The errors the Party admits today are the same ones, just a few years ago, it condemned people for daring to mention. This has become a pattern repeated every few years. Not many Vietnamese shall be surprised when the Party admits the mistakes of today give years hence. The final operating rule the Party reserves for itself is the one in which as soon as the Party admits its mistakes, it is instantly vindicated and instantly worthy of being the nation's supreme leader again no matter how many mistakes and how severe the damage that has been made. In regards to the outside world, the Party leadership still strongly believes in its skill to manipulate world opinion and governments for its own benefit.
Deceptive tactics remain the tool of choice.
While its diplomats try hard to sell a friendly image of Vietnam to the West, the Party solemnly orders its cadres internally to destroy the vicious plots allegedly by western governments, headed by the U.S., to destroy Socialist Vietnam, known collectively as the peaceful evolution. While this April is sold outside Vietnam as the press celebration of the end of war, inside Vietnam, the Party insists this was a victory of Communism over Capitalism and the war goes on. But most of all, deep down, the Party leadership solidly believes it is the duty of the people to carry out the Party's wishes and not the other way around. Party members knew well the purpose of these plans before they were publicly announced. While hunger and malnutrition, admitted by the government itself, is widespread, the government continues to export rice and foodstuffs, even sending food support to the Cuban government.