RESEARCHING THE EXPERIENCES OF SOME COUNTRIES ON

ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS AND LESSONS FOR VIETNAM

LE VAN NAM
Military Technical Academy, Hanoi, Vietnam. Email: [email protected]

Abstract
Corruption is a long-standing social issue present in all countries, regardless of their political system or level of
development. Corruption involves individuals in positions of power and authority exploiting their positions for
personal gain. Common types of corruption include political corruption, administrative corruption, and economic
corruption. Economic corruption occurs in economic management activities such as production, business,
services, public asset procurement, and asset management, carried out by individuals with authority in state
economic management or state-owned enterprises. Manifestations of economic corruption include embezzlement
of state or citizens' assets for personal gain, making illegal or biased economic decisions for personal gain, and
exploiting legal loopholes or violating laws to engage in production, business, or profiteering at the expense of
society. Corruption, especially when perpetrated by those in power, has serious consequences, not only in terms
of economic damage and a decline in the quality of governance but also in eroding public trust in the leadership
of the Party, State, and the country's international reputation. With the Party and State's close attention and
guidance, and the collective effort of the political system, the anti-corruption work in Vietnam has made significant
progress in recent years. From 2017 to the present, several legal documents related to anti-corruption have been
enacted, such as the Anti-Corruption Law effective from July 1, 2019, and the Whistleblower Protection Law
effective from January 1, 2019. In addition, various decrees, decisions, and directives have played a significant
role in anti-corruption efforts in Vietnam. Despite positive legal developments, investigations since 2017 have
exposed a significant number of large-scale corruption cases, particularly in areas such as banking, management,
the use of public investment funds, and state-owned land. In reality, corruption has become increasingly
sophisticated and complex, with perpetrators exploiting legal gaps. In recent years, many economic-related
scandals have emerged, highlighting the interconnectedness between financial aspects and corruption. Therefore,
evaluating anti-corruption efforts from a financial perspective and finding comprehensive solutions are essential.
Studying the essence of corruption, its forms, causes, and drawing lessons from other countries' experiences in
combating corruption is of utmost importance in formulating effective anti-corruption measures in Vietnam for
the future.
Keywords: Corruption, Vietnam, Worldwide.

Issue: Corruption is a widespread global phenomenon. Corruption and anti-corruption efforts

have been present throughout human history. Especially since the latter half of the 20th century,
corruption has emerged as a malignant and escalating threat, endangering the economies,
cultures, and ethics of humanity, with significant destructive and hindering effects on the
development of all nations. Over the past approximately 30 years, many countries and regions
have conducted research to find effective solutions, issued strong statements, and launched
extensive campaigns to combat and curb corruption. However, the results have often fallen
short of developmental expectations. Nonetheless, legal solutions for combating corruption in
some countries still serve as shining examples for others to study. In this article, the author
discusses the solutions that some countries have implemented in preventing and combating
corruption, which have yielded relatively successful results in meeting the objective of

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reducing corruption within their respective national boundaries.

1. The Party's Awareness and Theoretical Thinking on Corruption and Negativity

Researching the Party's regulations on anti-corruption and anti-negativity efforts, issued during
the X, XI, XII, and XIII Party Congresses, reveals that the struggle against corruption has
become a strong political declaration and commitment of the Party. The implementation of
these policies, particularly during the XII Party Congress, under the close and precise
leadership and guidance of the Politburo and the Party's leaders, has yielded significant and
tangible results in practice, becoming a bright spot and a hallmark of the Party's construction,
rectification, and socio-economic development.
Corruption is an inherent flaw in power, representing the most concentrated form of the
"degeneration" of power. The higher the level of power, the greater the risk of corruption.
Human history has shown that all states, regardless of their political systems or organizational
models, have always had to confront corruption to varying degrees and extents (1). Vietnam is
no exception to this pattern, especially in the context of an imperfectly oriented socialist-
oriented market economy. During the country's renewal process, many issues related to state
management had no precedent, requiring experimentation and adaptation.
In the course of leading the revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam early on recognized
and increasingly clarified the risks and harms of corruption, considering it as one of the
existential threats to the Party and the socialist regime. Therefore, our Party has continuously
shown leadership and direction in the fight against corruption, issuing numerous specialized
documents related to anti-corruption efforts, reflecting the Party's growing awareness and
theoretical thinking, which have paved the way for significant and noticeable changes in
practice.
Through the systematic study of the Party's guidelines and policies regarding anti-corruption
during the renewal period, several crucial milestones can be identified:
Firstly, the leadership role of the Party in anti-corruption efforts has been elevated to a new
level. The Communist Party of Vietnam is the ruling party, leading the state and society,
including anti-corruption work. However, in the face of the reality of "serious corruption and
waste, many limitations, and shortcomings, low effectiveness in the fight against corruption
and waste still persist in many fields and at many levels, with a wide scope and complex nature,
causing negative consequences in various aspects and undermining the people's trust. It is one
of the significant risks threatening the survival of our Party and our regime" (2). The Party
recognized the need for higher, closer, and more regular leadership in the fight against
corruption. As a result, for the first time, the Central Committee of the 10th Party Congress
issued a specialized resolution on enhancing the Party's leadership in anti-corruption and anti-
waste efforts. This can be considered a breakthrough with strategic significance, providing the
conditions and momentum to advance and establish anti-corruption efforts as an irreversible
trend. From this point on, many new and important viewpoints and solutions regarding anti-
corruption were formulated and resolutely implemented in practice.

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This development in awareness represents a clear commitment of the Party to its officials,
members, and the public, with a high political determination to "stop corruption step by step"
and build our Party as truly "ethical and civilized," worthy of being the authentic and loyal
representative of the Vietnamese working people and the nation. The viewpoints, strategies,
and solutions outlined in Resolution No. 3 of the 10th Central Committee continue to have
value in terms of leadership, guidance, and theoretical significance in practice.
Secondly, the Party has renewed the mechanisms and leadership methods for anti-corruption
efforts. Recognizing the need for a stronger leadership role of the Party, renewal efforts have
been undertaken across all aspects of the fight against corruption, beginning with a reevaluation
of how to answer the questions of principles and approaches that were already clear,
perceptions that had matured, ideas that had formed, and how to achieve the best results.
Practical experience has shown that the Party has taken a breakthrough step in establishing and
regularly strengthening and improving the specialized agencies, ensuring that they are strong
enough to advise, lead, direct, coordinate, and effectively implement anti-corruption efforts in
a centralized, unified, regular, efficient, and effective manner.
The establishment of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and the
reinstatement of the Central Internal Security Agency and the internal security agencies of
provincial and municipal committees have marked a breakthrough in the anti-corruption
struggle in Vietnam.
The Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption (the Committee) is directly under the
Politburo, headed by the General Secretary. The Central Internal Security Agency (CIA) is the
advisory agency to the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat on major anti-
corruption policies and measures.
The establishment of these two institutions has created a solid foundation for the anti-
corruption struggle in Vietnam. Under the Committee's close, concrete, and decisive leadership,
the Committee has been operating in a more systematic, well-organized, coordinated, and
scientific manner. The CIA has also been proactive, assertive, creative, and persistent in its
advice and guidance on anti-corruption work, especially in the handling of corruption cases.
The results of the anti-corruption struggle in recent years have affirmed that the establishment
of the Committee and the reinstatement of the CIA are entirely correct and appropriate, meeting
the urgent practical needs of the anti-corruption struggle in Vietnam.
Based on the organizational model and successful experiences of the Committee, the 13th
Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (at its Fifth Conference) decided to
establish Provincial Steering Committees for Anti-Corruption and Negative Aspects, headed
by the provincial or municipal party secretaries, in order to create unity and coordination from
the central to the local level in leadership and guidance, to address the situation of "hot at the
top, cold at the bottom," and to improve efficiency and create more significant changes in the
anti-corruption struggle at the local level.

