"A historical touchpoint"
Mr. Nguyen Tuc, a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, is 89 years old and has attended many Party congresses. Mr. Tuc recalls that the first Party congress he attended was the Third Congress in 1960, when he was only 23 years old and the country was still divided. This congress focused on building socialism in the North and fighting for peaceful reunification of the country. Sixteen years later, in 1976, Mr. Tuc attended the Fourth Party Congress – the congress for national reunification… From then until now, over 50 years and 10 congresses, Mr. Tuc believes that each Party congress has its own historical significance.
Key leaders of the Party and State presided over the preparatory meeting for the 14th Party Congress on the morning of January 19.
PHOTO: VNA
"The 14th National Congress is taking place when our strength and influence have increased manifold. The documents of the 14th National Congress define this as the congress that will lead the entire nation into a new era – an era of peace, independence, democracy, prosperity, civilization, and happiness. I believe that the 14th National Congress will be the congress that fully realizes the last wish in President Ho Chi Minh's Testament: the entire Party and the entire people unite and strive to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam ," Mr. Tuc said.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Phuc, former Director of the Institute of Party History, assessed that the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam comprehensively summarizes the 40-year journey of national renewal since the 6th National Congress in 1986. This process has transformed Vietnam from a poor, backward country heavily affected by war to one that has achieved breakthroughs recognized and admired by the world. After 40 years of renewal, starting from a base of only US$26.34 billion, the size of Vietnam's economy is estimated to reach US$514 billion in 2025, ranking 32nd in the world ; per capita income is over US$5,000, placing it in the upper-middle group. Vietnam 's position and prestige in the international arena have continuously improved. Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 195 countries, including 42 strategic and comprehensive partners, comprising all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, seven G7 countries, and 17 out of 20 G20 countries…
According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Phuc, the 14th National Congress also summarized the Party's leadership and the State's management and administration to clarify theoretical and practical issues on the path to socialism. "This summary has the value of closing one chapter and opening a new period of national development, an era of national progress," said Dr. Nguyen Trong Phuc, emphasizing that with its long-term strategic decisions, the 14th National Congress also has significance beyond the scope of a single term, shaping goals for many decades to come: by 2030, 2045, and beyond, by the middle of the 21st century , Vietnam will become a prosperous and modern socialist nation.
Sharing the same view, Dr. Tran Khac Tam, a member of the 13th National Assembly, also recognized that the 14th National Congress of the Party is not just an ordinary transitional congress but a "historical turning point." Forty years ago, the 6th National Congress initiated a "breaking of barriers" in thinking and innovation for survival, while the 14th National Congress is the "signal" that ushers the nation into a new era of development. The 14th National Congress sets the goal that by 2030, the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding, Vietnam will become a developed country with modern industry and a high middle income. It aims for an average GDP growth rate of 10% or more from now until 2030; and a per capita GDP of US$8,500 by the end of the term. By 2045, the 100th anniversary of the nation's founding, Vietnam will become a developed, high-income country, following the socialist orientation…
"What I appreciate most is the new growth model that the 14th Party Congress has outlined, which combines productivity, quality, and innovation. We are shifting from growth at all costs to growth based on value. Instead of billionaires relying on land and traditional resources, we expect to see Vietnamese technology and innovation billionaires in this new development phase," Dr. Tam emphasized.
Two centenary goals
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, envisions the two centenary milestones as two countdown clocks, connecting the past, present, and future, reminding us of the responsibility, aspirations, and faith needed to lead the country into an era of strength and prosperity. However, achieving this very high goal is not easy. " Vietnam took 40 years to transform from a poor, backward, underdeveloped, low-income country into a high-middle-income country; but we only have 20 years (until 2045) to become a developed, high-income country. The time is only half, but it's not an exaggeration to say the task is twice as difficult," Dr. Hung analyzed.
The 14th National Congress of the Party is expected to usher in a new era of national development. (In the photo: A panoramic view of the preparatory session for the 14th National Congress of the Party on the morning of January 19th.)
