New thinking and awareness on security in the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party.

On the afternoon of February 7, 2026, the National Conference on Studying, Understanding, and Implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party continued at the Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly Building. General Luong Tam Quang, Member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Public Security, presented the topic: "New Thinking and Perceptions on Security in the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party".

General Luong Tam Quang, Member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Public Security , presents the thematic paper: "New Thinking and Perception on Security in the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party". Photo: Phuong Hoa/TTXVN

SPECIAL TOPIC
NEW PERCEPTIONS AND MINDSETS ON SECURITY
IN THE RESOLUTION OF THE 14TH CONGRESS OF THE PARTY

(General Luong Tam Quang, Member of the Political Bureau, Minister of Public Security)
Presented at the National Conference on Studying, Learning, Understanding, and Implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party.

As assigned by the Organizing Committee, I would like to present a topic on new perceptions and thinking about security as outlined in the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party.

Comrades!

The 14th National Congress of the Party, with its many groundbreaking and pivotal new points, strongly innovated development thinking, emphasized action, and particularly stressed the implementation phase. It established policy decisions that served as a "launching pad" to successfully achieve the country's two 100-year strategic goals, realizing the vision of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045, a peaceful , independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized, and happy socialist Vietnam. The strong spirit of innovation and decisive action of the Congress, all for the survival of the nation, the development of the country, and the improvement of all aspects of people's lives, has ignited in the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army a spirit of enthusiasm, confidence, unity, and determination to successfully implement the Congress's Resolution. Within the overall new development thinking, the Party's thinking and understanding of security also have many groundbreaking new points, specifically as follows:

1. New awareness and thinking about national security.

- In the context of increasing external and internal challenges to the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland, the 14th National Congress of the Party for the first time officially established the concept of comprehensive security, placing security throughout all areas of national development. Comprehensive security means strategic autonomy, taking high development in politics, economics, culture, health, education, science, technology, environment, human resources, and foreign relations as the driving force to maintain national stability in the new era, while maintaining a peaceful and stable environment as a prerequisite for national development. National security in the new era is not only about border and territorial security, but also about regime security, governing security, cultural and ideological security, economic security, financial security, data security, environmental security, energy security, water security, food security, human security, digital security, nuclear security, transmission security, fiber optic security, satellite security, and low-level economic space security….

In this context, regime security and governing security are crucial, protecting the leadership and governing role of the Communist Party and the socialist regime, ensuring the correct and successful implementation of the Party's strategic policies and objectives; with a higher emphasis on protecting strategic-level cadres. Cultural and ideological security is especially important to create high ideological unity throughout the Party, the people, and the armed forces, demonstrating determination to act in implementing the Party's strategic policies. Economic security, energy security, environmental security, water security, and food security are fundamental; cybersecurity and data security are central and prerequisite for maintaining the nation's strength and survival. Focus on building a cybersecurity wall, a Vietnamese cybersecurity product and service ecosystem, mastering core technologies, and creating a foundation for science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation to truly be the central driving force of the new growth model. Human security is the goal, along with building a society that is orderly, disciplined, safe, and healthy, ensuring that people are happy and safe; and strengthening security in emerging sectors.

- "Strategic autonomy in security" is a new understanding and mindset reflected throughout the documents of the 14th Party Congress. To achieve strategic autonomy in security, the Party requires five pillars: (i) Proactively identifying, preventing, and repelling security threats and risks early and from afar. (ii) Proactively preparing national resources and enhancing the ability to mobilize and meet requirements in all national defense and security situations. (iii) Building and strengthening self-reliance and self-strengthening in technology and high-quality human resources in ensuring security. This includes "Focusing on research, development, and application of security science and achievements of modern science and technology," and "Paying attention to building high-quality human resources for the armed forces." (iv) Create breakthroughs in the development of a self-reliant, self-sufficient, self-strengthening, dual-use, and modern security industry, linked with increased rational investment to enhance the combat strength of the people's armed forces, building a modern, strong security foundation capable of firmly protecting national security and defending the Fatherland against all situations, especially high-tech warfare. (v) Focus on building a strong foundation of public support, because "A strong foundation of public support leads to strong national defense and security"; and at the same time, "Promote international integration and foreign relations... security, actively and effectively participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and disaster relief." Expand balanced and flexible security diplomacy; create a widespread network of security partners, bilateral and multilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms for peace, and form a self-reliant security model combined with flexible and effective linkages in detecting and repelling all security threats from afar, creating a foundation for sustainable development.

