Party, State leaders attend 12th congress of Vietnamese trade unions
Many Party and State leaders attended a session of the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-2023 tenure in Hanoi on September 25.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attends a session of the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour in Hanoi on September 25 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Many Party andState leaders attended a session of the 12th Congress of the Vietnam GeneralConfederation of Labour (VGCL) for the 2018-2023 tenure in Hanoi on September25.
The event saw the participation by GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairwoman of the National Assembly NguyenThi Kim Ngan.
Former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh,former Presidents Tran Duc Luong and Truong Tan Sang, and former Chairmen ofthe National Assembly Nguyen Van An and Nguyen Sinh Hung were also present.
In its report, the 11th-tenure VGCL ExecutiveCommittee said the entity has the functions of a people’s organisation underthe Party’s leadership while representing workers in labour relations.
Over the last five years, the VGCL has madestrong reforms to fulfill its tasks, the executive committee reported, notingthat trade unions have pushed ahead with caring for and protecting the rightsand interests of workers and their members.
Trade unions have advised the Party and Stateabout a plan on building facilities for workers such as housing, nurseries andentertainment places in industrial parks and export processing zones, and takenpart in the investment and construction of these works.
The VGCL has effectively played its role as therepresentative of workers in the National Wage Council, as it helped raiseminimum wage by more than 55 percent in the past five years, according to thereport.
It added that the negotiation, signing andmonitoring of collective labour agreements (CLAs) have improved. Almost 27,870CLAs have been signed in the trade union system so far, up 5 percent from thebeginning of the 11th term.
Routine and unscheduled dialogues with workershave been held. The VGCL has held three dialogues between the Prime Ministerand workers nationwide since May 2016, helping address difficulties facing theworking class.
The VGCL Executive Committee also highlightedimprovements in trade unions’ inspection, examination and supervision, alongwith legal aid. They have moved to improve the working environment andcoordinated with authorities, sectors and employers to solve labour disputes,helping ensure harmonious labour relations in businesses.
President of the 11th-tenure VGCL Bui Van Cuongsaid there were more than 10 million trade union members nationwide as of theend of November 2017, up 2.1 million from the term’s beginning.
The VGCL’s external activities have also obtainedimportant outcomes, helping promote Vietnamese trade unions’ stature in theinternational labour and trade union movements and capitalising on foreignsupport in the field of labour and trade unions, he added.-VNA
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) to push forward the building of trade union institutions, especially those regarding housing for workers.
Vietnam trade unions at all levels will reform towards a worker-centred approach with more focus on capacity building for trade union members and officials and providing support to scale up successful business models in the next five years, said a trade union leader.
As many as 947 delegates representing over 10 million members of all-level trade unions nationwide on September 24 gathered in Hanoi for the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL).
The issue of labour productivity attracted much attention at a forum in Hanoi on September 24 that focused on Vietnamese trade unions’ support for the Government’s efforts to improve national competitiveness and sustainable development.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded trade unions and workers nationwide for their contributions to national development during a forum between Cabinet members and delegates to the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL).in Hanoi on September 24.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong attends a session of the 12th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour in Hanoi on September 25 (Photo: VNA) 