Photo: Dinh Huy
The documents of the 14th National Congress also identified the overarching risk as the risk of falling behind, especially into the middle-income trap. However, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung argues that the more significant and real challenge is the "middle-income mindset trap"; doing everything in a monotonous, mediocre way, with little result. Therefore, the documents of the 14th National Congress were developed with a very new spirit: it is not just about growth, but about breakthrough development. It is no longer about the "catching up" mindset, but about the "breaking through and surpassing" mindset. According to Dr. Hung, this is also the spirit of the series of strategic decisions implemented right before the congress, as well as the orientations and key tasks in the political report and the action program of the 14th National Congress.
But the challenges lie not only in mindset but also in practice. Associate Professor Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, points out that, despite its feasibility, achieving continuous double-digit growth in the next term is a major challenge. For the past 40 years, Vietnam has never achieved double-digit growth; while the economic structure remains heavily dependent on the FDI sector, with 70-75% of export turnover coming from this sector. Furthermore, the policy system, primarily designed to maximize the "advantage" of cheap labor, thus maintaining a low-productivity economy, is becoming a disadvantage and harbors significant risks. Along with a breakthrough in thinking, Professor Thien proposes fundamental innovation in the country's development model, breaking away from the old ways of doing things over the past 40 years – even though these methods have many advantages.
"We need to conduct a thorough analysis, identify strengths to build upon, but equally important is to point out weaknesses. 'Breaking free' is always the most difficult task. Fortunately, this process is being restarted, strongly and resolutely, by affirming that institutions are the bottleneck of bottlenecks," Mr. Thien emphasized.
However, removing institutional bottlenecks is not something that can be done "overnight." The 14th National Congress continued to identify institutions as one of the three strategic breakthroughs, along with infrastructure and human resources. Dr. Nguyen Si Dung, former Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, argues that the fact that institutions, once a breakthrough area, have become a bottleneck is due to an approach that leans towards enacting many laws; institutions are defensive and managerial in nature, aiming to "avoid mistakes" rather than fostering development and innovation. Dr. Dung suggested that institutional reform in the coming period needs to shift completely from management to creation. "When laws pave the way for businesses to break through and new driving forces are formed, institutions will no longer be a bottleneck but will become Vietnam 's most important competitive resource," Dr. Nguyen Si Dung proposed.
The era of breakthroughs
The documents of the 14th National Congress also identified: comprehensively perfecting the development institutions; establishing a new growth model; breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation; and strong and comprehensive development of Vietnamese culture and people… General Secretary To Lam recently stated that immediately after the 14th National Congress, the Central Committee of the Party will issue two resolutions: a Resolution on strategic solutions to promote "double-digit" economic growth associated with establishing a new growth model and a Resolution on reforming the national development model based on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation.
National Assembly representative Ha Sy Dong from Quang Tri province analyzed that the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam creates an opportunity to reposition the development model, shifting from growth based on investment and cheap labor to development based on knowledge, technology, and innovation. To achieve this, digital transformation, science and technology, and innovation must be considered the central driving force. The State plays the role of a support system in terms of institutions, data, and digital infrastructure, instead of just focusing on investing in physical infrastructure.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Phuc, in addition to breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation, and mobilizing the country's comprehensive resources for rapid and sustainable development, he expects the 14th National Congress to be a congress of new thinking – that is, thinking far ahead, thinking deeply, and doing big. "The 6th National Congress, which initiated comprehensive national reform, also began with a renewal of theoretical thinking and understanding of how to promote the driving forces for national development. It's the same now. Thinking and perspectives must be newer; there must be a seamless integration of theory and practice to expect breakthrough development for the country, not only in the 14th term but in many subsequent terms," Dr. Phuc emphasized.
Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, emphasized the requirement for "strategic autonomy" as stated in the theme of the 14th National Congress. He analyzed that, in the context of a rapidly changing world, prioritizing strategic autonomy means that Vietnam must decide its own destiny, and domestic resources must play a decisive role. However, international integration is also crucial. Vietnam needs to become a nation that not only actively participates but can also lead and shape certain multilateral games and institutions.
Mr. Ha Sy Dong further noted that, in order to awaken and spread the aspiration for a strong, prosperous, and happy Vietnam , with Vietnamese people possessing knowledge, courage, and culture as the center, subject, and goal of development as stated in the documents of the 14th National Congress, the human factor is the most important. "We must select and build regulations and standards for the Central Executive Committee's apparatus for the new term that are truly accurate, fair, and objective, in order to choose outstanding and exemplary individuals who know how to put the national and ethnic interests first and dare to contribute to the country. Only then, in the new era, will the country develop and move forward strongly," Mr. Dong emphasized.