- "Using development for stability, and stability for rapid and sustainable development" is the guiding principle running through national security thinking in the new era. Documents from many Party Congresses have emphasized the viewpoint of stability for development and development for stability. Compared to previous Congresses, the 14th Party Congress marked a breakthrough in thinking by, for the first time, placing the element of "development" before "stability"; the content of "Using development for stability, and stability for development" is mentioned in lessons learned, guiding principles, and tasks and solutions. Through this, the Party emphasizes and demands that all levels and sectors prioritize "development" to continue building the foundation and potential, enhancing the country's position and prestige; using development as a method to ensure long-term stability; development is not just an outcome, but a way to maintain the national foundation in a period of significant change. Development creates the material foundation for stability; Stability is a prerequisite for high-quality, sustainable development. Development is the fundamental solution to ensuring sustainable security; at the same time, maintaining security is one of the important drivers of development.

2. New awareness and mindset regarding national security protection.

The world is undergoing a period of epochal change, marked by instability, contradictions, and intertwined risks. The international community, including Vietnam, is facing the greatest security challenges since World War II. The rapid development of science and technology has given rise to numerous security risks. Domestically, in addition to the four risks identified by the Party, there are also complex developments, with hostile and reactionary forces and various types of criminals thoroughly exploiting the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Congress, the Party's strategic policies, especially new and groundbreaking ideas, to carry out subversive activities. The more the country develops, the greater the challenges to security, and the higher the demands for security protection and ideological consolidation. The goal of double-digit growth in the 2026-2030 period, creating the foundation for the country to overcome the middle-income trap and push back the risk of falling behind, also places new demands on national security protection. From there, the Party's 14th Congress documents developed new awareness and thinking on national security protection based on the following aspects:

Firstly, regarding development goals: The 14th National Congress of the Party identified the following objectives: “Maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; developing the country rapidly and sustainably; comprehensively improving and enhancing the people's lives; achieving strategic autonomy, self-reliance, self-confidence, and strong progress in the new era of the nation; successfully achieving 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.” For the first time, the element of "Maintaining a peaceful and stable environment" was placed first in the development goals, reflecting the Party's strong stance. In the context of many changes and challenges, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, including national security, is a prerequisite, a driving force, a resource, and a foundation for successfully achieving the remaining goals.

Secondly, regarding national defense and security objectives: The 14th National Congress of the Party determined that “the highest national interests must be ensured; the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland must be resolutely and persistently protected; the Party, the State, the People, and the socialist regime must be protected; the achievements of the revolution, the cause of renovation, industrialization, and modernization must be protected; the country's culture, prestige, and international standing must be protected; national security, human security, economic security, and cybersecurity must be firmly protected; national defense must be strengthened through proactive defense; internal factors causing political instability must be prevented and repelled early; political security, social order, and safety must be maintained; and a peaceful environment must be maintained and consolidated for national construction and development.” Compared to the 13th National Congress of the Party, "Ensuring the highest national and ethnic interests" is not only emphasized in the guiding principles, defense and security objectives, and national development orientations for the 2026-2030 period, but also expanded to include "Ensuring and protecting the highest national and ethnic interests"; at the same time, for the first time, the Party has defined the goal of "protecting the country's international prestige and position" and "proactive defense". In the context of increasing external difficulties and challenges, and the implementation of many breakthrough policies for development domestically, the Party requires unified understanding and action at all levels and sectors regarding "Ensuring and protecting the highest national and ethnic interests" in every step and every specific task. After 40 years of reform, the "international prestige and position of the country" has been increasingly enhanced, becoming an important resource and driving force for national development in the new period, demanding the implementation of the highest protection measures. The goal of "proactive defense" emphasizes the need for a strong shift from "passive defense" to "proactive defense," requiring that all cybersecurity and data security challenges and risks be identified and neutralized early and remotely; and that appropriate defensive measures be prepared to prevent and repel threats, protecting national and ethnic interests.

