Wednesday, June 24, 2020 07:27

Communist Review - Countries with great ambitions always nurture very high aspiration for mobilizing total strength, leading their people to overcome challenges, seizing opportunities, and sticking to the selected goal in order to realize that aspiration. By contrast, losers tend to lack aspiration for progress and ability to tackle challenges as well as miss opportunities to develop. Realizing the aspiration for building a powerful, prosperous and civilized Vietnam with a deserved position in the international community, based on self-control, self-reliance, steadfastness to the goal of national independence and socialism is becoming an important requirement of governance in the new stage.

Every nation that longs to become powerful and prosperous needs a great desire to gather and unite all citizens, creating a spiritual strength to overcome all difficulties and challenges in order to achieve its goals and attain national development. Throughout Vietnam’s thousands-of-years history of national construction and defense, its consistent aspiration is independence, self-control and self-reliance. Accordingly, Vietnam has fought against and defeated foreign invaders to protect its independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, build and develop the country. That tradition and aspiration need to be effectively upgraded and promoted in the current cause of national construction and defense.

Aspiration for a powerful, prosperous, and developed Vietnam steadfast to the goal of independence and socialism, based on self-control and self-reliance as a tool to gather, unite and lead the whole nation

To become a developed country requires a number of factors and conditions of which the country’s own vision and aspiration for progress is a great spiritual strength. For example, ‘Korean Dream’, Singapore's aspiration to make the country into a 'First World oasis in a Third World', and Japan's aspiration for world-power status respectively put Korea, Singapore, Japan on bar with developed countries in a short time from low starting point. Meanwhile, "American Dream" – the combination of each citizen's dream - has brought the United States development for more than 200 consecutive years since the independence in gained 1776.

Vietnam’s thousands-year history of building and defending the country, especially during the wars against foreign invaders in defence of independence and territorial sovereignty, has moulded the aspiration for development, the incomparable spirit of independence, self-control, self-reliance of the nation. This forms national collective strength, creating national solidarity and helping to fight against and defeat far more powerful foreign aggressors.

On 2 September 1945, President Hồ Chí Minh read the immortal Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the end of the semi-feudal colonial regime and giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, reaffirming Vietnamese people’s aspiration for independence, self-control, and self-reliance. That aspiration helped President Ho Chi Minh gather and lead patriots, intellectuals, brave and wise revolutionists, and the whole people towards the goal of national liberation. In the spring of 1975, after 30 years of lengthy resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, Vietnamese people eventually gained independence and reunified the country; the entire country started to build socialism.

Since the country's reunification, it has    been nearly 45 years and more than 30 years of doi moi (renewal), Vietnam has gained great and historic achievements. Specifically, its prestige and international position increasingly are raised. This is the time to look back on the journey the country has gone through, envision, and raise awareness of and exalt its national aspiration to catch up with the world’s great powers as Uncle Ho wished when he was alive.

Although Vietnam’s desire for independence, self-control, self-reliance, prosperity and strength is always consistent, it connotes different essence and focus within different historical contexts. When the country was on the verge of losing its independence, it was the desire for regaining independence and self-control that created a great spiritual strength to help our nation defeat foreign invaders. In the current context, that desire helps build a prosperous and developed country, simultaneously a reliable partner and a responsible member in the international community.

Today, independence and self-control are only gained and maintained sustainably on the basis of self-reliance; therefore self-reliance acts as the core of Vietnam national aspiration. Self-reliance means firsthand independence of economy and wealth as well as prosperity. To achieve this, the national development must be based on tailor-made and sustainable mechanisms which can unleash the labor’s power and creativity, mobilize all available sources, and maximize the national potentials and strengths. In addition, a sustainable social structure with solidarity and consensus should be built on the basis of inheriting and promoting the nation’s good traditional values.

In a constantly changing world with complicated and unpredictable developments, self-reliance is also shown in the consistence to and firmness with its chosen path under all circumstances, and in the endeavour to realize the goals and aspirations for a prosperous people, a strong country, and an equitable, democratic and civilised society.

Risks, challenges, and opportunities to realize the aspiration to build a powerful, prosperous and developed Vietnam based on self-control, self-reliance, and steadfastness to the goal of national independence and socialism

Challenges posed by current context

Globalization and scientific-technological advances, along with the complicated and unpredictable developments of the regional and international situation cause new, complex and unprecedented issues which directly affect the realization of Vietnam's development goals, strategies and aspirations as followed:

First, while knowledge and the knowledge economy play an increasingly important role in the development, innovation acts as a fundamental requirement. Knowledge and technology are the most important resources in innovation-driven economic growth models in the 21^st century, while capital, labour, and resources increasingly diminish their own roles. This is especially true when it comes to globalization and abundant opportunity to access the global market and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). Economies, regardless of development levels, attempt to accelerate economic growth through innovation in which knowledge is a key factor. As a latecomer and developing country, Vietnam needs to specify key issues in the process of manufacturing, renewing and "capitalizing" knowledge.

