. Nevertheless, we have not archived the
NA’s goal in preventing and step by pushing back corruption.
To realize that goal, we must seriously carry out the Party and the NA’s
resolutions. The steering boards for combating corruption must be more active.
Firstly, we need to review our policies and mechanisms to find out gaps for
amendment. Secondly, we have to address the apparatus of the steering boards for
combating corruption. We have had enough legal documents and now we have to take
action.
Q: At this NA session, the NA will consider the amendment of the Constitution
1992. What do you think about the combination of the Presidency and the Party
Secretary General title?
President Sang: This issue was discussed at the recent National Party Congresses
but the agreement is not high, so at present the two titles are assumed by two
persons.
Mr. Truong Tan Sang’s biography
Date of birth: 21/1/1949
Place of birth: My Hanh commune, Duc Hoa district, the southern province of Long
An
Current residence: No. 51 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Professional knowledge: bachelor of law
Position: member of the Politburo, permanent member of the Party Central
Committee Secretariat
Mr. Sang was presented the third-class Resistance War Medal.
He is a deputy of the NA of 9th, 10th, 11th and 13th terms.
1966-1968: A youth leader
1969-1971: A member of the Party Committee, Secretary of the Youth Union and
leader of the secret armed unit of Duc Hoa Town, Long An province
1971-1973: Being detained in the Bien Hoa, Phu Quoc prisons. He was released in
1973 under the Paris Peace Accords.
1973 – April 1975: an official of the Central Unity Committee
April 1975 – October 1978: Gia Dinh trade union official, vice chief of the New
Economic Construction committee and Secretary of Youth Union of HCM City’s farms
and new economic zones.
1979 – August 1983: Director of Pham Van Hai State Farm, member of the Party
Committee of Binh Chanh District, HCM City, alternate member of the HCM City
Party Committee
1983 – 1986: Director of the HCM City Forestry Department, a member of the HCM
City Party Committee, in charge of the voluntary youth forces and the new
economic committee
1986-1988: Member of the HCM City Party Standing Committee, Party Secretary of
Binh Chanh district, HCM City
1988-1990: studying at the Nguyen Ai Quoc Party School in Hanoi
1990-1991: Director of HCM City Department of Agriculture, member of the HCM
City Party Standing Committee
1991-1992: HCM City’s Vice Party Secretary, a member of the Party Central
Committee
1992-1996: HCM City’s Vice Party Secretary, Vice Chairman and Chairman of HCM
City People’s Committee
1996-January 2000: HCM City’s Party Secretary, member of the Politburo
January 2000 – 2006: Chief of the Central Economic Committee, member of the
Politburo
2006 – present: member of the Politburo, permanent member of the Party Central
Committee’s Secretariat
PV