The Vietnamese Socialist Model in the 21st Century: Some Theoretical and Practical Issues

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, spoke at the workshop.

Dear comrades,

Vietnam's renovation after 40 years and China's reform and opening up after nearly 50 years have truly brought about great achievements, recognized and highly appreciated by the international community; and from here the world has changed its perception, having a more correct perspective on the socialist model in the 21st century. Both of our peoples have overcome countless difficulties and challenges, stood firm in the face of historical changes, chosen and created a development path suitable to the reality of each country.

The great achievements in the construction of socialism in our two countries belong to the people under the leadership of the Communist Party. This is a very fundamental similarity for us to continue to summarize, share theoretical and practical experiences, and continue writing the history pages on the path of building socialism in each country.

Based on Vietnam's reality, in accordance with the general development laws and trends of the times, since 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam has initiated and led the Doi Moi process. It is a historic choice; a process of comprehensive innovation in thinking and theoretical awareness of socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam; a strong and profound transformation in the development model and, accordingly, the leadership of the development of the economy, culture, society, people, national defense, security, foreign affairs, etc. of the Communist Party of Vietnam; becoming a great creative cause of epochal stature, of great significance on the path of building socialism in Vietnam, carried out by the Vietnamese people.

The Platform for National Construction in the Transitional Period to Socialism in 1991, especially the Platform (supplemented and developed) in 2011 of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the spirit of inheritance, innovation and development in summarizing practices and perfecting the Party's theoretical awareness, has clarified the nature, goals, characteristics, directions and laws of motion in the process of building and perfecting the socialist model of Vietnam.

Applying, supplementing and creatively developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought, firmly upholding the goal of national independence and socialism, thoroughly grasping the viewpoint: Taking development for stability and stability to promote sustainable development, constantly improving the people's life and happiness; imbued with Ho Chi Minh's thought on national independence, happiness for the people and the wishes in his sacred Testament, we have determined the goal: Building a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, prosperous, civilized and happy Vietnam, to be strategically autonomous, self-reliant, and confidently step forward to socialism in the new era of development.

The socialism in Vietnam that we are building is based on three pillars, which are:

1- The socialist-oriented market economy is a very basic theoretical breakthrough of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It is the general economic development model of Vietnam; a complete, modern, internationally integrated market economy; operating synchronously according to the laws of the market economy, especially issues of protecting property rights, freedom of business, competition rights and creative startups, guided and governed by the principles and nature of socialism, with people as the center, the subject and the beneficiary of development achievements, under the management of the socialist rule of law state of the people, by the people, for the people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

2- The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a state of the people, by the people, and for the people; ensuring the supremacy of the Constitution and the law; creatively practicing the principle: State power is unified but there is division, coordination, and control in the exercise of legislative, executive, and judicial powers, in accordance with practical conditions and the model of Vietnam's political system.

3- Socialist democracy is an effective mechanism to ensure the people's real mastery in all fields; state power belongs to the people, is exercised both directly and representatively through the political system whose core is the Communist Party leading and ruling; implement the principle of "Party leadership, State management, People mastery"; realize humanism in development; demonstrate "Party's will - People's heart", "people are the root" in all Party policies and State policies and laws.

All three pillars clearly demonstrate the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam - the decisive factor in all successes in the cause of building socialism in Vietnam. We always have a comprehensive and dialectical approach in all policies and development orientations: Persistently stabilizing the macro economy to promote sustainable growth; not aiming for economic growth at all costs but always going hand in hand with ensuring progress, social justice, cultural and human development, and ecological environment protection in every step and every development policy; synchronously implementing the tasks: Socio-economic development and environmental protection are the center; Party building is the key; cultural and human development is the foundation; strengthening national defense and security and promoting foreign affairs and international integration are essential and regular.

Dear comrades,

Continuing to comprehensively and synchronously promote the Renovation process on the path to building socialism, we aim to perfect the development structure of "three concentric circles" - ensuring close connection between innovation thinking, strategic vision, operational institutions, resources and organizational capacity for implementation, which are:

1- Establish a new economic growth model, taking science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as the main driving force, improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy; focusing on implementing digital transformation, green transformation, energy transformation, structural transformation and quality of human resources; promoting the leading role of the state economic sector, especially in ensuring major balances of the economy, performing national defense and security tasks, pioneering in leading and creating development of fundamental or high-risk areas that the private sector is not ready to participate in; developing the private sector into the most important driving force of the economy, especially in pioneering innovation, unlocking social resources, creating jobs and making great contributions to growth,...

2- Establish and perfect Vietnam's new development model with a comprehensive and consistent vision of rapid, inclusive, sustainable, and strategically autonomous development; harmoniously combine economic growth with social progress and equity, and environmental protection; take people as the center, focus on comprehensive human development, build an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity; strengthen national defense and security, ensure social order and safety, and protect the Fatherland "early and from afar"; implement an independent, autonomous, multilateral, and diversified foreign policy, be a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community; successfully achieve two 100-year goals: By 2030, become a developing country with modern industry and high average income, and by 2045, become a developed country with high income, following a socialist orientation.

