New General Secretary outlines vision for a strong Party and a prosperous, democratic Việt Nam

General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam and President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI The Vietnam News Agency presents an article by General, Professor, and Doctor Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, titled “Determined to build a strong Party, a prosperous, democratic, fair, and civilised Việt Nam.”

The article outlines a vision for strengthening the Party to achieve national prosperity, democracy, and civilisation. The Party leader calls for unwavering dedication to national interests, international solidarity, and cultural advancement, focusing on unity, economic development, and national sovereignty to guide Việt Nam toward a brighter future.

Following is the full article:

The founding of the Communist Party of Việt Nam was a landmark moment in the nation’s proud 4,000-year history, renowned for its heroism and cultural richness. This event marked a significant turning point in our revolutionary journey. Since its inception, under the leadership of the Party, President Hồ Chí Minh, and the General Secretaries of the Party’s Central Committee, including late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, the Party has guided Việt Nam through numerous challenges, achieving continuous progress. Under its guidance, our people have achieved victory after victory, accomplishing remarkable feats, liberating the nation, unifying the country and steadily advancing towards socialism while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s powers.

With a clear political vision, unwavering loyalty to national and class interests, a deep connection with the people and a steadfast spirit of international solidarity, the Party has united the classes, the people, and revolutionary movements, building a vast revolutionary force. This force expelled French colonial invaders through the historic victory at Điện Biên Phủ, “resonating across the continents, shaking the globe”. It conducted the socialist revolution in the North and the democratic national revolution in the South, successfully steering the revolutionary journey to complete victory.

With the Fatherland united, the entire country moves toward socialism amid myriad challenges. The Party continues to demonstrate its intelligence, bravery and pioneering spirit, embodying a scientific and revolutionary essence. It has initiated and continuously refined processes, leading the Party, people and army to successfully implement the renewal cause that has transformed Việt Nam from a less-developed country into a developing nation with a middle income, where people’s lives are increasingly prosperous and happy, and the country enjoys growing prestige and status on the international stage.

Based on accurately assessing the country’s strengths and positions, opportunities and challenges, with high political determination devoted to the nation and people, the 13th Party Congress outlined the country’s development path to 2030, with a vision to 2045. It set strategic goals for 100 years under the Party’s leadership, marking 100 years since the founding of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam. By the mid-21st century, our country will become a developed nation oriented towards socialism, inspiring within the Party, people, and army the spirit of patriotism, national self-reliance, benevolence, national solidarity, and the aspiration for a prosperous, happy nation. As we have journeyed two-thirds of the way, the implementation of the 13th Party Congress’ Resolution has achieved significant milestones, marking breakthrough results.

Recent developments show that the world is undergoing era-defining changes. From now until 2030 is the crucial period for establishing a new world order. Peace, cooperation and development remain the main trend, but competition among major powers is intensifying, with the Asia-Pacific being the most fiercely contested arena. Hostile forces have never given up on overthrowing the Communist Party’s leadership and the socialist regime in Việt Nam; they are aggressively pursuing a “peaceful evolution” strategy with increasingly sophisticated methods, exploiting comprehensive international integration to infiltrate internally, promoting “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” factors to disintegrate our Party and regime from within. Non-traditional security challenges are causing many negative impacts; the emergence and development of cyberspace, along with the fourth industrial scientific revolution, herald a new era where underdeveloped and developing countries can seize opportunities to leapfrog and become powerful nations or fall into deep backwardness if they fail to seize opportunities.

To seize every opportunity and advantage, overcome risks and challenges and bolster our capabilities to meet the strategic objectives set by the 13th Party Congress, our Party, people, and army must unite in effort and purpose, drawing on our proud traditions and valuable experiences. We must embody the spirit of “self-reliance, confidence, independence, resilience, and national pride” while continuously seeking new paths for human and social development.

We must remain steadfast in Marxism-Leninism, Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, the goal of national independence, socialism, and the Party’s renewal line. Economic and social development must be at the centre, with Party building as the key, cultural development as the spiritual foundation and national defence and security as essential and ongoing priorities. It is vital to maximise internal strength and leverage external resources, with intrinsic and human resources being the most important.