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The third point is the formation of a system of new and strong principles, policies, and solutions
for detecting and handling corruption.
Although the Party was aware of the need to strengthen its leadership and promote the anti-
corruption struggle, it did not act rashly, but ensured that the dialectical, harmonious, and
scientific handling of "construction" and "prevention" was in line with the principle of
"prevention is the main, fundamental, long-term; detection and handling is important and
urgent.
" On this basis, many principles, policies, and solutions for detecting and handling corruption
have been formed, not only creating a breakthrough in theoretical understanding but also
creating a breakthrough in the practical anti-corruption struggle, contributing to the realization
of the Party's political declaration and commitment to resolutely fighting to prevent and combat
corruption.
The new principles, policies, and solutions for detecting and handling corruption can be
summarized as follows:
1) Early detection and severe punishment of corruption and waste cases. If there is a case, it
must be investigated and clarified. Active, urgent; clarify to where it is handled there.
Regardless of who has the act of corruption, if there are signs of a crime, it must be
prosecuted and investigated. If it is concluded that there is a crime, it must be prosecuted
according to the law, tried. Cases that have not reached the level of criminal prosecution
must be dealt with severely in accordance with the regulations of the Party and the State.
Documents are certain to where they are handled there, and then investigated and handled
further to create a diffusion and positive change in the detection and handling of corruption.
2) Words and deeds go hand in hand, no forbidden zones, no exceptions, regardless of who
they are, and they do not bow to the pressure of any organization or individual.
3) The assessment and recognition of violations should also be placed in specific historical
conditions with an objective and appropriate handling perspective.
4) If the functional agencies detect signs of a crime during the inspection, audit, inspection,
and enforcement process, they must promptly transfer the case file to the Investigative
Agency to accept, investigate, and handle according to the law, without waiting for the end
of the inspection. , audit, inspection, and enforcement. During the inspection, audit,
inspection, investigation, prosecution, trial, and enforcement process, if violations related
to officials under the management of the Politburo and the Secretariat are found, they must
be reported immediately to the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee for timely
guidance and handling; at the same time, transfer relevant files and documents to the Central
Inspection Commission for consideration and handling in accordance with the regulations
of the Party. The Central Inspection Commission promptly and severely punishes
organizations and party members with signs of violations in cases and cases under the
supervision and guidance of the Steering Committee.

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5) Conduct synchronously between Party discipline, administrative discipline of the State,
mass organizations, and criminal prosecution. Party discipline must be implemented first,
as a prerequisite for handling administrative discipline of the State, mass organizations, and
criminal prosecution. Handling must take education, deterrence, and prevention as the main
focus, combining punishment with leniency; at the same time, protecting and encouraging
those who dare to think, dare to do, innovate, and create for the common cause. Discipline
one person to save ten thousand people.
6) Fight corruption right within the agencies, units, and functional units that have the direct
task of detecting and handling corruption.
7) Must clarify and accurately verify the property of the person who has the act of corruption;
recover the maximum property from corruption; promptly apply measures to seize,
temporarily detain property, freeze accounts, and handle property of corruption even during
the process of inspection, audit, inspection, investigation, prosecution, trial, and
enforcement; encourage criminals to voluntarily compensate and restore damage in
corruption cases.
Fourth, the policy of linking anti-corruption with the prevention of negative aspects, with a
focus on preventing political degeneration, morality, and lifestyle in officials, party members,
civil servants, and public servants, especially leaders and managers at all levels of the political
system, is marked by the issuance of the Politburo's Regulation No. 32-QĐ/TW dated
September 16, 2021 expanding the functions and tasks of the Steering Committee to direct the
prevention of both corruption and negative aspects.
This is a new step forward, taking the anti-corruption work to a deeper level, linking prevention
more closely with the fight against corruption in accordance with the perspective that has been
proposed since the 3rd Central Committee Resolution (X). This breakthrough stems from the
fact that the Party is increasingly aware of the relationship between corruption and political
degeneration, morality, and lifestyle.
Corruption is the most concentrated, clear, and serious manifestation of political degeneration,
morality, and lifestyle in officials, party members, civil servants, and public servants; the
fundamental cause of corruption is that a small number of officials, party members, civil
servants, including leaders and managers, and senior officials lack self-cultivation and
degenerate in terms of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle.
To effectively combat corruption, it is inevitable and objective to link anti-corruption with the
prevention of political degeneration, morality, and lifestyle in officials, party members, civil
servants, and public servants; preventing degeneration is to prevent the seeds of corruption
from afar, as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has repeatedly emphasized: "Not only
fighting corruption in the economic field, but more importantly, we must combat negative
aspects in all fields of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle. These two are related to each
other, political degeneration, morality, and lifestyle will lead to corruption, this is the root, the
basic thing that needs to be fought."

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2. Anti-corruption experiences of some countries
Based on the study of the legal provisions on anti-corruption of some countries around the
world, which many experts believe are very valuable experiences that Vietnam can apply, there
are:
First, combine prevention with strict punishment.
In South Korea and Australia, the content of anti-corruption is taught in the school system to
help students understand the causes, consequences, and harms of corruption and educate the
awareness of condemning corruption from an early age. In addition, the Government also
promotes anti-corruption propaganda on the mass media, establishes an anti-corruption
information center and establishes an anti-corruption fund.
However, when acts of corruption are investigated and clarified, severe penalties are also
applied to corrupt officials, regardless of who they are. The results of the handling are made
public for the people to supervise. This has created conditions for the anti-corruption campaign
to be carried out strongly and widely.
In Russia, the Government has implemented the "iron fist" campaign in the fight against
corruption, resolutely handling corrupt officials in the state apparatus, especially central
officials, especially in the executive branch who have acts of corruption, sheltering for
corruption criminals. In the anti-crime campaign "wearing military ranks" in 2007, a series of
officers, including generals, were prosecuted before the law.
A number of high-ranking officials in the Party and Government apparatus were also dismissed,
dismissed, and prosecuted for involvement in corruption, such as: Prosecutor General of the
Russian Federation Vladimir Ustinov; Deputy Head of the Special Investigations Unit of the
Moscow Execution Investigation Department Dumovets on charges of receiving 0.5 million
USD in bribes to acquit two defendants charged with smuggling.
Second, organize the state apparatus on the basis of checks and balances of power.
In the United States and Western European countries, the fight against corruption is emphasized
at the institutional level, that is, the organization of the state apparatus so that the branches of
power can check and monitor each other and establish control from society.
Building a mechanism of power control that is strong enough to prevent abuses of power,
authoritarianism, and the use of power for the purpose of maximizing personal interests.
These are the mechanisms of separation of powers to check and balance between the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches of power; strengthen social supervision and criticism of civil
society on the state apparatus.
Therefore, state power is always guaranteed to be implemented seriously, in accordance with
the law and democracy. Meanwhile, in some other developed countries in Asia such as South
Korea, Singapore, the government has built a system of very tight power control institutions,
which are to establish independent organizations under the executive branch and specialized
anti-corruption units such as: Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, Audit and