Thirdly, regarding perspective: To achieve the set development goals, the 14th National Congress of the Party identified five guiding principles that require the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army to unify their understanding and thoroughly implement them effectively. In this context, alongside a historically significant theoretical development and a fundamental restructuring of sustainable development thinking by identifying "environmental protection as central," the Party simultaneously emphasizes "closely and harmoniously linking economic, cultural, social, and environmental development with strengthening national defense and security." This close and harmonious integration of environment and security not only aims to create new resources and impetus for development; ensuring unity between immediate and long-term interests, between national goals and the common good of humanity, for the development of future generations, and enhancing the happiness of the people, but also creates an important foundation for ensuring the sustainable, stable, and long-term development of the country.

The 14th National Congress of the Party identified "the fight against corruption, waste, bureaucracy, negativity, 'self-evolution,' and 'self-transformation'" as one of the guiding principles (previous Congresses identified this as a task), affirming the Party's clear and consistent political stance of resolutely and persistently fighting against corruption, waste, and negativity, without ceasing, without rest, without forbidden areas, without exceptions, with high political determination, strong, decisive, effective, and sustainable actions, and not faltering because of any difficulties.

Fourth, the thinking and methods for protecting national security in the new era are "proactive security," "comprehensive security," "constructive security," and "disciplined enforcement." The spirit of "proactive security" was emphasized by the 14th Party Congress in many major orientations such as: "Proactively researching, assessing, and accurately forecasting the situation, promptly handling situations related to national defense, security, and social order and safety issues..."; "proactively preparing resources..."; "proactive defense." Regarding "comprehensive security," stemming from the Party's viewpoint that "sustainable development and strategic autonomy must be placed within the overall task of protecting the Fatherland from early on, from afar, from the grassroots, and from the point of origin," all work related to sustainable development and strategic autonomy must be placed within the overall task of protecting the Fatherland and national security. Regarding "constructive security," the thinking behind security and order protection in the new era is not just about protection and service, but about creating development, providing the most direct and favorable impetus for development. Through security and order protection, we must proactively identify and seize opportunities, transforming challenges into opportunities for national development. Security and order must create the foundation for the successful implementation of the Party's strategic goals. Regarding "discipline in enforcement," the 14th National Congress emphasized the requirement to "Improve the capacity, effectiveness, and efficiency of law enforcement and the protection of national sovereignty." "Promoting democracy goes hand in hand with strengthening responsibility, order, and social discipline; strengthening social consensus while upholding civic responsibility; strictly handling acts that violate the people's right to self-governance, exploit democracy to undermine the Party and the State, destabilize politics and society, divide national unity, and infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals." Discipline in enforcement ensures that all legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals are strictly and rigorously protected, and all violations of the law must be dealt with severely, building a culture of respect for the rule of law, and creating a foundation for building a civilized and developed society.