Dr. Tran Khac Tam said his greatest expectation is the transformation from "GDP growth figures" to "the happiness index of the people." During the 14th term, Dr. Tam hopes that three pillars related to the people will be implemented decisively. These are: genuinely putting the people at the center. Every policy must answer the question: "Will the people benefit? Will businesses suffer less?" Next is realizing democracy linked to benefits so that development permeates every meal, every piece of clothing, the right to basic free healthcare, and a social security system that leaves no one behind, as General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly mentioned. And finally, realizing the people's right to self-governance through digital transformation. When everything is transparent on a digital platform, people can more easily monitor power, and the government can govern the country more effectively.
"A nation can only truly flourish when every citizen feels like an active participant and benefits from that flourishing," said Dr. Tran Khac Tam, expressing his belief that with the spirit of "self-reliance, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, and self-strengthening" and a determination to make institutional breakthroughs, using people's satisfaction as a measure of success, Vietnam will certainly realize its aspiration for national strength and prosperity by 2045.
The 14th Congress held a preparatory meeting to elect the presidium.
On the morning of January 19th, General Secretary To Lam, key Party and State leaders, and delegates attended the preparatory session for the 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center (Hanoi).
The Congress took place from January 19-25 with the motto "Unity - Democracy - Discipline - Breakthrough - Development". Before the preliminary session, the entire Congress observed a minute of silence to commemorate the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the members of the 13th Central Committee who passed away during the 13th Congress term.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, on behalf of the key leaders of the Party and State, chaired the preparatory session. The Congress voted unanimously to approve the preparatory session program, the regulations, the working program of the Congress, and the election regulations at the 14th National Congress of the Party.
The Congress elected a presidium consisting of 16 Politburo members; a secretariat of 5 members; and a committee for verifying the credentials of delegates to the Congress of 13 members. At the same time, the Congress unanimously approved the report on the verification of the credentials of delegates to the 14th Party Congress presented by the committee. Accordingly, all 1,586 delegates summoned to the Congress were deemed eligible.
In the afternoon, delegates studied documents at their accommodation. The theme of the 14th National Congress of the Party was: "Under the glorious banner of the Party, working together to achieve the national development goals by 2030; self-reliant and confident in advancing strongly in the era of national progress, for peace, independence, democracy, prosperity, happiness, and steadily progressing towards socialism."
Before the opening of the preparatory session, delegates to the congress visited the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh. Afterwards, members of the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the heads of delegations from Party committees directly under the Central Committee attending the congress laid wreaths and offered incense at the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs.
This morning, January 20th, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam officially opened. The 14th National Congress will discuss and approve important documents including: the Political Report of the 13th Central Committee; the Report summarizing some theoretical and practical issues on the socialist-oriented reform process in Vietnam over the past 40 years; the Report summarizing 15 years of implementing the Party Charter (2011-2025) and proposing directions for supplementing and amending the Party Charter; and the Report reviewing the leadership and direction of the 13th Central Committee. Draft documents have also been subject to public consultation, with nearly 14 million comments received, affirming a very high level of consensus between the Party's will and the people's aspirations.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Nen, Standing Member of the Subcommittee on Documents for the 14th National Congress, the 14th National Congress is considered a historical milestone for the country in the Ho Chi Minh era. The preparation and drafting of the documents for the Congress is of particular importance, not only as a summary of 40 years of implementing the reform process, 35 years of implementing the National Construction Program (1991), and 5 years of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party, but also as a vision and strategic orientation for the new stage of national development.
The guidelines, tasks, and solutions for Party building and rectification have been supplemented and adjusted with many important contents to ensure that the 14th National Congress becomes a milestone marking the beginning of a new period of development, creating a solid foundation to successfully achieve the goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high middle income by 2030; realizing the vision of becoming a developed country with high income by 2045 for a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized, happy Vietnam , steadily advancing towards socialism.
Mai Ha - Dinh Huy - Anh Vu
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mo-ra-ky-nguyen-phat-trien-moi-cua-dan-toc-185260119232413.htm
Comment (0)