Party chief Tô Lâm urges prompt detection, strict handling of violations related to administrative restructuring

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm stressed the importance of closely monitoring and addressing any violations in personnel appointments, management of public finances and assets, both during and after the administrative restructuring process tied to the two-tier local government model.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on Monday called for stronger inspection and supervision to promptly detect and address violations related to corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena arising during the ongoing restructuring of the political system’s organisational apparatus and implementation of the two-tier local administration model.

He made the request while chairing the 28th session of the Central Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of Corruption, Wastefulness and Negative Phenomena, which reviewed its work in the first half of 2025 and outlined priorities for the second half of the year.

According to reports presented at the meeting, disciplinary measures were taken against 230 Party organisations and more than 7,230 Party members during the first six months of 2025. The Politburo, the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and the Central Inspection Commission also disciplined 11 senior officials.

Inspection and audit agencies carried out a series of investigations and recommended the recovery and financial handling of more than VNĐ9.5 trillion (US$363.3 million) and 617 hectares of land. They also proposed administrative measures against 381 organisations and 1,083 individuals and transferred 28 cases with signs of criminal activity to investigative authorities.

Judicial agencies initiated 1,776 new criminal cases involving 4,038 defendants on charges related to corruption, economic mismanagement and abuse of office. For major cases under the direct supervision of the Central Steering Committee, investigators concluded seven cases involving 127 defendants, prosecutors issued indictments in five cases involving 87 defendants, and people's courts held first-instance trials for seven cases with 94 defendants and heard appeals in nine cases involving 221 individuals.

Efforts to fight corruption and other negative acts at the grassroots also made positive progress. In the first half of 2025, local authorities disciplined 43 leaders for corruption and other wrongdoings, including 21 who faced criminal charges. A total of 416 new corruption-related cases were opened, with 1,207 individuals prosecuted.

In his concluding remarks, General Secretary Lâm emphasised the need to focus on completing revisions to the Law on Thrift Practice and Waste Combat, the Law on Anti-Corruption, and other related legislation. He also called for updating and refining outdated technical and economic standards to reflect current national development needs.

He urged a prompt review and clear resolution of long-delayed, inefficient or high-risk projects to prevent loss and waste, with specific attention to the construction of the two new branches of Bạch Mai Hospital and Việt Nam–Germany Friendship Hospital, renewable energy initiatives, and the tidal flood control project in HCM City.

The Party leader directed authorities to accelerate investigations and resolve cases at Thuận An Group, the Vietnam Cement Corporation, the Nha Trang airport project, and the two hospital construction projects.

Lâm stressed the importance of closely monitoring and addressing any violations in personnel appointments, management of public finances and assets, both during and after the administrative restructuring process tied to the two-tier local government model.

He called for urgent improvements in the operation of provincial steering committees and local anti-corruption bodies following recent mergers and administrative adjustments.

In addition, he urged greater application of science, technology and digital transformation in administrative procedures to reduce direct contact and prevent corruption in public service.

The General Secretary also instructed relevant agencies to expedite the development, integration and interconnection of national data systems, enabling authorities to conduct inspections, audits and oversight more effectively, and to detect, issue warnings about, and prevent violations in a timely manner.

Also during the meeting, the Central Steering Committee agreed to conclude its supervision of ten criminal cases and six incidents, while deciding to place four new cases and two incidents under its direct oversight.

These include a case involving charges of bribery, abuse of State property, and violations of asset management regulations at the Việt Nam-China Mineral and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. (VTM) and related entities; a case involving falsification of documents, bribery and brokerage of bribery at TSL Science Joint Stock Company and related organisations; a case involving serious accounting violations and counterfeit food production and trading at Zholding Joint Stock Company; a complex case involving drug possession and use, bribery, and abuse of power at the Central Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and other agencies and localities; a suspected case of falsifying official documents and bribery at Avatek Science and Technology Joint Stock Company; and a suspected bribery case involving the Food Safety Department under the Ministry of Health.