Fifth, the Party's thinking on building a society of order, discipline, safety, and health; and human security continues to expand and set more specific and higher requirements, consistently reflecting the goal of prioritizing people, with "the people as the foundation." All Party guidelines and policies, including those on security, are aimed at improving the material and spiritual lives of the people. Besides continuing to emphasize "building a society of order, discipline, safety, and health," the Party defines "building a society of discipline, health, civilization, security, social welfare, safety, and development," adding the issues of "civilization, social welfare, and development," and simultaneously demanding "striving to drastically reduce crime, moving towards building a society free of crime, accidents, social evils, and negativity; truly civilized and happy." These are very new and very high requirements, for the peaceful and happy lives of the people. The 14th National Congress of the Party continued to emphasize and expand the content of human security, stating, "Ensuring human security: social order and safety, traffic safety, food safety; fire safety; disaster and epidemic prevention and control; building a green, clean, and safe living space." The issue of human security is linked to ensuring social progress, social justice, social security, social welfare, and social security: "People have access to and use quality primary healthcare services, and receive free health check-ups once a year," and "Ensuring national food security and nutrition for the people, especially in disadvantaged areas, ethnic minority regions, and vulnerable groups. Strengthening control and ensuring food hygiene and safety. Providing support for workers in the informal sector and those above working age." In general, the policies on this issue clearly affirm the Party's viewpoint, taking human security as the goal of national security. The fundamental goal of national security in the new era is to protect the people, for the people, and based on the people.

Sixth, the thinking on integrating defense and security with the economy, culture, society, and foreign relations continued to develop when the 14th National Congress emphasized "closely and effectively integrating defense and security with economic, cultural, social, and foreign relations development to promote Vietnam's soft power and contribute to creating a new position and strength for the country." Thus, compared to previous Congresses that only required "close integration" and "effective integration," in the new revolutionary period, to contribute to the successful achievement of the two 100-year strategic goals, the Party requires that the "integration" must maximize Vietnam's soft power – national traditions, cultural identity, position, and prestige – to create a new position and strength for the country's development, building and protecting the socialist Fatherland.

Seventh, regarding the thinking on building the People's Public Security Force: The 14th Party Congress set the direction of "Building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern People's Public Security Force, absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, the State, and the people; steadfast in the goals and ideals of the Party; ensuring high combat strength and serving as the core in the cause of security." In the context of the rapid development of the scientific and technological revolution, building a modern People's Public Security Force is an important content for implementing strategic autonomy in security; it is also a continuation and completion of the roadmap set out by the 13th Party Congress on "striving to build a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern People's Public Security Force by 2030." Besides continuing to emphasize building a Public Security force that is "absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, the State, and the people, steadfast in the goals and ideals of the Party" and the principle of "Maintaining and strengthening the absolute and direct leadership of the Party in all aspects, and the centralized and unified management and operation of the State over the People's Public Security and the cause of national defense, security, and protection of the Fatherland," the 14th Congress demanded "Maintaining and promoting the tradition of the People's Public Security 'For the nation, sacrificing oneself; for the people, serving'; this is the source of strength for the People's Public Security to fulfill the glorious responsibilities entrusted by the Party, the State, and the People in the new era."

Along with building the People's Public Security force, the Party requires "building a strong force to participate in protecting security and order at the grassroots level," truly serving as an "extended arm" of the Public Security force in protecting and serving the people. At the same time, the 14th National Congress for the first time established the position and role of "former People's Public Security officers" and emphasized "promoting the role of former People's Public Security officers in educating the younger generation about patriotic traditions and revolutionary heroism, and upholding the essence and traditions of the 'revolutionary police officer'." This is a new way of thinking by the Party aimed at mobilizing the maximum strength, especially the intellect, experience, and courage of the "former People's Public Security officers" in consolidating national unity and building and protecting the Fatherland.

Eighth, the Party's new thinking on the development of the security industry and security potential: The 14th Party Congress identified "Promoting breakthroughs in the development of the security industry, making it self-reliant, independent, strong, dual-use, and modern." Compared to previous Congresses, for the first time, the security industry has an independent position from the defense industry. At the same time, the Party emphasizes the requirement for breakthroughs in the development of a self-reliant, independent, strong, dual-use, and modern security industry, which is both an important condition for achieving strategic autonomy in security and contributes positively to the sustainable, high-quality development of the country and enhances national potential and strength.

