It is impossible to distort the innovation of the Party's leadership method in the context of digital transformation.

One of the important contents of the draft Political Report submitted to the 14th National Party Congress identified: "Continue to strongly innovate the Party's leadership and governance methods in new conditions"; "Accelerate the process of national digital transformation". These are strategic orientations, creating breakthroughs in all areas of social life in the context of strong development of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI), inherited and developed from the 13th National Congress. However, this work is being distorted and denied by hostile forces, and needs to be identified and fought.

Innovation in leadership methods and digital transformation are objective inevitabilities.

During the leadership process, our Party has constantly innovated its thinking on the Party's leadership methods. At the 6th Central Conference of the 6th term (March 1989), our Party determined that the Party's leadership method is the sum of the ways, forms, methods, regulations, rules, processes, working styles... that the Party uses to influence the leadership object in order to successfully implement the Party's Political Platform, guidelines, resolutions and leadership contents in each revolutionary period.

In the digital age, when technology is profoundly changing all aspects of social life, innovation in the Party's leadership method has become an objective and urgent requirement, of vital significance to the survival of the Party and the socialist regime in our country.

Party and State leaders visit exhibition booths at the National Conference on Breakthroughs in Science , Technology, Innovation and National Digital Transformation, January 2025. Photo: VIET THANH

According to We Are Social's Digital 2024 Report, the world now has more than 6.4 billion smartphone users, creating an important foundation for global digitalization. However, the speed of digitalization is not only measured by the number of people accessing the internet, but is reflected in the implementation of e-Government, digital economy and online public services by countries.

In Vietnam, by 2023, the digital economy accounted for about 16.5% of GDP, a rapid increase compared to 10.5% in 2020; more than 74% of online public services were provided in full; more than 77% of small and medium-sized enterprises applied digital platforms in production and business activities. These figures show that Vietnam is among the group of countries with a strong digitalization rate, beyond the simple measure of internet usage rate. This is an opportunity and a driving force for the country to develop quickly and sustainably, but this process also reveals and gives rise to many challenges.

The Communist Party of Vietnam is a part of the political system, and at the same time is the core of leadership of the political system and society where the political system is established. Therefore, in the face of the development of social reality, before the revolution of streamlining the apparatus, popularizing the internet, digital transformation..., the Party must of course innovate its leadership methods on the basis of steadfastness and perseverance in the ultimate goal and core principles that the Party, Uncle Ho and our people have chosen, which is to build and firmly protect the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam under the leadership of the Party.

Practice shows the practical benefits that digital transformation brings to the Party's leadership in general and the Party's methods in particular. Digital technology helps the Party improve its capacity for planning, operating, inspecting and supervising. From a digital technology platform, the implementation of an electronic document management system, digital signatures or an executive information portal has saved thousands of billions of VND in printing and storage costs each year, while increasing transparency and the ability to process work quickly. Big data analysis technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are being applied in many management areas, helping the Party and State have a scientific basis for forecasting, evaluating and making timely decisions.

General Secretary To Lam visits the STEM practice room of Cau Giay Secondary School, Hanoi, May 14, 2025. Photo: THONG NHAT

At the conference to review the work of the first 6 months of the year of the Central Steering Committee to deploy tasks for the last months of 2025 and launch 3 digital platforms to serve the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo dated December 22, 2024, on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: By June 30, 2025, the whole country had completed 76/106 tasks according to Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW. In particular, the Hanoi People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 4414/UBND-ĐMPT dated August 5, 2025, requesting all leaders, cadres, civil servants and public employees to use digital signatures specifically for public service to process work documents online; affirms that 100% of cadres, civil servants, and leaders under their management must apply digital signatures in electronic transactions. In addition, according to Directive No. 51-CT/TW dated August 8, 2025 of the Secretariat on changing party membership cards, the new party membership card is integrated with a personal identification code, linked with the National Population Database; the card issuance process is carried out electronically on a digital data platform to simplify management procedures, improve transparency, and synchronize party membership data nationwide.

Digital technology and internet platforms open a new bridge between the Party and the people, helping the Party and State's guidelines, lines and policies reach cadres, party members, soldiers and people of all walks of life quickly and transparently. Through digital technology and internet platforms, the Party not only transmits information but also receives feedback and fully listens to the opinions and aspirations of the people. This is the basis for strengthening social consensus and consolidating political trust. Data from the Central Propaganda and Education Commission shows that currently, more than 90% of ministries, branches and localities have established digital information channels to interact with people and businesses, contributing to improving the effectiveness of leadership and direction.

In addition, the Party's leadership method has many innovations, suitable for the digital context, such as: Digitizing documents, online meetings, smart information management systems, applying technology in inspection, supervision, and evaluation of Party members... contributing to saving human resources and costs, reserving resources for development.

Exposing the distorted argument, denying the innovation of the Party's leadership method

In the context of accelerating digital transformation, innovation in the Party's leadership method is an objective necessity, ensuring a solid future for the Party and the nation. However, this is also where hostile, reactionary forces and political opportunists focus on sabotage. From changing the Party's leadership method in the new situation in general, on the basis of digital transformation in particular, they deny, distort and falsify our Party's leadership method.

More dangerously, taking advantage of the internet, social media platforms, digital technology, and artificial intelligence (AI), hostile and reactionary forces produce and spread fake news. They deliberately distort and deny the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, and deny the revolutionary achievements that our nation had to shed so much blood and effort to achieve.

