Self-reliance begins with inner strength.

In the long term, strategic autonomy cannot be achieved without enhancing technological capabilities. Science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI) need to become the main drivers of growth.

Editor's Note: On the afternoon of March 25, 2026, at the Party Central Headquarters, General Secretary To Lam delivered the closing speech at the 2nd Plenum of the 14th Central Committee, conveying a message of strong action, strategic vision, and high political determination in leading the country into a new stage of development.

Based on the "Four Firm Principles" of politics and ideology, the goal of "double-digit" growth is set along with the requirement to ensure quality, sustainability, and social equity, while promoting strong reforms of the local government model towards a streamlined, effective, and efficient model.

The speech not only established development principles but also demonstrated a very clear political determination: to shift from a growth-oriented goal to a disciplined, limited, and responsible approach to future growth. VietNamNet is pleased to present articles in response.

In an uncertain world where supply chains are constantly disrupted, geopolitical competition intensifies, and technology becomes a tool of power, the concept of 'strategic autonomy' has become a vital requirement for economies . General Secretary To Lam concluded at the Second Plenum of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam: Strategic autonomy – Steadfast adherence to the two strategic goals for the next 100 years – Working together with determination and resolve for the prosperity and happiness of the people.

Strategic autonomy: Not passively dependent.

Strategic autonomy, ultimately, is not about self-sufficiency or reduced integration. It is the ability of a nation to independently decide on core development choices, maintain stability, and protect national interests even in a volatile external environment.

An economy can only be self-reliant when it has effective institutions, strong businesses, and improved technological capabilities. Photo: Nguyen Hue

An economy with strategic autonomy is not an independent economy, but rather an economy that is not passively dependent. This is reflected in three core competencies: Systemic independence from a single market or resource; the ability to substitute when conditions change; and the ability to maintain policy space in the long term.

In today's global context, strategic economic autonomy is closely linked to supply chains. However, it is crucial to emphasize that supply chain autonomy does not mean "producing everything domestically," but rather identifying the right "strategic bottlenecks," diversifying supply sources, and upgrading one's position in the value chain.

An open but vulnerable economy

Vietnam is one of the most open economies in the world, with total import and export turnover far exceeding its GDP. Deep integration has helped Vietnam achieve impressive growth rates for many years. However, this heavy reliance on external factors also makes the economy vulnerable to shocks.

A key highlight is the dominance of the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector. This sector plays a leading role in exports and manufacturing, and holds a central position in the global value chains in which Vietnam participates. Domestic businesses mainly handle low value-added stages, with limited linkages to FDI.

Therefore, a significant part of the growth momentum depends on the decisions of multinational corporations – entities not directly subject to domestic policy regulation.

Furthermore, Vietnam's current growth model relies heavily on bank credit, with a high ratio of outstanding credit to GDP. The problem lies not only in the scale but also in the allocation of capital. A large amount of credit is allocated to real estate and land-use development activities, while manufacturing, technology, research, and development sectors have difficulty accessing capital.

Shifting Mindset: From Growth to Competence

To enhance strategic autonomy, the first essential step is a shift in development thinking. Instead of pursuing short-term growth rates, the focus should shift to quality growth, productivity, and endogenous capacity.

Substantive reforms are needed to improve the efficiency of resource allocation. Evaluation criteria should also shift from quantity to quality, and from scale to effectiveness.

Integration also needs to be redefined. In the past, integration was synonymous with growth. But in the current context, integration is primarily about maintaining markets, protecting position, and expanding options. Growth is only a consequence, not a direct goal.

Institutional breakthroughs and resource allocation

One of the most significant breakthroughs is institutional reform, particularly in the business environment. Substantive reductions in barriers, simplification of procedures, and reduction of compliance costs not only help businesses grow but also lay the foundation for increased productivity.

In addition, fundamental changes are needed in the way resources are used and their efficiency improved. Regarding credit, this means shifting from mortgage-based lending (primarily real estate) to assessments based on cash flow and project performance, while also increasing access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Regarding land, there needs to be a shift in mindset from viewing land as a store of value to viewing it as a means of production. Taxing land, curbing speculation, and increasing transparency in planning will help shift resources from speculation to production, thereby improving land use efficiency.

Science, technology, and AI: New drivers of growth.

In the long term, strategic autonomy cannot be achieved without enhancing technological capabilities. Science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI) need to become the main drivers of growth.

The key is to integrate technology into production and business practices, with businesses at the center of innovation. AI, with its ability to automate knowledge and optimize decisions, can create a leap forward in productivity if widely applied.

Simultaneously, it is necessary to develop data infrastructure, build a data market, and train suitable human resources. Without data and human resources, digital transformation and AI will remain just slogans.

FDI enterprises

Foreign direct investment (FDI) will continue to play a crucial role, but the approach needs to change. Instead of attracting FDI at all costs, Vietnam could shift to a conditional approach, linking FDI to the goal of enhancing domestic capacity.

FDI evaluation criteria focus on the ability to create new capacity, the degree of linkage with domestic businesses, and contributions to strategic autonomy. Projects that do not meet these criteria, even large-scale ones, should not be prioritized.

Conclusion: Self-reliance begins with inner strength.

In a volatile world, integration is no longer a guaranteed path to growth, but rather a tool for maintaining development potential. Strategic autonomy means integrating proactively and strategically.

Ultimately, the decisive factor remains internal strength. An economy can only be self-reliant when it has effective institutions, sufficiently strong businesses, and enhanced technological capabilities. Without solving this problem, all advantages from integration will only be temporary.

Conversely, if Vietnam can take advantage of the current moment to adjust its development model, it will not only reduce its vulnerability but also have the opportunity to rise in a reshaped global economic order.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tu-chu-bat-dau-tu-noi-luc-2500797.html