Second, we will face the fact that export-led growth securing success for many countries is becoming unfavorable. Globalization is a platform for the economies such as Japan, Korea, Singapore, and China to accelerate. These economies, especially Korea and China, all enjoy high growth leveraged by exports.

In fact, the present-day export-led growth model is not as favourable as it used to be. Leadership must be aware of this to seek appropriate approaches for the nation. For Vietnam, approaches to globalization need to be more selective, prioritizing ones with higher level of knowledge, and bilateral and regional cooperation.

Third, the formation and increasing development of cyberspace as a new ‘living space’ co-existing with "territorial space" have been changing the world. Cyberspace will serve as a platform where more and more interactions of numerous users in a "real" society happen. People may work more frequently in "virtual" space than in "real" one. Recent developments show that limitations and shortcomings in cyber management can lead to uncontrollable negative consequences. In the future, it will be advised not to give authority to incompetent cadres who are not capable of mastering, managing, and protecting the "real" society.

Internal challenges and risks posed to the destiny of the nation

From the perspective of internal development, the current period witnesses potential risks of immersing the country in the "vortices" of "geographical curse" facing it several times in the past. The first and foremost, probably the most prevalent one, in the histoy is as follows. At risk of foreign invasion, many dynasties ruled by wise and virtuous kings managed to gather outstanding people, and their consultation helped to build a suitable system dedicated to mobilizing, gathering, and bringing into full play all available resources, which developed incredibly outstanding collective strength, successfully demonstrated and realized the aspiration for national independence and self-reliance. After their heights, however, many dynasties lulled into complacency, and dominated by self-interest suffered from stagnation, decline, and collapse or even became influenced by external forces.

The second ‘vortice’ occurs at the time of transferring power. The generation of national leaders serving in the context of deep and wide international integration encounters multiple difficulties, fresh challenges and new requirements. They are required to acquire strength of political character, knowledge, intelligence, strong will and to make great efforts, and sacrifice for the common cause. Meanwhile, in the peace time with the focal task of economic development, there still exist temptations and risks of moral degradation which easily render a group of cadres disloyal to the targets aimed to realize national aspirations.

Opportunities for national destiny with an eye to common aspiration fulfillment

The current context prompts us to be deeply aware of lessons in the "risky curves", but it also opens up once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to realize our national aspirations.

First, when the ‘expansion’ of multi-national corporations tends to slow down, domestic enterprises can grasp opportunities to develop thanks to new approaches to export models. A fall in the profits of multinationals causes their presence in developing countries to decrease. This offers opportunities for domestic enterprises to foster, especially in the context that there have been several "leading" domestic enterprises that both meet the demand of domestic market and expand themselves to foreign ones. The contingent of the State’s cadres should grasp these opportunities and create favourable conditions and environment for domestic enterprises to foster, and to dominate the domestic market, especially key industries and sectors of the economy, high added-value products that typify Vietnam brands. Also, they should endeavour to connect domestic enterprises with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) companies. Hence, the economic growth model that prioritizes exports is required to underscore massive production and base on the advantages of the domestic enterprises and market as well as the demand of the world market.

Second, an economy relying heavily on knowledge and cyber-interaction provides opportunities for emerging and developing countries to participate in higher levels of global value chains. Today, for example, technology enables India IT enterprises to participate in designing a supermarket for top US retailer Walmart instead of just providing technical support. When knowledge turns into a high-value asset, it will offer a historic opportunity for Vietnam to make economic breakthough.

Third, we are standing a chance of minimizing intermediary costs and optimize the efficiency of managing intermediaries between production and distribution. One of the limitations of Vietnam's growth model is the high spending on state management, but with low efficiency. Therefore, the introduction of new technological platforms provides good solutions to this problem for Vietnam.

Fourth, the Vietnamese people's aspiration for self-reliance moulded through a history of thousands of years has become an intrinsic tradition values deeply engraved in each citizen’s mind. In the process of deep and wide international integration, globalization and digital technological application, Vietnamese people will be better sensitized to their aspiration for national self-reliance. This is a great spiritual strength and an opportunity for Vietnam to overcome ‘vortices’ and realize its aspiration for national self-reliance.