Taking advantage of our Party's innovation in leadership methods, hostile forces have swapped concepts to deny the Party's leadership role, claiming that the Party has outlived its historical role and is no longer capable of leading the country in the new situation, especially in the digital age with rapid changes in technology and society.

On the other hand, they believe that technology and artificial intelligence can completely replace the role of the Party, and that the Party's decisions will become obsolete in the context of strong development of science and technology. They promote propaganda that in the new conditions, the role of science and technology and the intellectual team is increasing, the central task is economic development, and the Communist Party of Vietnam is no longer capable of leading the country.

This is a sophisticated trick, deliberately confusing concepts, because digital technology is only a tool and means in the Party's leadership method. The Party's correct goals and scientific solutions through its platform, policies, guidelines, resolutions, ideological work, Party organizations and cadres, Party members and putting them into practice are the decisive factors in the Party's leadership role. In practice, the Party always fully and promptly grasps and correctly assesses the situation, has the right leadership methods, suitable for each historical period and the requirements of the Vietnamese revolution.

General Secretary To Lam affirmed that the four breakthrough Resolutions of the Politburo that have just been issued are “fundamental institutional pillars” that will be a strong driving force to help the country take off in a new development period. The role of these resolutions is described by the General Secretary as: Fundamental institutions, aiming to create a new development environment, promote innovation, international integration, develop the private sector, improve the law, all with the goal of bringing Vietnam into a new era of rapid and sustainable development.

The General Secretary also emphasized: To achieve the highest efficiency, it is necessary to synchronously implement these resolutions, with clear responsibilities, strong actions, innovative thinking, and no delays; turn aspirations into actions, and turn potential into real strength. That shows that the Party's leadership role is the key factor guiding the development of the revolution and the country. The Party's policies, guidelines, resolutions, and even the resolutions on digital transformation and innovation are vivid evidence of the Party's leadership path and leadership methods.

Firmly upholding goals, maintaining principles in digital transformation and innovating the Party's leadership methods

One of the first important solutions that Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019 of the Politburo on a number of guidelines and policies to proactively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution identified is to innovate thinking, unify awareness, strengthen the leadership role of the Party, the management of the State, and promote the participation of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations.

Accordingly, in the context of digital transformation, innovation in the Party's leadership method is an objective necessity, but it is necessary to maintain the immutable principles on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought, with the goal of building an independent, free and happy Vietnam on the socialist path. Digital transformation and innovation in the Party's leadership method are only truly meaningful when they aim to serve this goal, consolidate the foundation and strengthen the strength of the socialist regime.

Our Party is a revolutionary Party, and our Party has no other interests other than the interests of the people. Therefore, in innovating leadership methods in the context of digital transformation, the Party clearly identifies "taking the people as the root", trusting and relying on the people's strength, promoting the people's mastery, creating conditions for the people to participate in the process of building and implementing policies and guidelines on digital transformation. Applying digital technology must create more favorable conditions for listening to the thoughts, aspirations and opinions of the people, enhancing interaction between the Party, the State and the people.

Unity within the Party is a great strength to overcome all difficulties and challenges. In the process of digital transformation, when many new and complex issues arise, unity within the Party must be strengthened, discipline and order must be maintained, creating a high consensus within the entire Party to successfully implement the process of innovation in leadership methods and national digital transformation.

Therefore, in the context of digital transformation, it is necessary to focus on propaganda and education about the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation; promote innovation and creativity along with strict inspection and supervision; effectively manage and use resources in the digital transformation process, promote the application of digital technologies to increase transparency, publicity, supervision and early detection of violations.

In addition, it is necessary to select, train, foster, and use a team of cadres and party members with adequate qualities, capacity, and prestige, especially cadres with knowledge and skills in digital technology, with innovative and creative thinking, and leaders. At the same time, it is necessary to apply digital technology to cadre management, cadre assessment, cadre training and fostering, ensuring the building of a cadre team with qualities and capacity, meeting the requirements of the new situation.

In particular, as Resolution No. 35-NQ/TW, dated October 25, 2018 of the Politburo (12th tenure) on "Strengthening the protection of the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against erroneous and hostile views in the new situation" mentioned, in promoting digital transformation to fight against erroneous and hostile views in the digital age, cyberspace is an important front where hostile forces often sabotage and distort. Therefore, the Party must proactively grasp the situation, strengthen its forces and means to fight promptly and effectively, firmly protecting the Party's ideological foundation.

This work needs to closely combine attack and prevention, "construction" and "resistance"; both proactively exposing the reactionary and distorted nature of false arguments, and actively building and spreading authentic, positive, and directional information. At the same time, it is necessary to focus on building a specialized force with sufficient political courage and technological capacity; using modern digital tools to detect, prevent, and refute bad and toxic information, contributing to strengthening social trust and ensuring political and ideological stability in the new situation.

Lieutenant Colonel, PhD. TRAN QUOC CUONG, Head of Department, Faculty of Ho Chi Minh Studies, Academy of Politics

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-chong-dien-bien-hoa-binh/khong-the-xuyen-tac-viec-doi-moi-phuong-thuc-lanh-dao-cua-dang-trong-boi-canh-chuyen-doi-so-845833