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Inspection Agency, Financial Supervisory Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission,
Criminal Investigation Agency. Other agencies independent of the executive branch such as:
the Court, the National Election Committee, citizen associations, and the media to monitor
power and prevent corruption.
In addition to building tight monitoring mechanisms, to improve the institutional framework
for anti-corruption, it is necessary to build and perfect a set of legal documents to strengthen
prevention measures, prevent loopholes that create opportunities for corruption to arise,
focusing on strengthening the effectiveness of management in all fields, especially the
economy. Administrative procedures must ensure that they are concise, easy to implement, and
convenient for citizens. Build a clear civil service regulations, which must clearly define the
responsibilities and obligations of state agencies and civil servants, avoid creating privileges.
The procedures for resolving the affairs of agencies and organizations must be open and
democratic. At the same time, apply preventive measures such as monitoring the collection and
regulation of asset declarations of civil servants.
Issue strict laws to punish corruption, bribery, and other crimes of office and power. Clearly
define corrupt acts, severe penalties include: Criminal prosecution, administrative handling,
focusing on recovering corrupt assets. In addition, there must be strong legal provisions to
equip the functional agencies with great powers to be independent in investigating and handling
corruption. Create mechanisms to monitor and supervise the activities of state agencies,
especially economic management agencies, law enforcement agencies.
Third: Implement the principle of transparency and openness thoroughly.
Transparency and openness in the activities of state agencies is both a requirement of the
objective process of exercising state power and a mechanism for controlling state power. The
activities of the state are activities that carry power. The content, scope, and limitations of these
activities are stipulated by law. Transparency and openness in the activities of state agencies is
to ensure that the activities of the state are within the framework of the law. This is a necessary
requirement for any state agency, but in reality it does not mean the publication of all the
activities of state agencies, although transparency is the most obvious manifestation of the
democratic process. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the content that needs to be
transparent. For many countries in the world today, the areas and contents that need to be made
public to the public are: Detailed disclosure of budget revenue and expenditure; Transparency
in public procurement of public property; Transparency in the construction sector;
Transparency in the declaration of assets and income of officials and civil servants;
Transparency in the process of receiving, appointing officials as well as issuing diplomas...
because these are areas that are prone to corruption and corruption.
In many developed countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden,
Australia, etc., thanks to the good implementation of this principle, it has contributed to
preventing corruption in the most effective way. In Australia, according to the law of this
country, the government is responsible for disclosing procedures and procedures, disclosing
lottery draws for administrative procedures through machines, so that everyone knows each

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other's turn and prevents corruption due to running away, focusing on transparency and
transparency in the bidding and procurement of public property. Inspection, Audit, Police
Integrity Commission are authorized to require the subject of the investigation to provide
information and explanations, if found to be providing false information, they may be
prosecuted for a criminal offense. Meanwhile, the laws of the United Kingdom, Germany,
Sweden stipulate that all documents of the Government and state agencies from the Central to
the local levels (except for documents classified as state secrets) must be published publicly in
the press and on the Internet, including the salaries of the Prime Minister and the Ministers; All
civil servants have the right and responsibility to provide information about the organization
and activities of their agency to journalists and no one is allowed to investigate, inquire to
determine the source of information that has been published in the press. Therefore, the process
of implementing the law is guaranteed, and corruption has no chance to exist.
Fourth: Establish a specialized anti-corruption agency that is strong and independent in
monitoring, detecting and investigating and handling objectively.
Many countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Singapore, China,
Indonesia, South Korea, etc. have established independent anti-corruption agencies directly
under the President or Prime Minister, with a position independent of the executive branch and
other agencies. The heads of these agencies are appointed by the President, Prime Minister or
King, such as: the Singapore Anti-Corruption Commission (CPIB), which is an independent
body, separate from other agencies, directly under the Prime Minister's Office, has the right to
independently investigate and prevent corruption; the Indonesian National Anti-Corruption
Commission (KPK) is an independent body independent of the executive, legislative,
responsible to the people and not subject to any state power agency; the National Anti-
Corruption Bureau of China is located in the Supervisory Ministry, responsible to the Prime
Minister, has the task of compiling, planning, establishing policies and monitoring, supervising
anti-corruption nationwide.
Fifth: Ensure effective public oversight mechanisms.
The experience of many countries in the world shows that to effectively combat corruption, it
is not possible to rely solely on the efforts of state agencies, but it is essential to promote the
role, responsibility and have the active support of the whole society; must build a social
mechanism in which the press and journalists have the right to independence, autonomy in
gathering information, writing articles and are protected by the law when prevented, obstructed,
attacked. When there is information from society and the people, the anti-corruption fighting
agency has the task of fully and promptly verifying the sources of anti-corruption information
in the press and has the responsibility to protect the confidentiality of the person who reports,
reports a crime. In China, reports and reports of corruption by the people are the most important
source from which to detect crime. According to statistics, up to 80% of corruption cases
discovered are due to reports and reports by the people and more than 90% are due to reports
and reports provided by the people. If the crime of corruption is detected and handled, the
person who reports and reports the crime is entitled to a percentage of the total value of the
assets that the anti-corruption fighting agency recovers.

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Fighting corruption must start from the top down. To root out corruption, it is necessary to start
from the top, from the agencies and organizations that have the right to plan, implement, and
supervise policies, and have the right to coordinate resources and finances. This is because
these are the agencies and individuals that represent the power of the Party and the State, and
are the closest to acts of corruption. Once the public agencies and the leadership team in the
Party and Government organizations are clean, the likelihood of corruption will be less. On the
other hand, if the corrupt behavior of senior leaders is handled promptly and severely,
corruption cases will be eradicated. Corruption cannot be effective if those in power are not
decisive or half-hearted in directing the fight against corruption.
Therefore, the first thing to effectively combat corruption requires a real determination to
eliminate and prevent corruption by the Government, of the highest leaders. This requires the
leaders themselves to set an example of exemplary, dedicated, steadfast, and clean leadership,
as this will become the root of eliminating bribery and political protection for corruption. In
Singapore, for example, the Government has shown a clear political determination in the fight
against corruption, resolutely handling violators, regardless of their position, even for close
associates or those who have contributed to the country.
Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew once asserted that the supreme leader of the Government
must set an example, no one is allowed to exceed the law, otherwise everyone will feel skeptical
and ridicule the meaning and fairness of the law. Thanks to this strong commitment to fighting
corruption, Singapore has been one of the countries with the lowest corruption rates in the
world for many years.
In addition to building a truly decisive determination to fight corruption, the Government must
have wise and reasonable plans, policies, and guidelines, and must be able to attract and involve
citizens to actively participate, build a broad anti-corruption front, and fight against bad habits
of those with positions and powers. Create a democratic mechanism for citizens to report and
detect corruption. There are regulations and measures to protect those who report corrupt
behavior, and a timely and appropriate reward system for those who have contributed to the
detection and handling of corrupt behavior.
Sixth: Adequate salary and benefits policy for civil servants
One of the causes of corruption in recent times is that the salaries of civil servants are low, not
enough to live, forcing them to find extra ways, even by using the method of harassment and
extortion when they have the opportunity. Therefore, one of the measures that has been very
effective that many countries have applied in the fight against corruption is to reform and adjust
the salary system, the material and spiritual benefits regime for civil servants, making civil
servants live on their salary.
And when that happens, if they are corrupt, they have to pay a high price if they are caught,
forcing them to be more careful, because corruption is less profitable, more harmful - losing
salary, losing their job, losing their main source of livelihood. If the salary is only a secondary
source, they will be less concerned and pay less, so they will still risk corruption. In developed
countries such as Denmark, England, Germany, etc., the reason why there is little corruption is

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because the income of government officials is very high, and working as a government official
is a dream and pride for everyone. In addition, the penalty for corruption is very severe, so
government officials cannot accept the risk of corruption.
Seventh: Promoting the role of the press
The press is an important force in providing objective and independent information to society
to fight corruption. To promote the role of the press, legal frameworks allow the press to freely
access information to fulfill its role of social monitoring of the activities of the apparatus and
officials. On the one hand, it represents public control, conducting independent social
investigations to detect cases of corruption. On the other hand, it creates public pressure,
criticizes corrupt officials and politicians, forcing the government to take action, not to avoid
or ignore.
In fact, the press has not only played a major role in detecting and exposing corrupt behavior,
but it is also the main force to mobilize the people, educate and raise people's awareness in the
fight against corruption. It promotes anti-corruption models, typical examples, and good
practices in anti-corruption. The press promptly and objectively informs the situation of
corruption and anti-corruption, directly reflects cases of corruption, even cases that have not
been clarified, creating public pressure, forming anti-corruption movements. Therefore, the
promotion of the role of the press in the fight against corruption is of great significance. It helps
competent agencies to promptly detect corrupt behavior, bring to light corruption phenomena
in government agencies and businesses, convey the voice of the people, and contribute to
creating public consensus to fight corruption more effectively. This is a very valuable
experience that developed countries such as the United States, Western Europe and many
countries in Asia have applied and achieved great success. In Denmark, the press has a lot of
power, supervising all three branches of power: legislative, executive, and judicial. Danish
press, on the one hand, is likened to a "watchdog" for freedom, democracy, human rights in
society and the country's ecological environment. On the other hand, it is considered a "hunting
dog" digging for the wrongdoings of legislators, executives, judges, and citizens; in China, the
press is a vanguard force in the fight against corruption. The press not only plays a major role
in promoting the Party and State's line and policy on anti-corruption, but also plays the role of
an agent, promoting the anti-corruption war to develop deeply and widely, forming a total
offensive across the country.
3. Anti-corruption laws of China
China has passed a series of anti-corruption laws, including the Anti-bribery Law of 1988 and
the Anti-corruption Law of 1997. In addition, corruption is criminalized in China's Criminal
Code, with 15 articles that define corruption crimes such as embezzlement, abuse of public
funds, bribery, giving bribes, failure to turn over gifts or offerings to the public fund, failure to
prove the source of property, and illegal distribution of property. The country's criminal law
criminalizes a wide range of corruption offenses, including both active and passive corruption
in the public sector, extortion, money laundering, and abuse of office. Corruption is considered
a crime when the value of the corrupt property is 10,000 yuan or more. The maximum penalty

