Breakthrough action, turning policy decisions into results.

The 14th National Congress of the Party set forth the requirement that the Resolution must not only be correct but also implemented with decisive, effective, and substantive action, resolutely combating formalism and avoiding any "delay" in its implementation. In an interview with the People's Army Newspaper, General Secretary and President To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the need for strong innovation in leadership methods, tightening discipline in implementation, strengthening political and ideological work, inspection, supervision, and organization to ensure that the Resolution of the 14th Congress is quickly put into practice.

General Secretary and President To Lam delivered a speech assigning tasks at the conference announcing the Politburo 's decisions on personnel matters at the National Assembly Party Committee (April 10, 2026). Photo: Duy Linh/People's Army Newspaper

Reporter (R): Mr. General Secretary - President , Secretary of the Central Military Commission, the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party has established a historical vision. Public opinion and the people are very interested in how to quickly put these major decisions into practice. You have repeatedly emphasized the need to eliminate "delays" and shift strongly from "talking" to "doing" and "doing effectively." Could you please elaborate on this approach in the current context?

Comrade To Lam : The Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party is the crystallization of the wisdom, will, and aspirations of the entire nation; the value of the resolution can only be fully affirmed when it is implemented through decisive, synchronized, and effective action. The practical experience of the Vietnamese revolution shows that all the country's achievements are linked to periods where correct policies were transformed into concrete results, in which the implementation phase plays a key role.

We frankly acknowledge that the major bottleneck today lies not in a lack of direction, but in the capacity to translate that direction into concrete development. The effectiveness and efficiency of national governance, administrative discipline and order, and the quality of policy implementation in some areas still lag behind the requirements of national development. Therefore, the overarching spirit of this term is to transform will into action, to turn decisions into results; to say what you mean and do it, to do it immediately, to do it correctly, to do it decisively, to do it thoroughly, and to do it effectively.

The next 5-10 years are crucial for the strategic goals of the Party and the country. If we waste even a short period of time due to hesitation, avoidance, working in the old ways, or waiting and shirking responsibility, the price we will pay is at least the loss of opportunities for the development of the entire nation.

Therefore, the imperative for action now is to shift decisively from "correct understanding" to "effective implementation," from "issuing policies" to "producing tangible products and results." Every Party committee, Party organization, and every cadre and Party member, especially those in leadership positions, must set a leading example, see things through to the end, and produce tangible results so that the people can benefit from the very beginning of the term.

PV:   Mr. General Secretary and President, during this term, how will reforms to the organizational and implementation methods be addressed to shift strongly from administrative command-based management to results-based governance, in order to eliminate bottlenecks in the implementation phase?

Comrade To Lam: The 14th National Congress identified institutions as the "breakthrough of breakthroughs," leading the way. Institutions are not only tools for state management, but must also become a driving force for development, liberating productive forces, unlocking social resources, and creating a favorable environment for innovation. To eliminate the "bottleneck," we must first innovate our thinking and methods of implementation.

Firstly, we must resolutely review and improve the legal system, mechanisms, processes, and procedures to remove all bottlenecks. The principle is that whichever level encounters an obstacle, that level must proactively amend it, without waiting or shirking responsibility. We must shift strongly from a management and licensing mindset to one that fosters development and service; from a heavy emphasis on pre-approval to a stronger emphasis on post-approval in eligible areas; and from a procedural approach to a results-oriented approach.

Secondly, the evaluation criteria must change. It's no longer acceptable to primarily assess task completion based on the length of reports or the number of meetings. Evaluating an organization or an individual must focus on concrete achievements, work progress, social impact, and the level of satisfaction among citizens and businesses. All action programs must be quantifiable, measurable, and have a clear roadmap.

Thirdly, we must continue to reorganize the apparatus towards greater effectiveness and efficiency, linked to the renewal of the Party's leadership methods. The Central Committee's decision to transfer Vietnam Television, Vietnam Radio, Vietnam News Agency, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology from government agencies to public service units of the Central Committee of the Party; and simultaneously transfer the Party committees of these five agencies from the Government Party Committee to the Party Committees of the Central Party Agencies, is a very important organizational adjustment. This is not only about rearranging the organizational structure, but also about adjusting the leadership methods to strengthen the direct and regular guidance of the Central Committee on particularly important areas of ideology, communication, and strategic science.

Fourth, all major programs, plans, and projects must clearly define their objectives, timelines, responsible parties, resources, and monitoring and supervision mechanisms. Only then can we put an end to the situation where things are "hot at the top, cold at the bottom," or "correct in spirit but stalled in implementation."

PV:   Mr. General Secretary and President, you have pointed out that the implementation of the Resolution must be closely linked to the renewal of the Party's leadership methods, in which the human factor and political and ideological work play a particularly important role. So, what is the core requirement at present?

Comrade To Lam: In the new era, reforming leadership methods must aim at building a modern, disciplined, transparent, efficient national governance system that serves the people. To achieve this, the decisive factor remains the human element – ​​first and foremost the cadres and Party members, especially those in leadership positions. The current requirements are not only about possessing general qualities and capabilities, but also about having the courage to implement policies, a practical and decisive mindset, the ability to organize work to completion, and the willingness to take responsibility for the common good.

Along with that, special attention must be paid to political and ideological work within the Party. The recent 2nd Central Committee Conference issued regulations on political and ideological work within the Party. This is very new content, and very necessary in the current period, because we are implementing many major policies simultaneously, undergoing strong reforms and innovations; if we do not maintain a firm political foundation, create high unity within the Party and consensus in society, then even correct policies will hardly achieve the desired results.

