HANOI, Aug 2 (Reuters) - A top ideologue from Vietnam's ruling Communist Party said on Monday that Hanoi would not tolerate a multi-party system.
"The Communist Party of Vietnam is the leader of Vietnam's entire society, we will not accept any other parties or a multi-party system," said Dao Duy Quat, deputy head of the party's powerful Ideology and Culture Commission.
He was speaking at a rare news conference held for foreign media and diplomats that discussed party-building and a two-year criticism and self-criticism campaign aimed at rooting out morally unfit members of the 2.3 million-strong party.
Quat said most opposition parties in the past had sided with foreign aggressors and all had ultimately failed.
Vietnam, which was a French colony for around 100 years until 1954, was controlled by the Japanese through a Vichy French regime during World War Two and from 1954-75 the former South Vietnam was bank-rolled economically and militarily by the United States.
"We do not want a multi-party system because we do not want such opposition parties," Quat said.
He added that the Communist Party was the choice of the "entire Vietnamese people," but said the organisation needed to maintain legitimacy.
The party monopolises power at all levels of society in Vietnam. People are able to elect a national legislature and local people's councils but all candidates have to be approved by the Fatherland Front, the party's mass movement umbrella organisation.
"Our party is always fully aware that we need to make tremendous efforts to deserve the leadership role," he said.
But one veteran diplomat in Hanoi was unconvinced, questioning how legitimacy could be gauged when Vietnam's vast internal security machine went to such lengths to isolate or silence contradictory voices.
"They want power, on that there is no compromise," he said. "They stamped out all opposition in the past -- even those groups that supported the same aims -- and see absolutely no reason to liberalise."
Another diplomat said that as the party grappled with endemic corruption and abuses of power it appeared to be retreating into an increasingly conservative shell.
"Trust within the party is breaking down, the indications are there. It is increasingly fractured and like a wounded animal will lash out at any threats," he said.
Some foreign governments and international human rights groups say Vietnam imprisons people for the peaceful expression of political or religious beliefs -- a charge that Hanoi rejects.
Quat said the party would not repress minority views unless people violated the law. Anti-socialist activities in Vietnam are treated as a crime.