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for corruption is death. In 1993, China enacted the Competition Law, which also regulates
corruption in the private sector, stating that bribery by private companies and managers to gain
an unfair advantage is illegal. According to Transparency International, China's CPI index has
been ranked as one of the countries with very strong and determined anti-corruption policies.
Effective anti-corruption measures in China that need to be consulted include:
First, attaching importance to the education of morality for civil servants, preventing the
conflict between private and public interests.
China considers the education of morality for civil servants to be one of the most important
measures in the fight against corruption, in addition to strictly punishing corrupt acts. China
has issued a series of regulations on moral education and building an honest work style. The
formulation and implementation of regulations are aimed at helping civil servants avoid having
to face the conflict between private and public interests (in other words, making it impossible
for civil servants to take advantage of their work positions to gain private profits at the expense
of public interests). Accordingly, China stipulates that: officials who leave leadership positions
or retire must not engage in business in the sectors related to their previous work within three
years; the wives (or husbands) and children of leading officials may not do business in the
sectors managed by their husbands (or wives), parents. Since 1997, China has dissolved
business units in the police, military, and customs to avoid abuse of power for corruption.
Second, regulating the declaration of assets of civil servants and considering anonymous
reports related to corruption.
All civil servants at all levels must declare their assets twice a year. All sources of income from
various sources must be fully declared. Leading officials must declare clearly the items such
as: savings, stocks, bonds, items worth more than 10,000 yuan (about 19-20 million Vietnamese
dong), cars, private houses, land, rare antique paintings... The Government's Supervisory
Bureau monitors, supervises the declaration and considers and handles cases with unclear
assets. Civil servants who cannot explain the source of their assets will be considered
embezzlement. Article 395 of the Criminal Code of China stipulates: "Any civil servant who
has assets that exceed their income and the amount of the difference is too large is required to
explain the source of the assets. If that civil servant cannot prove that the property is legal, they
will be sentenced to 5 years in prison and the property exceeding their income will be
confiscated."
Currently, due to incomplete legal framework in China, whistleblowers still face threats.
Therefore, anonymous reporting is allowed and anonymous letters are accepted. In practice,
approximately 60% of whistleblower reports in China are submitted anonymously, many of
which contain accurate information about corruption.
In addition, China has established various channels to collect information on corruption,
making it easier for citizens to report corrupt activities. Since 1988, anti-corruption information
reception centers under the supervision of the Procuratorate and the Supervision Department
have been established at all levels.

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Thirdly, imposing strict penalties on corrupt individuals is considered an effective tool in
China's anti-corruption efforts.
According to Chinese law, individuals engaged in corrupt activities face severe punishments,
including:
- Embezzlement of less than 2,000 Chinese yuan (approximately $300 USD) results in
criminal prosecution, while amounts below that threshold are subject to administrative
penalties.
- Embezzlement of less than 5,000 Chinese yuan (approximately $750 USD) but with
voluntary restitution of assets to the state and evidence of remorse may lead to a reduction
in criminal liability.
- Embezzlement of 2,000 Chinese yuan or more resulting in serious consequences can lead
to imprisonment of up to 2 years.
- Embezzlement ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 Chinese yuan may result in imprisonment
from 1 to 7 years.
- Embezzlement of 50,000 Chinese yuan or more, with detrimental effects on politics and
society, can lead to the death penalty.
On February 28, 2010, the Chinese National People's Congress amended the Anti-Corruption
Law, tightening regulations against corruption. The amendments increased penalties for
unreported asset ownership and doubled the maximum prison sentence to 10 years for officials
found to possess significant unexplained income or assets. Notably, the Chinese Anti-
Corruption Law also includes criminal liability for legal entities in corruption cases, not just
individuals. Consequently, organizations found to have engaged in corrupt activities may face
fines, and the law also holds those in leadership positions accountable for corrupt actions.
Fourthly, the development of e-government is seen as a new measure in China's anti-corruption
efforts. Chinese leaders view e-government as a crucial element of administrative reform,
enhancing efficiency and accountability in government operations. Government websites
provide links to all provincial and municipal governments, with approximately 100,000
government web portals in China. Most of these websites feature content written in simplified
Chinese characters, with only a few, including those of major cities, available in English.
Government portals have been enhanced to provide comprehensive information, integrated
services across various sectors, and increased interaction between government officials and
citizens.
Recognizing the seriousness of corruption, China regards anti-corruption efforts as the
responsibility of the entire political system and an essential, urgent, and ongoing task
throughout the process of economic and social development and state-building.

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4. The Situation and Results of Anti-Corruption Efforts in Vietnam
Corruption, waste, negativity, and bribery have persisted in Vietnam for many decades,
occurring in all areas of social life and at all levels. Corruption and waste have had a significant
impact on the country's economic and social development, eroding people's trust in the Party
and the State.
According to the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency
International, Vietnam ranked 104th out of 180 countries with 36 points, an increase of 5 points
and 15 places compared to 2014. However, it still falls below the regional average score of 45
points and is among the two-thirds of countries worldwide with serious corruption issues
(scoring below 50 points).
The Report on Party Building and Rule of Law Amendment at the 13th Party Congress stated:
"Corruption in some areas and localities remains serious and complex, with increasingly
sophisticated manifestations; the problem of bribery involving people and businesses is still
quite common, causing dissatisfaction in society... Corruption is still one of the threats to the
survival of the Party and the regime." Whenever people or businesses apply for property
ownership certificates, medical examinations, school enrollments for their children, investment
capital, construction projects, etc., they often have to provide "grease money" or engage in
corrupt practices for things to proceed smoothly. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong referred
to this form of corruption as "petty corruption," which causes frustration and discomfort for
everyone and society as a whole.
There have been numerous major corruption cases involving multiple individuals, businesses,
and state officials over the years. Some notable examples include the Epco - Minh Phung case
from the 1980s, involving 77 defendants and 2 death sentences; the Vinashin Group case, with
Pham Thanh Binh and 8 accomplices; embezzlement and intentional violations at Vietnam
National Shipping Lines (Vinalines), leading to death sentences for Duong Chi Dung and Mai
Van Phuc, with 8 other defendants receiving sentences ranging from 4 to 22 years in prison.
Corruption is not a recent issue; even during the anti-French colonial struggle, there were cases
like that of Tran Du Chau, former Director of Nha Quan nhu - the Ministry of National Defense,
who was executed on September 5, 1950, in Thai Nguyen town. He was accused of
"embezzling public funds, accepting bribes, and undermining the resistance movement," and
he was sentenced to death, with the confiscation of 3/4 of his assets and the seizure of bribery
evidence. Ho Chi Minh, when writing a pardon request for Tran Du Chau, said to his comrade
Tran Dang Ninh: "With woodworms, it's the same; if killing one worm can save a whole forest,
then it's necessary."
Corruption has not only persisted but also evolved in sophistication. It affects not only
economic sectors but also law enforcement agencies. It involves not only low-ranking officials
but also high-ranking ones. The 4th Central Resolution (11th term) assessed: "A significant
number of cadres and Party members, including some holding leadership positions, have
deteriorated morally, ethically, and in their lifestyles... they embrace individualism,
opportunism, pragmatism, pursue personal interests, wealth, and power, engage in corruption,