Political and ideological work must truly lead the way; it cannot be done formally or merely as a formality, stopping at the stage of studying and understanding resolutions to fulfill procedural requirements. The core issue is to concretize political and ideological requirements into the responsibilities of each Party committee, Party organization, and each cadre and Party member; strictly maintain discipline in speech, strengthen confidence, build political fortitude, enhance fighting spirit, and create motivation for cadres to dare to think, dare to act, and dare to make breakthroughs for the common good.

For cadres, it is crucial to resolutely overcome the situation where they excel at advising but are weak in implementation. In implementation, the "six clear points" must be ensured: clear person, clear task, clear time, clear responsibility, clear authority, and clear results. The situation where collective action is used to mask individual responsibility must be avoided; at the same time, mechanisms must be in place to protect those who dare to innovate and take responsibility. The ruling Party must thoroughly understand the principle that "the people are the foundation," using the happiness and satisfaction of the people as the measure of the effectiveness of the work of Party organizations and the entire political system.

PV: To ensure that the Resolution of the 14th National Congress and new resolutions of the Central Committee are implemented seriously and effectively, how should the work of inspection, supervision, and Party discipline be reformed, Mr. General Secretary and President?

Comrade To Lam: Inspection and supervision are not the final tasks, nor are they merely about dealing with violations after they have occurred. This is a very important leadership method of the Party, a tool to control power, maintain discipline and order, and ensure that all policies and resolutions are implemented seriously and in the right direction.

First and foremost, it is essential to thoroughly understand and effectively implement the Central Committee's new Resolution on reforming and improving the effectiveness of Party inspection, supervision, and discipline. The Central Committee's issuance of this new resolution demonstrates the high demands of the current stage of development: rapid development must go hand in hand with stricter discipline and order; a more open mechanism requires tighter control of power; and stronger decentralization and delegation of power necessitates clearer political responsibility.

Secondly, inspection and supervision must be strongly shifted towards early and proactive prevention; detecting risks during the operational process, preventing limitations and shortcomings from accumulating into major violations. Every Party committee, Party organization, Party branch, and Party member must recognize this as their political responsibility; it cannot be entirely delegated to the inspection agency. Inspections must be linked to each action program, each key task, each project, and each commitment of the head of the organization.

Thirdly, the Politburo and the Secretariat have established inspection and supervision teams, directly headed by members of the Politburo and the Secretariat, to inspect the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Congress and other resolutions and directives of the Central Committee at all Party organizations directly under the Central Committee, including Party committees at the central level, and provincial and city Party committees. The spirit is to both inspect and supervise, to urge and resolve difficulties, and to discover new approaches to replicate, rather than doing it in a formalistic or superficial manner.

I myself have directly worked with and attended implementation conferences with the Central Military Commission and the Central Public Security Party Committee; and I have also directly led inspection and supervision teams for the Standing Committee of the National Assembly Party Committee and the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee. This clearly demonstrates the requirement of setting an example in leadership and guidance: having identified inspection and supervision as a method of Party leadership, high-ranking leaders must directly participate, directly listen, directly inspect, directly direct, and directly take responsibility for the results.

The ultimate goal is to make the entire system more disciplined, transparent, decisive, and efficient. Discipline must lead to better action; supervision must lead to clearer results; and inspection must contribute to resolving difficulties, tightening accountability, and ensuring that the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress and other Central Committee resolutions are implemented seriously, uniformly, and effectively throughout the Party.

PV: 2026 is the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party and the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Committee of the Vietnam People's Army. What instructions does the General Secretary, President, and Secretary of the Central Military Commission have for officers and soldiers in the Vietnam People's Army?

Comrade To Lam: The Vietnam People's Army has always been a pioneering and exemplary force, whose words match their actions. In the new stage of national development, the Army must further uphold this tradition, truly setting an example in political fortitude, spirit of action, discipline, work efficiency, and the quality of organizing and implementing resolutions.

First and foremost, the entire army must thoroughly understand the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party, the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Committee of the Army, and the action programs of the Central Military Commission; but this understanding should not stop at awareness but must be translated into concrete actions at every level, in every sector, in every unit, and in every position. Each Party committee, Party organization, commander, political commissar, and political officer must clearly identify what needs to be done immediately, what constitutes a breakthrough, who is responsible, and how to monitor it.

The entire army must pay special attention to political and ideological work, building a truly clean and strong Party organization within the Army; maintaining and strengthening the absolute and direct leadership of the Party over the Army in all aspects; upholding the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers; building a politically strong Army as a basis for improving overall quality, combat strength, combat readiness, discipline management, building a regular army, promoting digital transformation, and advancing towards modernization.

I particularly emphasize the exemplary role of the cadre. The higher the position of the cadre, the more exemplary they must be in their work style, organizational discipline, and spirit of daring to think, act, and take responsibility, ensuring that their words match their actions. Each cadre must dare to think, act, take responsibility, and innovate for the common good; they must receive comprehensive training and development to meet the requirements of building the Army in the new situation. At the same time, we must strengthen inspection and supervision, maintain strict discipline and order; and ensure that all policies and resolutions are implemented seriously and effectively.

The results of implementing the resolution in the Army must be measured by substantial changes in training, combat readiness, unit building, discipline, and the people's trust in the Army. High determination must translate into tangible results; actions must be firm, accurate, and effective to the end. The Army must continue to be a leading force in action, exemplary in discipline, matching words with deeds, ensuring thoroughness in every step, "ten times more determination, a hundred times more action," contributing together with the entire Party and people to successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress, and building and firmly defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam in the new era of development.

PV: Thank you very much, General Secretary, President, and Secretary of the Central Military Commission!

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Source: https://laodong.vn/thoi-su/hanh-dong-dot-pha-bien-quyet-sach-thanh-ket-qua-1684117.ldo