The Vietnamese people are living through a historic moment of the nation. United under the banner of great national solidarity, and armed with a new stature and strength, confidence, self-reliance and resilience, the entire nation is opening a new chapter in its history and officially entering a new era. This transition is marked by a major political event – the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The 14th National Party Congress marks the starting point of this new era, with policy decisions that will play a decisive role in shaping the nation’s destiny.

The 14th National Party Congress serves as a bridge between two eras in the nation’s development: the era of national reunification, renewal and development, and the era of the nation’s rise – “an era of development and prosperity under the leadership and governance of the Communist Party”(1). At this historic juncture, the Congress embodies the spirit forged through thousands of years of civilisation and the strength of the times, shouldering the responsibility of formulating decisions that will lay the foundation for successfully realising two strategic milestones: the centenary of the Party’s founding and the centenary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The overarching and consistent viewpoint, objective and vision of the 14th National Party Congress are encapsulated in its theme“Under the glorious flag of the Party, joining hands with one heart and one mind to successfully realise the country’s development goals to 2030; ensuring strategic autonomy, fostering self-reliance and confidence, advancing firmly into the era of the nation’s rise for peace, independence, democracy, prosperity, civilisation and happiness, and steadfastly progressing towards socialism.” This theme reflects a grand vision and aspiration. It not only sets objectives for the 2026-2031 term but also outlines strategic goals for the nation’s future and destiny over the coming decades.

This objective represents a higher level of integration of the goals of the previous era while reflecting a substantial advance in the goal of national independence closely associated with socialism. It constitutes the greatest common goal, the highest point of consensus, for which the entire nation should strive, a point of convergence of popular support, the strength of unity and the aspiration for development, while multiplying the entire nation’s pride, self-respect and will.

The 14th National Party Congress took place as Vietnam marks 40 years since the launch of the Doi moi (Renewal) process initiated and led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. Over the past four decades, Vietnam has not only embarked on renewal but has also developed a theoretical framework on the renewal policy. This body of theory, continuously explored, refined and advanced by the Party, stands as a testament to its intellectual capacity, political mettle and leadership.

The theory of renewal is the crystallisation of the wisdom, dedication and efforts of the Party’s Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat as well as of the entire Party and  Vietnamese people through successive Party congresses. At the 14th National Party Congress, it is extremely crucial to highlight the immense and historically significant achievements of the 40-year renewal process, reaffirm the correctness and creativity of the Party's renewal policy, and draw valuable theoretical lessons that can guide the country’s revolutionary practice in the new era.

The congress also continues to develop the theory, ensuring its pioneering role, predictive capacity and strategic vision, providing guidance and direction decisive to the correctness of the Party's leadership and the country's development strategy. This is a matter of critical importance, reflecting the Party's political mettle, intellectual strength, innovative thinking and long-term strategic vision.

Drawing on Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought as its ideological foundation and guiding principles and theories which have been accumulated, creatively developed and tested through revolutionary practice and 40 years of renewal, Vietnam will continue to strengthen and develop the theoretical foundations of socialism and the path to socialism in the country, creating new breakthroughs for robust and sustainable development while firmly safeguarding the country in the new period. This will be decisive in enabling Vietnam to confidently, independently and resiliently open a new chapter in its history and officially enter a new era – a moment that will play a decisive role in shaping the nation's future.

Driven by the demands of history and the imperatives of the times, the documents of the 14th National Party Congress place a strong emphasis on action. For the first time, an Action Programme for implementing the Congress Resolution has been incorporated as an integral part of the Political Report. This reflects the spirit of the times: the documents of the 14th Congress are not merely policy statements but documents for action – a rallying call to the entire Party and people to unite as one in purpose and effort. They are intended to mobilise all strengths, harness every available resource, seize every opportunity and overcome every challenge in order to successfully achieve the nation's strategic goals in the years ahead.
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The 14th National Party Congress marks a new milestone in the history of the Communist Party of Vietnam and in the proud history of the Vietnamese nation.

Following the success of the congress, the entire Party and people must immediately begin implementing its Resolution. The new era presents an exceptional historical challenge that requires innovative thinking and extraordinary solutions; conventional approaches will no longer suffice. The journey towards becoming a developed, high-income nation by the middle of the 21st century is a monumental undertaking, with numerous challenges lying ahead both domestically and internationally. The experiences of countries that became trapped by the glory of past achievements or failed to escape the middle-income trap serve as a reminder that Vietnam cannot afford complacency or “rest on our laurels”.
On the theoretical front, it will be essential to comprehensively review the Communist Party of Vietnam's first century (1930–2030) of leadership of the Vietnamese revolution and define the country’s development orientation for the century ahead (2030–2130), while also assessing 40 years of implementing the Party’s Platform. These major reviews of practice and theory will provide the scientific foundation and fundamental rationale for shaping the country's future development path. They will also contribute to building a more complete, scientific and modern body of theory on socialism and Vietnam's path to socialism, serving as a guide for future stages of national development.

