Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President To Lam highlighted the significance of protecting the Party’s ideological foundation while addressing the award ceremony for a writing contest on the matter in Hanoi on October 20.

Lam said after the Politburo issued a Resolution on October 22, 2018, on strengthening the protection of the Party's ideological foundation and countering misleading and hostile views in the new situation, the work has been carried out in a more methodical, concerted, comprehensive, and drastic manner, with innovative and effective approaches.

He took the example of the contest which has helped brought the resolution to life, and lauded the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and other relevant units, ministries, agencies, and localities for their efforts in this regard, as well as their contributions to the contest.

To maximise the contest’s values, Lam called for a unified understanding that protecting the Party’s ideological foundation and countering false and hostile viewpoints is a class struggle on both ideological and political fronts. This, he stressed, is a critical responsibility of the entire Party, army, and people, and a vital task for the whole political system in the Party and political system building.

It must come in tandem with socio-economic-cultural development, improving people’s material and spiritual life, and ensuring their prosperity and happiness, he continued.

The leader also stressed the need to build and consolidate the core forces in protecting the Party’s ideological foundation while reinforcing public support on the basis of the all-people defence posture.

According to Politburo member Nguyen Xuan Thang, HCMA President and head of the contest’s steering committee, in its fourth edition launched in January, the contest attracted a total of 468,792 entries, including 35,000 by young people and students, 610 by overseas Vietnamese, and 13 by foreigners.

The contest has gone beyond the press circle, serving as a forum for a wide range of officials, Party members, and people to express their confidence in and responsibility toward the Party, the State, and the country, said Thang, who is also Chairman of the Central Theory Council and deputy head of Central Steering Committee 35 tasked with protecting the Party’s ideological foundation, and fighting wrongful and hostile views.

The steering and organising committees presented 20 collective, 12 first, 22 second, 37 third and 63 consolation prizes, along with others.

The Vietnam News Agency won one first, one second, one third, and one consolation prizes.

At the ceremony, Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Informationꦦ and Education, launched the fifth contest./.