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waste, arbitrariness, and lack principles." Consequently, the Party and the State have been
determined to enhance the effectiveness of inspection, examination, auditing, investigation,
and prosecution while rigorously dealing with those who violate laws regarding corruption and
waste. In particular, starting from 2016, after the 12th Party Congress, General Secretary
Nguyen Phu Trong, who also heads the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption,
launched a comprehensive and resolute anti-corruption campaign with the motto: "No matter
who they are, in whatever position, there are no forbidden areas, no exceptions in the fight
against corruption and wrongdoing." As a result, anti-corruption efforts have achieved positive
results, and many corruption cases, from central to local levels, have been thoroughly
prosecuted. This includes cases involving Central Committee members and Politburo
members.
Results include: "Over 4 years (mainly during the implementation of the 4th Central
Resolution), the entire Party disciplined nearly 1,400 Party organizations and more than 74,000
Party members at all levels. Among those disciplined were 82 provincial Party secretaries or
equivalents and over 1,500 district-level Party secretaries or equivalents. Nearly 3,000 Party
members were disciplined by being removed from their positions, over 8,700 were expelled
from the Party, and more than 4,300 officials and Party members faced legal prosecution."
Major General Nguyen Van Tin, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission
for Internal Affairs, stated: "From 2013 to 2020, more than 1,900 corruption cases were
investigated and prosecuted nationwide, with 131,000 Party members involved, including over
110 centrally managed officials (including 27 Central Committee members, former Central
Committee members, 4 Politburo members, 30 generals in the armed forces) being
disciplined." In the first six months of 2021, there were 266 cases of corruption involving 646
defendants, of which 250 cases with 643 defendants were prosecuted. The Central Steering
Committee for Anti-Corruption conducted disciplinary actions against 12 Party organizations
and 20 Party members, including members of the Central Committee and the Secretariat
(including 3 Central Committee members, former Central Committee members, 2 Deputy
Prime Ministers, 1 former provincial Party secretary, 1 former deputy provincial Party
secretary, and 13 generals in the armed forces).
Numerous high-profile corruption cases involving senior officials have been prosecuted, such
as the PMU 18 case in the Ministry of Transport in 2006, the case at PetroVietnam Construction
Joint Stock Corporation (PVC) involving Trinh Xuan Thanh and Dinh La Thang, land
management violations in Danang involving 19 defendants and 2 former chairmen of Danang
People's Committee, bribery in the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
linked to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and cases involving law enforcement agencies
like the land grab by Nova Bac Nam 79 Company and Novaland in Danang, involving two
former Deputy Ministers of Public Security, the case of a police general from the High-Tech
Crime Police Department (C50 Ministry of Public Security) protecting the largest online
gambling ring in Vietnam, and the case of smuggling and producing 200 million liters of
counterfeit gasoline in Dong Nai, with the involvement of numerous border guard officials and
marine police. There have also been corruption cases in the healthcare sector, such as those at
Bach Mai Hospital and Hanoi Heart Hospital, where hospital leadership colluded with private

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companies to inflate prices for medical equipment to gain illicit benefits. Most recently, the
Ministry of Public Security initiated an investigation into price gouging for Covid-19 testing
kits by Viet A Corporation, implicating many officials from various ministries and agencies,
including the leaders of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, the
Military Medical Academy, and officials from many provinces and cities. Two Central
Committee members were expelled from the Party and temporarily detained for investigation.
The Party and the State are determined to continue strengthening anti-corruption efforts within
state agencies, organizations, and businesses both inside and outside the state. Conclusion No.
21 KL/TW dated October 25, 2021, from the 4th Central Committee of the 13th Party Congress
emphasized: "Vigorously and regularly implement comprehensive, synchronous inspection,
supervision, auditing, investigation, prosecution, and trial activities. Actively detect and
rigorously handle cases of corruption and wrongdoing; resolutely recover lost or embezzled
assets in criminal cases involving corruption and economic matters."
5. Identification of Corruption
The current situation of the anti-corruption struggle in Vietnam highlights the need to clearly
identify the main forms of corruption in order to have effective prevention and combat
solutions:
Economic corruption: This is a very common form of corruption that occurs in all corners of
social life, from high-ranking officials to low-ranking ones. It is easily recognizable as those
involved use their positions and delegated authority to manipulate, extort, and create obstacles
to gain money, material possessions, and more. This form can range from petty corruption,
such as accepting small bribes, to large-scale corruption involving billions of Vietnamese dong,
mansions, land, and cars.
Power corruption: This form of corruption involves individuals in positions of power and
authority who exploit their positions to appoint their trusted relatives, friends, associates, and
those who offer bribes to important positions within the party, state agencies, and political and
social organizations for personal gain. This is a highly dangerous and difficult-to-detect form
of corruption. When they place individuals lacking ethics and professional competence in
important positions, it not only affects the immediate term but also has long-term
consequences, influencing future generations and creating lasting damage.
Political corruption: This form of corruption involves individuals with power influencing
decisions regarding mechanisms, policies, and major decisions of the Party and the State to
benefit themselves, their families, or a group of people. They may collude with others in power
to change the Party's or the State's orientations and policies to seek benefits for their sectors,
regions, their own units, or groups with common interests. Examples include decisions related
to tax policies, salaries, appointment standards, retirement, or major project investments such
as airports, seaports, and urban areas.

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6. The Communist Party of Vietnam's Resolute and Persistent Fight Against Corruption
and Waste
The Communist Party of Vietnam is the sole ruling party leading the state and society. The
Party plays a decisive role in the success of Vietnam's revolution. Ho Chi Minh believed that
corruption, waste, and nepotism were "internal enemies," the enemies of the people. He
asserted: "Corruption is theft. This crime is as serious as treason, espionage. Fighting
corruption, waste, and nepotism is like fighting 'enemies from within.'" The Party and the
Vietnamese state recognize that corruption and waste deeply affect economic and social
development, erode people's trust, and pose a threat to the survival of the Party, the state, and
the regime. Therefore, during each Party Congress, great importance is placed on Party building
and building a contingent of revolutionary ethical cadre as a critical task, essential for the
continued existence of the Party and the regime.
Since the 6th Party Congress, there hasn't been a single term of the Central Party Committee
without a resolution on Party building. In particular, the 4th Central Committee of the 11th term
issued Resolution No. 4, emphasizing the need to strengthen Party building, rectify the Party,
and the political system. It resolutely prevents, pushes back, and strictly handles Party members
who show signs of ideological, moral, lifestyle, and "self-evolution" and "self-transformation."
These resolutions have been concretized into legal documents of the state in different periods,
serving as a legal basis for state agencies and the people to implement.
Shortly after the August Revolution, on November 23, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh issued
Decree No. 64, Article 1 of which stated: "The government shall immediately establish a
Special Inspection Board with the authority to supervise all work and staff of People's
Committees and government agencies. Article 2 clearly specifies: "The Special Inspection
Board has full authority: to investigate, question witnesses, examine documents of People's
Committees or government agencies necessary for supervision; to issue arrest warrants for any
officials in People's Committees or the government who have committed offenses before
bringing them to the Government Council or a special court for trial." This was Vietnam's first
inspection and anti-corruption agency.
On November 27, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 223. The decree had 5
articles, one of which explicitly addressed penalties for bribery of officials, accepting bribes,
and embezzling state funds. This decree was Vietnam's first anti-corruption law in the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
On December 18, 1949, President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 138B-SL/QD, establishing
the Government Inspection Board, directly under the Prime Minister, replacing the Special
Inspection Board mentioned in Decree No. 64. The 1992 Constitution, for the first time,
mentioned anti-corruption in Article 8, stating: "State agencies, officials, civil servants, and
public employees must...resolutely fight against all manifestations of bureaucracy, nepotism,
corruption, and bribery."

