Speaking at the congress, party secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted the importance of art and literature in bolstering the spirit of the Vietnamese people. For the past five years, there have been many pieces that inspire patriotism and contribute to the country's maritime sovereighnty. Freedom to write and create has been respected with a high level of democracy. Hundreds of people in art and literature have been awarded State prizes and Ho Chi Minh prizes, and many have been honoured as People's Artists and Meritorious Artists.
However, there is still a limited number of pieces with high philosophical and artistic value. Art critics are still passive. The party chief called on the union to be more active in implementing the Party's resolutions related to culture./.
