At the meeting, Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committee To Huy Rua announced the Politburo’s decision establishing the 16 member committee and designating Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong its head.

Committee members heard a report reviewing anti-corruption activities in 2012, identifying major cases requiring attention, and outlining the work agenda for 2013.

Party leader Trong used his speech to stress the committee’s formation aims to usher in a radically new era of corruption prevention and waste minimisation.

The new Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention—organised under the Party Central Committee’s Politburo and Department of Internal Affairs, will provide a legal foundation for and reinforce the legitimacy of anti-corruption efforts.

The Party chief said the Department of Internal Affairs should encourage its members to involve themselves in the committee’s work with a view to devising the year’s key tasks and priorities for its entire term.