Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (C, bottom) speaks during the opening ceremony of the 12th National Congress of Vietnam's Communist Party in Hanoi, Vietnam, January 21, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

HANOI - The opening ceremony of the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) was held in capital Hanoi on Thursday morning.

As many as 1,510 delegates representing over 4.5 million Vietnamese communist party members attend the congress, which is scheduled to last till Jan. 28.

The congress is being held under the theme of establishing a pure and strong party, fostering national unity, simultaneously and comprehensively boosting reform, resolutely defending the nation and maintaining peace and stability, while striving to soon turn Vietnam into a modern industrialized country.

During the event, participants will discuss the five-year implementation of the 11th national party congress resolution (2011-2015), review 30 years of the reform cause, map out directions and tasks for the national development during the 2016-2020 period, among others.

On Wednesday, the 12th National Party Congress held a preparatory session to adopt the working regulations of the congress, and elected the Presidium, the Secretariat, and the Delegate Eligibility Appraisal Board of the 12th National Party Congress.

They also adopted the working agenda and election regulations at the 12th National Party Congress, and reports on examining the eligibility of the delegates.

Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the 11th CPVCC was elected as Chairman of a 17-member Presidium of the 12th National Party Congress.

The 12th National Party Congress is set to produce a new Politburo and Secretariat of the CPV Central Committee, which will pave way for the election of the country's new leadership.

Earlier, the 14th plenary session of the 11th CPVCC, the final session of the 11th CPVCC before the 12th national party congress, was held during Jan. 10-13.

Regarding personnel work, the 11th CPVCC had discussed in a "democratic and straightforward manner", and voted to adopt the nomination of several members of the 11th CPVCC for re-election in the 12th tenure as "special" cases, along with nominations of Politburo members and CPVCC Secretariat of the 11th tenure for re-election in the 12th tenure as "special" cases.