Presented at the gala were newly-elected General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and other Party, State and Fatherland Front leaders.

The gala began with many cultural activities performed by artists from the Vietnam Tuong Theater, the Vietnam Circus Federation, the Vietnam Puppetry Theater and other art troupes from 54 ethnic minority groups across the country.

Speaking at the gala, the Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong declared that the 11^th National Party Congress was a great success. This was a political event of great significance for the whole nation. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, Mr Trong expressed his gratitude to all the Party, people, armed forces, overseas Vietnamese and international friends who had contributed valuable opinions and proposals to the Congress.

He urged the Party, Government, Fatherland Front and other mass organisations to engage on the national patriotic emulation movement in celebration of the Party’s 81^st anniversary and the day the late President Ho Chi Minh returned to Vietnam 70 years ago to directly lead the country’s revolution.

Mr Trong also called for co-coordinated efforts to overcome the consequences of the recent cold spell and assist families of social policy beneficiaries, disadvantaged households, and people in remote and mountain areas in preparing for the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.