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Subsequently, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Xth term issued
Ordinance No. 02-PL/CTN on February 26, 1998, on anti-corruption. This was Vietnam's first
anti-corruption ordinance, consisting of 5 chapters and 38 articles, defining the concepts of
corruption, corrupt behaviors, preventive measures, detection, and handling of corrupt
behaviors.
Following this, Ordinance No. 22/2000/PL-UBTVQH10 was issued to amend and supplement
certain provisions of the anti-corruption ordinance. To enhance effectiveness, the 11th National
Assembly issued the Anti-Corruption Law No. 55/2005/QH11 on November 29, 2005. The
law, consisting of 8 chapters and 92 articles, regulated prevention, detection, and handling of
corrupt individuals and the responsibilities of state agencies, organizations, units, and
individuals in the fight against corruption.
On August 4, 2007, the 12th National Assembly issued Law No. 01/2007/QH12, amending and
supplementing two articles of the 2005 Anti-Corruption Law. In 2012, the law was further
revised and supplemented with Law No. 27/2012/QH13 by the 13th National Assembly on
November 23, 2012. The government issued Decree No. 59/2013/NĐ-CP on June 17, 2013,
providing detailed regulations on certain provisions of the Anti-Corruption Law.
In 2013, the 1992 Constitution continued to emphasize anti-corruption efforts in Article 8,
stating that state agencies, officials, civil servants, and public employees must "resolutely fight
against corruption, waste, and all manifestations of bureaucracy, nepotism, and bribery."
To align with the 2013 Constitution, on November 20, 2018, during the 6th session, the 14th
National Assembly passed the 2018 Anti-Corruption Law No. 36/2018/QH14. This law,
consisting of 10 chapters and 96 articles, supplements and improves provisions related to
corrupt behaviors, the declaration of subjects and types of property and income, publicizing
property and income, and the responsibilities of leaders and joint liability. These legislative
efforts show the consistent determination and persistence of the Communist Party of Vietnam
and the Vietnamese state in the fight against corruption and waste.
Building an Effective and Efficient Anti-Corruption Apparatus
In addition to improving the legal framework for anti-corruption efforts, the Communist Party
of Vietnam and the state have paid close attention to building an anti-corruption apparatus.
Apart from the internal security agencies such as the Police, Military, People's Procuracy, and
People's Court, which regularly engage in protecting the Constitution, the law, and the fight
against corruption, Vietnam has specialized anti-corruption agencies known as the Central
Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and its provincial-level counterparts.
The Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption is headed by General Secretary Nguyen
Phu Trong, with six deputy heads and eleven members, all of whom are members of the
Politburo, Central Committee members, and concurrently hold leadership positions in various
central Party committees, central government agencies, the Inspection Commission, and the
Organizational Commission. The Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption is tasked
with providing recommendations to the Politburo and the Party Central Committee on

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strategies and policies related to anti-corruption efforts.
It also oversees, directs, and coordinates inspections, monitoring, and implementation of anti-
corruption work. The Committee has the authority to request Party delegations, Party
organizational bodies, provincial Party Committees, municipal Party Committees, and central
government inspection, audit, and oversight agencies to carry out anti-corruption work and
report the results according to the directives of the Central Committee. The Standing Agency
of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption is the Central Internal Affairs
Committee.
Several agencies are responsible for carrying out anti-corruption work in Vietnam:
The Central Internal Affairs Committee: In addition to its regular tasks, the Central Internal
Affairs Committee serves as the Standing Agency of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-
Corruption. It has the responsibility of supervising and coordinating with specialized agencies
to inspect, monitor, and handle violations of the law, including corruption and waste.
The Central Inspection Commission and Party inspection commissions at various levels: These
commissions are responsible for inspecting all Party members, including members of
provincial Party Committees, when there are indications of violations of Party member
standards or provincial Party Committee member standards. They also handle disciplinary
measures for Party organizations and Party members within their jurisdiction, in accordance
with their authority. Additionally, they oversee Party organizations and Party members in
implementing the Party's guidelines, policies, and resolutions.
The Government Inspectorate: As an agency under the government, the Government
Inspectorate manages state affairs related to inspection work, the resolution of complaints and
denunciations, and anti-corruption efforts nationwide. It has the responsibility to direct, guide,
and organize inspections to ensure compliance with the law by government agencies,
organizations, enterprises, and individuals. Within the Government Inspectorate, there are
specialized units responsible for anti-corruption work.
7. The Importance of Strengthening Preventive Mechanisms to Prevent Corruption and
Wrongdoings
Corruption is often referred to as the "internal enemy" and poses a threat to political and social
stability. It damages the reputation of the Communist Party and undermines the Party's fighting
capacity and the state's governance effectiveness. Corruption widens the wealth gap, fosters
conflicts of interest, and generates social resistance.
It erodes public trust and represents one of the major risks to the survival of the Party and the
Vietnamese regime. Therefore, the Party and the state must continue to improve mechanisms,
measures, and methods to genuinely prevent and combat corruption effectively.
A robust preventive mechanism against corruption and wrongdoing involves a comprehensive
set of institutional arrangements and policies implemented by the Party, the state, and society.
These mechanisms aim to create a system of laws and policies that leave no room for
corruption, ensure transparency, accountability, thorough scrutiny, and strict monitoring

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throughout the management processes. In accordance with the spirit of the Party's resolutions
and the Anti-Corruption Law, preventing corruption and wrongdoing is a shared responsibility
of the entire political system and the people, with the primary and essential role resting with
Party committees and leaders at all levels, from central to grassroots.
In the fight against corruption, the guiding principle is to be proactive in prevention and resolute
in the struggle, with prevention being the fundamental approach.
The National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Corruption up to 2020 (issued with
Government Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP on May 12, 2009) has identified key principles,
objectives, and solution groups, as well as a clear roadmap for anti-corruption efforts.
These include enhancing openness and transparency in policy-making, improving the public
service regime, raising the quality of public duty performance, refining economic management
mechanisms, creating a competitive, fair, and transparent business environment, and improving
the effectiveness of inspection, oversight, audit, investigation, prosecution, and trial work in
detecting and handling corruption. It also focuses on enhancing public awareness and the role
of society in preventing and combating corruption.
Over the years, the fight against corruption and wastefulness has been conducted resolutely,
following the directives of the Politburo, led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, with a
clear message: "Speak and act, no restricted zones, no exceptions, regardless of who the person
is, without succumbing to pressure from any organization or individual.
"Among the measures aimed at continuing to improve anti-corruption efforts in Vietnam,
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that legal education in anti-corruption is a
top priority: "We must continue to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of propaganda and
education to build a culture of thriftiness and anti-corruption among officials, Party members,
and the people."
8. Enhancing the Mechanism for Preventing Corruption and Negative Practices in
Vietnam
From 2012 to the present, the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and advisory
bodies of the Central Committee have issued over 250 documents related to building and
rectifying the Party, as well as preventing and combating corruption and negative practices in
Vietnam. Many strong and resolute policies and regulations have been enacted, which have
received the unanimous support and high appreciation of Party members, officials, and the
people.