Particular emphasis should be placed on continuously strengthening unity and consensus within the Party, fostering great national unity, and nurturing the vital bond between the Party and the people. From the Central Committee to grassroots cells, every cadre and Party member must strive to “maintain unity within the Party as one would protect the pupil of their eye”. The Party must mobilise the collective wisdom and strength of the entire nation and the power of the era in building and safeguarding the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

To maintain independence and self-reliance, we must ensure our national interests are upheld based on the fundamental principles of international law. We should focus on defending our Fatherland proactively and maintaining a peaceful, stable environment for national development. Enhancing Việt Nam’s contributions to regional and global peace is essential, as is resolutely defending our independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, including our seas, islands and skies.

We must pursue a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of relations, aiming to be a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community. Steadfast adherence to the principles of “immutable in the face of change”, “peaceful diplomacy”, and “using benevolence to overcome brutality” will guide our diplomatic efforts in this new era.

The philosophy that “people are the root” and “the people are the subject and centre of the renewal process” should be central to our approach. Every guideline and policy must originate from the lives, aspirations, rights and legitimate interests of the people, with their happiness and prosperity as our ultimate goal. We must ensure that everyone benefits from renewal and development, living happily in a secure and safe environment, where no one is left behind.

To achieve this, we must build a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people, led by the Communist Party of Việt Nam. This involves upholding the Constitution and the law, respecting, ensuring and effectively protecting human and citizen rights, and developing a professional, rule-of-law, modern administrative and judicial system. Our state apparatus must be streamlined, clean and effective, with a team of cadres, civil servants and public employees who are truly professional, dedicated, and committed to serving the Fatherland and its people.

We must continue to build and rectify the Party, fighting resolutely against individualism, ideological degradation, moral decay, lifestyle corruption and negativity within the Party. The motto of “unceasing”, “never resting”, “no forbidden zones, no exceptions”, “regardless of who it is”, and “handling one case to warn the entire region and sector” must guide our actions. We should simultaneously focus on resolving institutional difficulties, promoting administrative reform, enhancing transparency through digital transformation, and expanding development space. Creating the greatest convenience for all activities within the legal framework will contribute to national development and improve the lives of people, organisations, individuals, businesses and entrepreneurs both domestically and internationally.

Combining power control with effective political and ideological education, revolutionary tradition education, and building a truly clean, strong, “ethical and civilised” Party is vital. We must comprehensively and synchronously promote the renewal process, rapidly and sustainably develop the nation, and strengthen national potential. Building and perfecting a modern, integrated socialist-oriented market economy development institution is crucial. Vigorously promoting investment, production, and business will maximise social resources for sustainable development, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation.

We must develop comprehensive human beings and build an advanced Vietnamese culture rich in national identity, which serves as the spiritual foundation of society, an intrinsic strength, and an important driving force for national development. We should focus on successfully organising Party Congresses at all levels, leading up to the 14th Party Congress. Effectively summarising 40 years of national renewal and inheriting the significant theoretical achievements of socialism and the path to socialism in Việt Nam, as summarised by generations of Party leaders, including late General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, will allow us to formulate correct policies and guide the nation’s comprehensive development in the future.

We believe that under the leadership of the glorious Communist Party of Việt Nam; closely combining genuine patriotism with the nation’s fine traditions, spirit and quintessence, continuously absorbing the quintessence of human culture; with the courage and steadfast revolutionary ideals of the cadre and party member ranks; wholeheartedly trusted and supported by the people, the national renewal process will surely achieve great victories, our Fatherland will increasingly prosper, our people will increasingly be happy and prosperous, our nation will increasingly develop, thrive and firmly advance towards socialism, successfully achieving the strategic goals set by the 13th Party Congress and fulfilling the great Hồ Chí Minh’s legacy and the aspiration of the entire nation: “Our entire Party, entire people unite to strive, build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Việt Nam, making a worthy contribution to the global revolutionary cause.” VNS