In practice, Vietnam must strive to achieve its goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle-income status by 2030, while realising its vision of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2045. Achieving these objectives will require sustained double-digit growth in both quantity and quality, driven by a new growth model centred on the knowledge economy, digital economy, green economy and circular economy. Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation must become the core engines of high-quality growth.

Great aspirations must be matched by steady progress. Vietnam needs to create a new development miracle in the 21st century – one built by the talent, intellect and determination of its own people, the descendants of Lac Hong (the legendary ancestors of the Vietnamese people).

The strategic, central tasks must be implemented in a coordinated manner, with economic and social development and environmental protection as the central tasks; Party building as the key task; cultural and human development as the foundation; and the strengthening of national defence and security and the enhancement of foreign affairs and international integration as the critical and regular tasks.

All development efforts must uphold the socialist orientation and fully realise the superiority of the socialist system. At the same time, development must preserve Vietnam’s character, values and identity, for “when culture endures, the nation endures; when culture is lost, the nation is lost.” Every achievement must be built upon the strength and support of the people. Development must be people-centred, drawing on the people's trust and participation while ensuring their well-being, security and quality of life.

Progress should be measured by tangible outcomes, concrete achievements and real effectiveness. “Every year, every month and every day after the Congress must bring concrete results and substantive progress.”(2)

Building the Communist Party of Vietnam to be clean, comprehensively strong, “moral and civilised” is the decisive condition for all victories. “The Party is strong because it possesses strict discipline, revolutionary ethics and a spirit of service. Every cadre and Party member must engage in self-examination and self-correction; maintain integrity in the face of temptation; feel ashamed when the people still face hardship and poverty; regard honour as sacred and noble; and consider integrity to be the foundational quality of public-service ethics.”(3) Civilisation represents the highest expression of culture. Building a “civilised” Party means enabling the Party to rise so that it truly becomes a symbol of the nation’s and the time’s wisdom, morality, conscience and culture; continuously enhancing its leadership capacity, governance capability and combativeness; and strengthening its ability to lead the country and the people through a new revolutionary stage characterised by higher demands, greater difficulties and more intense challenges, in order to create new development miracles in the new era.

The great success of the 14th National Party Congress demonstrates the harmony between “the Party’s will and the people’s aspirations”, the people’s unwavering trust in the Party, and the strength of both the people and the great national unity bloc. Unity is an exceptionally precious tradition of our nation. It is the source of strength enabling the nation to endure and develop, the consistent thread running throughout the revolutionary process, and a strategic line of vital significance to the Vietnamese revolution. Safeguarding unity within the Party is akin to “protecting the pupil of one’s eye”; unity within the Party forms the nucleus from which great national unity radiates throughout society. Socialist democracy must continue to be expanded in an increasingly substantive manner, linked with strengthening the rule of law and ensuring social order and discipline. At the same time, a culture of democracy and a culture of respect for socialist legality must become ever more deeply embedded in Vietnamese social life.

“The 14th National Party Congress takes place as the ‘clock of history’ strikes the decisive hours leading up to 2030, the milestone marking 100 years since the founding, struggle, growth and development of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Never before has the aspiration for a democratic, wealthy, prosperous, civilised and happy Vietnam been as close to reality as it is today; yet never before have we faced so many challenges, such demanding requirements and such intense competitive pressures as we do at present.”(4)
The decisive moment for the nation’s destiny has arrived. The historical mission does not allow the Vietnamese people to delay or miss the opportunity for development during this critical stage of the Vietnamese revolution. Once a goal has been firmly identified, determination must never waver; once the aspiration is to reach the vast ocean, the helm must be held firmly in order to overcome the mighty waves.
History has demonstrated that, at turning points that determine the nation’s destiny, if patriotism, national pride and self-respect can be awakened; if the immense strength of great national unity can be mobilised; and if national strength can be combined with the strength of the times, then the vessel of the Vietnamese revolution will navigate every rapid and storm and every challenge, and ultimately reach the shores of glory.

“Under the glorious banner of the Party, let us unite in will and action, maintain steadfast confidence, uphold responsibility, promote wisdom and inspire aspiration; … so that the people see, the people trust, the people support, the people accompany, and the people benefit.”(5)
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(1) Prof., Dr. To Lam, “Some fundamental aspects of the new era, the era of the nation’s rise”, Communist Review, No. 1050, November 2024, p. 3.

(2), (3) Prof., Dr. To Lam, “Report on the documents presented to the 14th National Party Congress”, Communist Review, January 20, 2026.

(4), (5) Prof., Dr. To Lam, “Report on the documents presented to the 14th National Party Congress”, ibid.