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These policies and regulations, when implemented seriously, have brought about significant
changes, such as:
1) Regulations on preventing and combating the degeneration of political ideology, ethics,
and lifestyles within the Party, emphasizing self-transformation and self-renewal within
its ranks.
2) Provisions on the exemplary role and responsibilities of Party members, particularly
Central Committee members, Politburo members, and Secretariat members, as well as
leaders at various levels and in various sectors.
3) Regulations on Party inspection, supervision, and disciplinary measures.
4) Guidelines on personnel work, dismissal, and resignation.
5) Measures to control power in personnel work and other critical areas.
6) Clarification of the responsibilities and authority of the Steering Committee and
relevant agencies for corruption prevention and combating.
7) Mechanisms for coordinating activities related to inspection, supervision, auditing,
investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of judgments.
8) Guidelines for detecting, investigating, and handling corruption cases.
9) Provisions for protecting whistleblowers and fighting against corruption and negative
practices.
Additionally, the Criminal Law of 2015 (amended in 2017) introduced four additional
corruption-related offenses for non-state sectors. The Anti-Corruption Law of 2018 dedicated
a separate chapter to anti-corruption activities in non-state sectors and more.
The practice of enhancing a robust prevention mechanism to combat corruption and negative
practices in Vietnam aims to concretize the guiding principle: "All power must be strictly
controlled by mechanisms; power must be bound by responsibility; wherever there is power,
there must be corresponding responsibility. The higher the power, the greater the responsibility.
Anyone who abuses or exploits power for personal gain must be held accountable and subject
to sanctions." Therefore, in recent years, the efforts to prevent and combat corruption and
negative practices have achieved significant results, including:
Firstly, raising awareness among Party members, officials, and the people about the prevention
and combat of corruption and negative practices. There is continued consensus and support for
these efforts.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that "the work of information, propaganda, and
education on corruption prevention has been strengthened and renewed." According to the
social public opinion survey conducted by the Institute of Social Opinion, the vast majority of
the people (93%) express trust in the Party's leadership in the fight against corruption. This has
made any distortions or sabotage attempts by hostile forces appear futile and laughable. This
is a significant success in our anti-corruption efforts.

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Secondly, the Party and the State have resolutely and coherently implemented many important
measures in preventing and combating corruption and negative practices:
Detection and handling of corruption cases are now carried out coherently and effectively.
There has been a breakthrough in this aspect of anti-corruption work, affirming the high
determination of the Party and the State to combat corruption. No areas are considered off-
limits, and no individuals are shielded from pressure.
Alongside the intensified focus on detecting and handling corruption, work on building and
improving the institutional framework for economic and social management and corruption
prevention has also been strengthened. Gradual improvements in the mechanism for preventing
corruption have been made, ensuring that corruption becomes impossible, unfeasible,
unwanted, and unnecessary.
Transparency and openness have been emphasized in the work of officials, administrative
reform, and accountability. There has been concentrated leadership and direction to implement
preventive measures against corruption, yielding positive results.
Information, propaganda, and education on corruption prevention have been strengthened and
rejuvenated. The role of elected bodies, the Fatherland Front, the people, and the media in anti-
corruption efforts has been more effectively utilized.
Emphasis has been placed on comprehensive organizational reform, improving the quality and
efficiency of activities, and enhancing coordination among functional agencies for corruption
prevention.
International cooperation has been actively pursued, and anti-corruption efforts have gradually
expanded beyond the state sector.
Thirdly, the results of corruption prevention and combat continue to improve:
Over the past 10 years (2012-2022), Party Committees and Inspection Commissions at all
levels have disciplined over 2,700 Party organizations and nearly 168,000 Party members,
including more than 7,390 Party members disciplined for corruption.
The Central Committee, Politburo, Secretariat, and Central Committee Inspection Commission
have disciplined more than 170 senior officials at the central level, including 33 Central
Committee members and former Central Committee members of the Party and more than 50
general-rank officers in the armed forces.
Asset recovery efforts related to corruption have shown positive progress. Civil enforcement
agencies at various levels have recovered VND 61 trillion, achieving a rate of 34.7% (in 2013,
this rate was less than 10%). In cases overseen and directed by the Steering Committee, nearly
VND 50 trillion has been recovered, with a rate of 41.3%. Local efforts to detect and address
corruption and misconduct have been intensified, gradually rectifying the situation of "hot at
the top, cold at the bottom."

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Over the past 10 years (2012-2022), more than 8,445,300 people have declared their assets,
reaching 99.5%.
Various ministries, sectors, and localities have conducted checks on transparency in 78,108
agencies, organizations, and units, discovering and correcting violations in 1,068 units. More
than 80 organizations provide internet-based payment services, while 44 organizations offer
mobile phone-based payment services.
Over 90% of business tax payments are made through banks, and 42% of medical facilities
have implemented cashless medical service payments. Moreover, 42% of people receiving
pensions and 39% of unemployment and social insurance beneficiaries nationwide receive
payments through personal accounts.
The international community increasingly appreciates Vietnam's efforts in corruption
prevention and improving the administrative and business environment, enhancing the
country's national competitiveness. Particularly, through legal education and awareness-raising
efforts, the people have become more aware of the importance of corruption prevention and
the harm of corruption to the nation's development.
A significant portion of the population actively resists corruption and firmly refuses to support
corrupt activities. This has been demonstrated by the improved corruption perception index of
Vietnam from 2006 to 2021.
9. Objectives of the Anti-Corruption Strategy in Vietnam to 2030
The general objective of the Anti-Corruption Strategy to 2030 is to prevent and combat
corruption, contribute to building a democratic, disciplined, and honest society; maintain
political stability and economic and social development.
 The specific objectives of the Anti-Corruption Strategy to 2030 are:
 To address loopholes and shortcomings in policies and laws in the economic and social
fields, especially in areas prone to corruption and negative aspects;
 To build a streamlined and effective public administration with a professional,
disciplined, and honest civil service;
 To strengthen prevention measures; promptly detect and severely punish all acts of
corruption and negative aspects, recover property that has been embezzled or lost;
 To promote the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations, the
media, and the community in anti-corruption and negative aspects;
 To strengthen international cooperation in anti-corruption, linking to the implementation
of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

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10. Five groups of tasks of the Anti-Corruption Strategy in Vietnam to 2030
- To improve policies and laws on economic and social management and anti-corruption.
- To streamline the public administration, perfect the civil service regime, build a team of
civil servants with honesty; improve the effectiveness of law enforcement.
- To strengthen inspection, supervision, inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution,
trial, and enforcement.
- To raise awareness, promote the role and responsibility of society in anti-corruption.
- To actively participate and improve the effectiveness of international cooperation on anti-
corruption, fully fulfilling the rights and obligations of a member state of the United
Nations Convention against Corruption.
11. Implementation roadmap of the Anti-Corruption Strategy in Vietnam to 2030
The National Anti-Corruption Strategy to 2030 is implemented in two phases:
(i) Phase 1 (from 2023 to 2026)
- In this phase, the implementation of all tasks and solutions will be coordinated, focusing
on researching, reviewing, amending, supplementing to address the loopholes and
shortcomings of laws on economic and social management and anti-corruption to
propose specific tasks in the legislative program of the National Assembly of the 15th
and 16th terms; focusing on improving capacity and effectiveness in preventing,
detecting, and handling acts of corruption and negative aspects.
- Complete specific tasks in the period 2023-2026 (with a plan attached) and summarize
the implementation in 2026.
(ii) Phase 2 (from 2026 to 2030)
- Building on the achievements made in the first phase. Based on the summary, based on
the requirements of anti-corruption work and the actual situation, a specific plan will be
developed to implement the Strategy in the period 2026-2030 and to promote the
implementation of all groups of tasks and solutions in order to complete the objectives
of the Strategy.
- Summarize the implementation of the Strategy in 2031.
12. Constraints of anti-corruption law in Vietnam that need to be improved
The level of corruption in Vietnam, its intractability, is explained by the limitations of the
institution, the decline in the quality, morality, and lifestyle of many officials and civil servants
in the apparatus, even corruption in judicial activities, in investigation, prosecution, trial, and
execution. According to the author, the effectiveness of the anti-corruption struggle in Vietnam
is still not high because the regulations of anti-corruption law in Vietnam still have many
limitations; the "dosage" of anti-corruption solutions is still not strong enough, not aimed at the