Fifth, the cause of realizing the aspiration for national self-reliance is led by Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). During nearly 90 years of foundation, CPV has won hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people due to its sound leadership. At the present-day stage, CPV’s leadership and ruling serve as a basis and a decisive factor in the realization of Vietnamese people’s aspiration for independence, self-control, and national self-reliance.

Issues need solving in order to realize the aspiration for building a powerful, prosperous and developed Vietnam based on self-control, self-reliance and steadfastness to the goal of national independence and socialism

First, it is necessary to define and specify the aspiration for national self-reliance, and then exalt, disseminate it to all citizens and imbue them - first and foremost leaderships of all levels, especially cadres at strategic level - with that aspiration.

Globalization and the world economy’s development have brought about various changes in the society. The notion ‘’global citizen’ brings about a shift in the conception of national values, politics, culture and state management. The development of the modern society hampers leading cadres from having a full awareness of and staying steadfast to the realization of common goals amidst prevailing material temptations and dominating individualism.  Moreover, in peacetime, as threats to the survival of the nation are not clearly shown, the risk undermining the desire for independence and self-control is still looming.

Therefore, it is essential to raise, deepen and spread the aspiration for self-reliance to build a prosperous, developed, happy Vietnam, a reliable partner and a responsible member in the international community. It should be clearly stated that at this time, the country chooses to either be self-reliant to develop and succeed or be marginalized, fall in the "middle-income trap", then engulf into stagnation, recession. It is also important to sensitize every citizen especially leading cadres at all levels in general and strategic-level cadres in particular to the aspiration for dedication and willingness to sacrifice for common benefits.

The biggest challenge posed to the realization of the national aspiration is the awareness of the country’s position and determination to fulfill the ideal. In terms of economy, although Vietnam has made great and historic achievements for nearly 35 years of doi moi with a relatively high growth rate, it is still modest compared to the successful economies in Asia at the same stage of development. In the period of 1965 - 1995, Korea achieved an average economic growth rate of 10% - 15% per year, China and Singapore achieved growth rates of approximately 9% - 10% for over 30 consecutive years. As economy has a widespread effect on all fields of life, it is recommended that CPV identify, raise and spread a deserving aspiration for economic development.

Vietnam’s low readiness and response to the Industry 4.0 poses another challenge to the fulfillment of the national aspiration. According to a report of the World Economic Forum in 2018, Vietnam was only classified as a "young" country: ranked 72/100 countries in terms of economic structure; 90/100 in innovation and technology, of which 92/100 in technological foundations and 77/100 in capacity for innovation; 70/100 in human resources, of which 81/100 in skilled labor, 70/100 in preparedness of experts and engineers, 75/100 in higher education quality and 80/100 in vocational training quality. Those are challenges facing Vietnam in the coming time. In such context, it is an urgent requirement to seriously define national aspirations and determination in taking action nationwide with an aim to realize that aspiration.

Second, it is essential that CPV build a collective of leading cadres that are dedicated, competent, wise and wholehearted for the country's common cause.

At the present-day stage, in order to fulfill the aspiration for national self-reliance, we need competent and dedicated leaders. It is necessary that CPV build a contingent of leaders and managers, especially strategic-level cadres who possess political will power, profound knowledge, intelligence and who are aware of their own responsibilities, duties, and willing to sacrifice for the national aspiration.

Third, CPV should put forward and operate a tailor-made and optimal instituition that unleashes and maximizes the national potential and resources.

The history of the country shows that there were certain times in the history that two following outstanding features of the national aspiration were fully expressed. Firstly, the nation was led by a wise political leader supported by a team of intellectual assistants who were devoted to common cause of the nation. Secondly, the leader and his leadership managed to build a tailor-made institution capable of mobilizing all available resources to achieve the common goals. The current context requires Vietnam to create tailor-made development model to overcome challenges, exploit, take advantage of opportunities and realize set goals. Therefore, designing a tailor-made and optimal development model is an important issue at this time.

The current mechanism or institution in a broader sense that shows numerous shortcomings needs to be regularly reformed, supplemented and perfected to match the requirements of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration. Accordingly, it is required to build an institution which features centralized and consistent leadership, governance, creativity and which is capable of unleashing individual and organization’s potentials with an eye to the fulfillment of the aspiration for “a prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, equity and civilization.”, firmly protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity and turning Vietnam into an industrialized country in the foreseeable future./.

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Source: Communist Review No 930 (11-2019)