Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has praised the public security force for the achievements it has made in 2013.

Addressing the 69 th National Public Security Conference that opened in Hanoi on December 18, the Party chief said the force has successfully ensured national security and social order and safety.

The public security has also made important contributions to ensuring territorial sovereignty, creating a favourable environment for economic development and strengthening external relations, helping realising the country’s socio-economic development goals, he said.

General Secretary Trong emphasised that the force’s operations should focus on its core tasks of protecting national security and social order and safety in all circumstances.

He urged the force to stand active in updating, analysing and foreseeing all situations to give useful advices to the Party and State.

The force should also work with the government of all levels in bettering political, cultural, ideological, economic and financial security along with ensuring that the execution of the newly amended Constitution runs smoothly, he said.

He also asked the force to exert more efforts in controlling and reducing crimes, avoiding sudden developments in social security and safety.

A report presented by Standing Deputy Minister of Public Security Dang Van Hieu at the event indicated that in 2013, the force has uncovered 44,033 criminal cases, arresting 88,259 involved people.

During the year, the force brought to light many serious economic and corruption cases. It also started legal proceedings against and investigated more than 1,730 economic and corruption cases, with 3,068 involved persons.

During the two-day conference, the most important annual event of the sector, participants also outlined key tasks for next year.

The event also saw the attendance of Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Pham Binh Minh, Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court Truong Hoa Binh, and head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy Nguyen Hoa Binh, among others.-VNA