Comments on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress: The responsible voice of youth

The draft documents to be submitted to the 14th National Congress of the Party, to be released on October 15, 2025, are attracting widespread attention in society. The process of soliciting feedback has been carried out seriously and comprehensively, promoting democracy and collective intelligence.

Young people across the country are actively participating in contributing ideas, demonstrating their faith, responsibility, and aspiration to contribute to the building and rectification of the Party and the development of the country. This is not only a democratic right but also a sacred mission of the young generation of Vietnam, reflecting their absolute faith in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam .

Science and technology are strategic breakthroughs.

In the field of science and technology, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hai from Hanoi Medical University assessed that the highlight of this draft is that the thinking on science and technology development has not only stopped at "the pillar of development" but has been elevated to "strategic breakthrough," alongside the improvement of institutions and the development of high-quality human resources.

The 14th National Congress identified science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as the main driving forces, linked to four major transformations: digital transformation, green transformation, energy transformation, and structural transformation and the quality of human resources. This is a creative concretization of the spirit of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress, reflecting the vision for national development in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and deep international integration.

Based on his research and work in the healthcare field, Dr. Hai believes that to transform this mindset into tangible strength, an integrated, experimental, and humane approach is needed to maximize the creative potential of Vietnamese people in all fields.

Dr. Hai proposed that science and technology should be considered the "core energy" of national development, a "knowledge infrastructure" similar to electricity or transportation in the 20th century. The document should include the following orientation: "View knowledge and data as national assets; science and technology as core energy; innovation as a new development method." This is a crucial step in affirming that science is not merely an auxiliary tool but the center of national competitiveness.

Currently, the gap between academic research and practical application remains significant. Therefore, Dr. Hai suggested that the draft document should include provisions for building a mechanism to bridge knowledge with the market, establishing technology transfer service centers and applied biotechnology zones where research institutes, businesses, and startups can collaborate, test, and commercialize products.

In addition, Dr. Hai also proposed adding the orientation of "building a data and digital knowledge economy" as the basis for the National Target Program for the period 2026-2035, with a specific roadmap for infrastructure, legal framework, and human resource training. Digital transformation must go hand in hand with a transformation of mindset and culture, and be closely linked to green transformation. Digital transformation is not just about applying technology, but first and foremost about changing leadership thinking, management methods, and organizational culture.

Proposing the establishment of a "National Digital Culture" with three core values: transparency, sharing, and learning, treating data and knowledge as strategic public assets, managed uniformly for the benefit of all citizens, Dr. Hai also argued that digital transformation should be linked with green transformation, encouraging technology companies to participate in developing clean energy, managing emissions using digital data, promoting green healthcare and smart hospitals, and incorporating the criteria of "digital efficiency, green efficiency" into the evaluation of public investment.

As a young scientist, Dr. Hai aspires to create a development space for young researchers, establishing mechanisms to protect and encourage them to "dare to think, dare to act, dare to innovate," and building a "Young Innovators Ecosystem" linked to universities, research institutes, and hospitals. Young scientists should be empowered to lead independent research projects if they have sufficient capacity, and evaluated based on their application value rather than just the number of publications.

Simultaneously, a "Talent-Data-Experimentation" mechanism is proposed to promote genuine innovation: establishing an open national database on science and technology, inventions, and publications; and setting up a national fund for developing young scientific and technological talents to support promising projects, allowing young scientists to own research results and access venture capital.

"Our generation, young intellectuals born during the Doi Moi (Renovation) period, who grew up in integration and are living in the digital age, believe that Vietnamese knowledge can conquer global knowledge. The 14th National Congress of the Party is a historic moment to shift from a 'driving force' to a 'main foundation' of science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation," emphasized Dr. Nguyen Viet Hai.

A suitable roadmap is needed for military modernization.

In the field of national defense, Captain Truong Quang Thien (Battalion 75, General Staff of Military Region 5, Ministry of National Defense) assessed that the new and developing point in the draft political report of the Central Committee submitted to the 14th National Congress is the identification of building a modern army.