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breakthrough point. This content is reflected in the following issues:
First: The regulations on transparency and disclosure of assets and incomes of subjects subject
to declaration are not comprehensive and lack assurance measures. In the current context,
private enterprises are seen as a great resource for the development of the country. However,
the legal representatives of these types of enterprises are not subject to asset and income
declaration. And in fact, not a few major bribery cases were carried out by these subjects. In
addition, the current law has not clarified the principles, forms, contents, and responsibilities
for transparency and disclosure. Those who are responsible for declaring assets are not honest,
because the leaders, heads of that agency are not honest in declaring, so it is certain that the
declaration at the agency, unit is only formal.
Second: The regulations on accountability are not appropriate, still narrow and not regular.
Specifically, according to current regulations, the explanation can only be carried out when
there is a decision of the competent authority. At the same time, the explanation is not
comprehensive at present; the procedures, procedures, and contents of the implementation of
the accountability responsibility are still unclear, not feasible, not linked to the implementation
of other prevention measures. Especially the measure on transparency and disclosure is only
confined to the internal of the agency, unit. And with this regulation, how can the people and
political organizations with the function of supervision know to perform their duties as well as
their tasks? It is precisely this limitation that the voters who hold the ballot to elect the National
Assembly and People's Councils at all levels cannot know how the representatives for them
have assets and incomes. And once the voters do not know, they cannot supervise.
Third: The regulations on the handling of the responsibility of the head of an agency,
organization, unit when allowing corruption to occur in the agency, organization, unit are still
general, not specific, not clear. In reality in recent years, there have been many agencies and
units where the deputy of the head of the agency commits corruption while performing the
assigned tasks, but the head is almost innocent, if there is only a lack of need to seriously learn
from experience. Although it is known that the principle of applying criminal law is that
whoever does it will suffer, the responsibility of the head cannot be innocent. Moreover, with
the regulations as in the current law, it is difficult to encourage the initiative of the head in
preventing and detecting acts of corruption. Only when the law clearly stipulates the
mechanism for clearly determining the responsibility of the head, the effectiveness of anti-
corruption in the agency, unit will achieve high efficiency.
Fourth: The regulations on transparency of assets and incomes do not help to control
fluctuations in income. Especially for individuals with preferential shares and individuals who
trade on the stock market. In the current law, there is no mechanism for handling assets and
incomes that cannot be explained reasonably. In particular, the law still lacks mandatory
regulations on the deadline for persons subject to asset and income declaration to perform their
obligations to declare or explain their assets and incomes.

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Fifth: The regulations on reporting and handling of reports on acts of corruption still lack
assurance measures, especially the measures to protect the reporter, reward those who have
merits in reporting corruption. That is why the effectiveness of the anti-corruption work in the
past has not been high. Because in the agency, unit, if there is corruption occurring, one person
also knows the other, but they are afraid of being retaliated against, being oppressed, or they
also have interests in it.
13. Solutions to further improve the prevention mechanism to prevent corruption and
negative
In the coming time, it is necessary to continue to implement well the spirit of the Central
Committee's direction, headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on the measures to
prevent corruption and negative, especially the contents on improving the prevention
mechanism to prevent corruption and negative, specifically:
First, officials, party members, and leaders must be exemplary; set an example and take the
lead in preventing corruption and negative; officials with higher positions must be clean,
exemplary, pioneering, and take the lead in preventing corruption and negative.
Second, continue to build, improve the overall institutional system and building, rectifying the
Party, managing the economy - society and preventing corruption and negative; promptly
address shortcomings, plug the "gaps", "loopholes"; improve the effectiveness of organizing
the implementation of the institution to "cannot" corrupt, negative.
In particular, pay special attention to improving policies and laws on land management and
use; management of state capital in state-owned enterprises; management of exploitation of
natural resources, minerals; management of the use of state budget capital for investment in
economic and social infrastructure, etc.
Third, continue to improve and strictly implement regulations on transparency, accountability,
transparency in the activities of agencies, organizations, and units; effectively control the
property and income of people with positions and powers. Administrative reform; building a
team of officials with sufficient qualifications, capabilities, and prestige, commensurate with
the tasks in the new period and strengthening the monitoring of the exercise of power.
Fourth, continue to consolidate the organizational structure; improve the capacity and
effectiveness of the operation of agencies and units with the function of preventing corruption
and negative from the central to local levels. Expand and improve the effectiveness of
international cooperation, effectively implement the prevention of corruption and negative
activities in the non-state sector.
Fifth, implement synchronously between Party discipline, administrative discipline and
criminal prosecution; focus on handling weak links, difficult tasks. Promote information and
propaganda work on corruption prevention and negative.

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References
1) Despite being a developed country, South Korea is ranked as one of the top 10 most corrupt countries
according to the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International (TI). Over the
years, five Presidents of South Korea have faced prosecution for corruption, most recently former President
Park Geun Hye in 2017. (Source: phaply.net.vn, October 3, 2018). In the United States, corruption continues
to occur in many states. According to the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), the state of Illinois incurs at
least $550 million in economic losses due to corruption each year. In 2010, a significant scandal occurred in
the city of Bell, part of Los Angeles, where city officials were found to have unusually high incomes. In
2021, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong reported receiving 2,264
complaints about corruption, an increase of nearly 20% compared to 2020, similar to the statistics from 2019.
2) Resolution No. 04-NQ/TW, dated August 21, 2006.
3) Conclusions of the Fifth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (No. 21-KL/TW, dated May 25, 2012)
on continuing the implementation of the Third Plenum of the Central Committee of the Party (Tenth Tenure)
on strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against corruption and wastefulness.
4) Decision No. 162-QD/TW, dated February 1, 2013, by the Politburo.
5) Decision No. 158-QD/TW, dated December 28, 2012, by the Politburo.
6) Decision No. 163-QD/TW, dated February 1, 2013, by the Politburo; Decision No. 159-QD/TW, dated
December 28, 2012, by the Politburo.
7) Report No. 238-BC/BCĐTW, dated December 22, 2020, by the Central Steering Committee for Anti-
Corruption, summarizing the work of anti-corruption in the period 2013-2020, directions, tasks, and
solutions for the coming time.
8) Conclusion No. 10-KL/TW, dated December 26, 2016, by the Politburo on the continued implementation of
the Third Central Resolution (Tenth Tenure) on strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against
corruption and wastefulness.
9) Documents of the Thirteenth National Party Congress, Nxb. CTQG-ST, 2021, Vol. 2, p. 252.
10) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference on Anti-Corruption in 2014.
11) Directive No. 50-CT/TW, dated December 7, 2015, by the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership
in detecting and handling corruption cases; Conclusion No. 10-KL/TW, dated December 26, 2016, by the
Politburo on the continued implementation of the Third Central Resolution on strengthening the Party's
leadership in the fight against corruption and wastefulness.
12) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the Permanent Central Steering Committee meeting
on anti-corruption on March 18, 2021.
13) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference to Summarize Anti-
Corruption Work in the Period 2013-2020 (December 12, 2020).
14) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference on Anti-Corruption in 2018.
15) Conclusion No. 05-KL/TW, dated June 3, 2021, by the Party Central Committee on the continued
implementation of Directive No. 50-CT/TW of the Politburo in the work of detecting and handling corruption
cases.
16) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference to Summarize Anti-
Corruption Work in the Period 2013-2020 (December 12, 2020).
17) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference on the Inspection and
Supervision Work of the Twelfth Party Congress.

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18) Concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the National Conference on Anti-Corruption in 2014,
the National Conference of political organizations to implement the resolutions of the Thirteenth Party
Congress (September 15, 2021); Directive No. 50-CT/TW, dated December 7, 2015, by the Politburo on
strengthening the Party's leadership in detecting and handling corruption cases; Conclusion No. 10-KL/TW,
dated December 26, 2016, by the Politburo on the continued implementation of the Third Central Resolution
(Tenth Tenure) on strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against corruption and wastefulness.
19) According to reports from party committees at various levels and organizations, during the Twelfth Party
Congress term, 87,210 party members were disciplined, with more than 49,400 party members disciplined
for issues related to ideological, moral, and lifestyle degradation (accounting for 56.64%); over 3,260
officials and party members were disciplined for corruption, and over 5,200 officials and party members
were criminally prosecuted (an 18.48% increase compared to the Eleventh Party Congress term).
20) Excerpt from the concluding remarks by Comrade General Secretary at the Permanent Central Steering
Committee meeting on anti-corruption on March 18, 2021.

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