Also present at the meeting were former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu, former National Assembly (NA) Chairman Nguyen Van An, and other former Party and State leaders.

Delegates heard four reports on Party and State leadership and guidance work, the socio-economic situation, the Party and State’s external affairs in the past year, and the security situation in recent times.

In his speech, Party leader Trong said that the gathering is a manifestation of sentiment and respect from the later generation of leaders towards their predecessors, and indicated that the relationship between them will become closer to utilize the experience of former Party and State leaders for the common cause of national development.

Mr Trong praised their great contributions to the joint efforts to implement Party programmes, projects and resolutions, and extended his best wishes to them for new confidence and vitality in the New Year.