The question of whether to progressively modernize or modernize the military is a major and crucial issue, directly impacting the military's combat strength, the national modernization plan, and the building and protection of the socialist Fatherland. Therefore, it still needs to be studied and considered comprehensively, scientifically, and dialectically to avoid subjectivity, haste, voluntarism, and the tendency towards perfectionism, which could lead to missed opportunities.

According to Captain Truong Quang Thien, after 40 years of reform, although there have been tremendous achievements in the economic field, the openness of the economy, integration, and participation in global value chains have made great strides; Vietnam is still a developing economy, facing many risks and challenges; the resilience of the economy to fluctuations and impacts from competition and trade wars between major countries is still limited. The current goal is for Vietnam to strive to become a developing country with modern industry and a high middle income by 2030.

Captain Truong Quang Thien agreed with the overall policy: the goal is to build a modern army, but suggested that the Central Committee base its modernization roadmap on the results of building certain forces that are rapidly advancing towards modernization, the strategic foundation for national defense, the socio-economic development situation, and the requirements of national defense and security tasks. The overall goal is to build a modern army, but this does not mean a uniform approach; instead, continued selection and prioritization of modernization should be prioritized and focused.

In particular, we need to continue researching and selecting key sectors and fields for modernization investment to create breakthroughs and achieve high efficiency. Besides modernizing combat forces, according to Captain Thien, we need to focus on modernizing and developing the defense industry, first and foremost by effectively implementing Resolution 08 of the Politburo on building and developing the defense industry, creating a technical and technological foundation to ensure the solid construction of a modern army that is not dependent on external sources.

Art is the voice of the national soul.

In the arts field, actress Nguyen Thi Minh Thu (Vietnam National Drama Theatre) noted that the Draft Document submitted to the 14th National Congress of the Party clearly demonstrates a profound vision by placing culture, literature, and art as the spiritual foundation of society and an important intrinsic strength for sustainable development. This is a correct policy, consistent with the requirements of the era of deep integration, when national cultural identity needs to be preserved and promoted more strongly than ever before.

Art is not only a means of entertainment, but also a cultural bridge, a method of education, spreading humanistic values, ethics, and the good lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. Among these, theater, especially spoken drama, still plays a special role in conveying life messages, reflecting reality, inspiring reflection, and nurturing the human soul.

Minh Thu hopes that theaters and art troupes will continue to receive strategic and resource investment, creating opportunities for young artists to test their abilities and create with major works that have profound ideological and artistic depth. At the same time, she believes that theater should be brought closer to the public, especially the younger generation, through technology, digital platforms, or mobile performance programs in schools and local communities.

In the field of television, a genre with a strong influence on every family, Minh Thu believes that creative works based on Vietnamese life should be encouraged, honoring films that are rich in national cultural identity, instead of chasing sensationalist trends or imitating foreign productions. Works should be evaluated based on their cultural and artistic value and positive impact on society, not just on viewership or fame.

In addition, Minh Thu also suggested that the State strengthen policies to train and nurture young talents, take care of the material and spiritual lives of artists, and help them feel secure in their work, creating and contributing for the long term. Artists can only truly flourish when they live fully with their profession, and when their artistic works are respected and protected by society.

Working in a profession during a period when the Party and State highly value the role of culture, she feels both honored and more aware of her responsibilities. Whether on stage or in film, she always strives to ensure that each role is not just a character, but also a message about humanity and the beauty of Vietnamese culture.

The concerns and suggestions of young artists show that culture and art are not only a soft power, but also a spiritual pillar in the sustainable development of the country.

It can be said that the heartfelt and responsible opinions from today's intellectuals, artists, and youth demonstrate unwavering faith in the Party's leadership, while also conveying their aspirations to contribute to the nation. All are looking forward to the 14th National Congress of the Party with great faith and expectation: that the Congress will continue to open up a strategic vision, unleash the strength of national unity, and promote Vietnamese intelligence in the new era of development.