3- Perfecting the model of Vietnamese socialism in the 21st century; on the basis of continuing theoretical research, summarizing practices, especially summarizing 40 years of implementing the Doi Moi process, summarizing 40 years of implementing the 1991 Platform, summarizing 100 years of the Party's leadership of the Vietnamese revolution to supplement and creatively develop the characteristics of the model of socialism, the direction of building socialism and measures to resolve major relationships of a law-like nature in the process of building Vietnamese socialism in the new era.

From our experience, we deeply understand the significance of each leading and ruling Communist Party needing to build a system of development theory with its own identity, based on the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism but suitable to the specific circumstances of its country. The Communist Party of China has developed the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics over time, currently Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era, as a compass for the cause of modernization in the Chinese style. The Communist Party of Vietnam clearly identifies: The theory of the Doi Moi path is a living component of the Party's ideological foundation in the new period. For us, this is the application, supplementation, and creative development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in the period of renovation; is the creative addition and development of the theory of socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam in accordance with objective laws, originating from the country's reality and the trend of the times, inheriting the nation's fine traditions, selectively absorbing the quintessence, cultural values and development achievements of humanity; is the guiding torch that continues to lead Vietnam to successfully realize its aspirations, visions and strategic orientations, creating new development miracles in the era of national growth.

Dear comrades,

The fourth industrial revolution with the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, the internet of things and many other technological breakthroughs, etc. is creating epochal changes, reshaping the space and development structure of the contemporary world, profoundly changing the methods of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption, and accordingly, requiring innovation in the Party's leadership methods, state governance methods and social governance methods.

The world is witnessing the emergence of “digital capitalism” as a model of accumulation based on “platform” power and data. Data becomes a strategic means of production; algorithms and digital infrastructure are “value machines”; network effects create new monopolies and the capitalist digital economy is dominated by a small number of transnational corporations. In contrast to that model, “digital socialism” or “technosocialism” uses science and technology to realize the true values of a socialist society: Fairness, inclusiveness, and development for people. The central development method is to create “public digital infrastructure”, considering public data and a part of systematic private data as public utilities managed for the common good, free or low cost; ensuring digital sovereignty, cyber security and responsible innovation; controlling the concentration of “platform” power by digital competition law; promote diversified ownership models, encourage open source; ensure redistribution of added value from automation and AI through digital welfare. This is both an opportunity for the country to make a breakthrough and a test of the leadership, governance capacity and creativity of the Communist Party in the digital age.

In Vietnam, science and technology, innovation and digital transformation are identified as a development breakthrough in the new period. This also requires updating and perfecting theories on Party and State building in the digital age; innovating leadership, governance and management methods based on data; perfecting policy tools based on real-time analysis; building a people-centered mechanism and encouraging people's participation in the digital space; preventing and combating new risks to cybersecurity, data security, and human security in the digital environment; implementing lifelong learning, improving digital skills for all people, ensuring "no one is left behind" in the wave of technology and digitalization. China is promoting an innovation-based development strategy, investing heavily in core technologies, and being self-reliant in key areas of the digital economy, AI and big data. This is an important convergence point for us to discuss further on promoting cooperation in new areas, such as: open data infrastructure, intellectual property, technical standards, resource mobilization and capital markets for innovation, training and attracting talents, ensuring fairness in access to scientific and technological achievements,... in line with the superior nature of socialism.

Along with digital transformation, environmental challenges and climate change force development models to restructure towards green, circular, low-emissions. With a view to sustainable development, Vietnam identifies environmental protection and climate change response as both urgent and long-term tasks. We are implementing our commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 with a specific action plan, a fair energy transition strategy, promoting clean technology and sustainable consumption, and improving resource management, especially water, forest, and marine resources. In China, the orientation of building an “ecological civilization” with the goal of peaking emissions before 2030 and being carbon neutral by 2060 are major milestones in promoting economic restructuring towards green, ecological, and smart. The sharing of such vision and goals lays the foundation for our two countries to promote cooperation in the fields of green technology and green finance, and to jointly study theories and summarize practices on “ecological socialism” – a new approach to socialism in the 21st century.

The Vietnamese and Chinese models of socialism also have similarities in their cultural values. The Vietnamese model of socialism has a harmonious combination of Vietnamese values, Eastern values and universal values of humanity. We inherit and promote the quintessence of Asian culture - respect for loyalty, peace, humanity, community, stability and discipline; crystallize Vietnamese values - ardent patriotism, self-reliance, strategic autonomy, great solidarity, diligence, creativity, benevolence, loyalty and tolerance; at the same time selectively absorb common progressive values of humanity such as: Rule of law, democracy, human rights, inclusive and sustainable development. Accordingly, culture is placed on par with economics and politics; Building and promoting the national value system, cultural value system, family value system and Vietnamese human standards is a central and long-term task so that culture can truly "light the way for the nation", be the spiritual foundation, the resource, the endogenous strength, the important driving force for breakthrough development of the country in the new era, bringing the Vietnamese people to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world powers.

I believe that our workshop will continue to summarize and deepen many new theoretical and practical issues on the socialist model and the path to socialism in Vietnam and China for the happiness of the people, prosperity of the country, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development of the region and the world.

Thank you very much!

Comrade NGUYEN XUAN THANG

Member of the Politburo, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics

Source: https://nhandan.vn/mo-hinh-chu-nghia-xa-hoi-viet-nam-trong-the-ky-21-mot-so-van-de-ly-luan-va-thuc-tien-post922633.html