Vietnam is moving steadily on the path of development.

The great and historic achievements that our country has achieved in practice have clearly demonstrated: Vietnam is making steady progress on the path of development, its national position and prestige are increasingly consolidated, and are recognized and highly appreciated by the international community.

Vietnam was elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term. (Photo: UN)

However, despite the above clear reality, hostile forces still loudly try to distort that Vietnam is "deadlocked" and "failed" in its development path in order to sabotage our Party and State. Especially, on the eve of the 14th National Congress of the Party, sabotage is increasing, requiring identification and resolute struggle and refutation.

In order to distort "Vietnam's failure in its development path", hostile forces have deliberately imposed the standards of developed capitalist countries on Vietnam's situation, distorting the socialist-oriented market economy orientation that Vietnam is implementing, ignoring differences in history, starting conditions, population size or development characteristics.

These subjects try to exaggerate some limitations and shortcomings such as unemployment, bad debt, ineffective state-owned enterprises, or response to natural disasters, climate change, etc., thereby spreading the rumor that the Vietnamese economy is losing direction and that to change, it is necessary to learn from the capitalist economic model.

However, it is necessary to look at it objectively. If the capitalist market economy model takes pure profit as the ultimate goal, then the socialist-oriented market economy in Vietnam determines the ultimate goal to be human development, for the people, towards progress and social justice. On the other hand, any country - whether developed or developing - must face many challenges.

Currently, the difficulties and limitations in economic development in Vietnam are being resolutely addressed by the Party and State through institutional reform, innovation in corporate governance, financial transparency, promoting digital transformation and improving competitiveness.

However, with their dark nature, the anti-government elements only look at temporary difficulties, ignoring the trend of stability, sustainable development and positive changes in Vietnam over the past time. Their goal is to deny the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam , undermine people's trust in the Party and State's development policies and guidelines, incite "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party, in order to deviate from the path to socialism in Vietnam.

Reality has proven that over the past 95 years, under the correct leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, our country has achieved great victories. Before the reform period, our country's economy operated under a centralized, bureaucratic, subsidized planning mechanism - a model that was once suitable in wartime. When the country entered peacetime, that mechanism gradually revealed many limitations, reducing the motivation for creativity and hindering economic efficiency.

In that context, the 6th Party Congress (1986) proposed a comprehensive renovation policy, marking a historic turning point in development thinking, shifting from a subsidized mechanism to a multi-sector commodity economy operating under a socialist-oriented market mechanism, creating a comprehensive and profound change in all fields.

From a country that had to import food, Vietnam has become one of the world's leading agricultural exporters. The social security system is increasingly complete; average life expectancy has increased rapidly, from 65.5 years in 1993 to 74.5 years in 2023, higher than many countries with the same per capita income; as of June 2025, more than 95% of the population has health insurance. In 2024, despite the global recession, Vietnam's GDP will still reach 476.3 billion USD, per capita income will approach the upper average level, ranking 34th in the world and 5th in ASEAN.

In the context of the world currently witnessing many profound changes - prolonged geopolitical conflicts in some regions, strategic competition between major countries, energy and food crises, climate change, global economic recession, etc., Vietnam is assessed by the international community as one of the countries with the highest level of political and social stability in the world.

The Global Peace Index 2025 report by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) ranked Vietnam up one place to 38th in the rankings, with an overall score of 1,721, in the group of countries with a high level of peace, ranked 6th in the top 10 most peaceful countries in Asia.

Vietnam has participated in most important international and regional organizations, is an active member and a reliable partner in ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, and ASEM. Vietnam is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016, 2023-2025, and 2026-2028 terms; a member of the United Nations Security Council, and has chaired many international initiatives on peace, development, and human rights.

In the past three years, Vietnam has been consistently among the top 20 countries with the largest international trade in the world, with an export growth rate of about 12.5% ​​per year. In particular, people's trust in the Party's leadership and the State's management and administration has been constantly increasing. That achievement is a concentrated expression of Vietnam's endogenous strength, mettle and intelligence, as well as the correctness of the Party's policies and leadership in a volatile international context.

We also frankly recognize that there are some limitations and strategic weaknesses that need to be addressed promptly to ensure sustainable development. These include a number of economic sectors that are still dependent on foreign capital and technology, and low labor productivity compared to the region. There is a risk of falling behind in science and technology, especially in the face of the demands of the fourth industrial revolution. Climate change, rising sea levels, and increasingly severe natural disasters. The rapid aging of the population puts pressure on the social security system.

Every country in the process of development must face internal challenges and the ability to identify and overcome difficulties demonstrates the mettle of a true ruling party. Pointing out and analyzing these issues is necessary to have effective policies, continue to promote innovation, promote the strength of national solidarity, seize opportunities, overcome difficulties, and develop the country quickly and sustainably.

Looking back at the nation's history, it can be affirmed that our Party's choice of the socialist path is the result of a process of exploration, screening, practical experience and historical verification. That path is consistent with the evolutionary law of the times, consistent with the aspiration for national independence associated with people's happiness. It is the correct leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, together with the strength of great national unity and the spirit of self-reliance, that has and will continue to lead our nation forward steadily, realizing the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the five continents.

Dr. Mai Dieu Anh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-tien-buoc-vung-chac-tren-con-duong-phat-trien-post918550.html