A view of the conference at the main venue, Dien Hong Hall, National Assembly Building, on the afternoon of February 7. Photo: Phuong Hoa/TTXVN

The 14th National Congress emphasized "Ensuring in all aspects to maintain political and social stability, preventing riots and terrorism; responding promptly and effectively to traditional and non-traditional security challenges." This is a very high and comprehensive requirement; "Ensuring in all aspects" means proactively ensuring political and ideological stability, building resilience and confidence, unifying will, awareness, and action, as well as meticulously preparing the strategy, plans, human resources, potential, and all other necessary conditions to proactively and effectively respond to all security issues.

Ninth, a new perspective on the development of security theory: Following the development of security theory at the 13th Party Congress, the 14th Party Congress emphasized "focusing on summarizing practical experience, supplementing and developing security theory, the art of protecting national security, and ensuring social order and safety in the new situation." Alongside this emphasis on "focusing on summarizing practical experience," for the first time, the issue of "ensuring social order and safety" was elevated to an art form, placing high demands on summarizing practical experience in protecting national security, especially new issues and new fields, in order to form guiding theories that contribute to maintaining security in all fields and in all situations. Through years of continuous crime reduction and groundbreaking innovations in state management and governance methods regarding security and order, measures and strategies to ensure social order and safety need to be elevated to an art form, contributing to building a society that is orderly, disciplined, safe, healthy, civilized, and developed, preventing issues of social order and safety from transforming into national security issues, and creating a foundation for the successful construction of a socialist society by 2045.

3. Tasks and solutions for implementing new awareness and thinking about security and national security protection.

The Action Program of the Central Committee of the Party implementing the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress and the Appendix List of important tasks, projects, and works for the period 2026-2030, with a vision to 2045, have clearly indicated the “subjects, roadmap, resources, and goals” for implementing the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress. In particular, the Action Program identifies 09 groups of tasks to implement the following viewpoints and policies on security: (i) Continuing to build and comprehensively improve the security institutional framework. Fully and promptly institutionalize the Party's viewpoints and guidelines on people's security; review and urge the effective implementation of international commitments and agreements in the field of security. Develop specific mechanisms and policies to develop the economy in combination with ensuring national defense and security at sea for special zones and islands such as Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Van Don, Con Co, Ly Son, Hon Khoai and other frontier islands. (ii) Building a revolutionary, professional, elite, and modern People's Public Security force; moving towards building a modern security system linked to the development of the security industry. (iii) Strengthening and consolidating the people's security system and the people's security posture, linked to building a people's support system and a solid defense zone. (iv) Proactively researching, assessing, and accurately forecasting the situation, promptly handling security situations and issues of social order and safety, avoiding passivity and surprise in all situations; responding promptly and effectively to non-traditional security challenges. (v) Increasing investment and promoting research, application of science and technology, and innovation in the field of security. (vi) Building a security industry that is proactive, self-reliant, self-sufficient, dual-use, modern, closely integrated, and becomes a spearhead of the national industry, with international competitiveness and deep participation in the global value chain. (vii) Ensuring digital security, cybersecurity, information security and safety; ensuring data security and protecting personal data. Ensuring national digital sovereignty in cyberspace in all situations and ensuring a safe and stable digital environment for development. (viii) Developing high-quality human resources in the field of security. (ix) Strengthening and expanding the potential for foreign security relations. At the same time, the Appendix, List of important tasks, projects, and works for the period 2026 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, has clearly identified 28 security tasks.

Comrades!

Under the guiding light of the Party, with the spirit of "each person working twice as hard," with ten times the determination and a hundred times the action, the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army will certainly successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Congress, fulfilling the promise before history and the people, and fulfilling the aspirations of the great President Ho Chi Minh, to successfully build a socialist Vietnam by 2045 that is peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized, and happy.

Thank you very much!

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tu-duy-nhan-thuc-moi-ve-an-ninh-trong-nghi-quyet-dai-hoi-xiv-cua-dang-20260207194155436.htm