Communist Review - On the occasion of the 96th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 - February 3, 2026), General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam has authored an article entitled “Steadfast under the Party’s Flag.” The Communist Review respectfully presents the article in full below.

Immediately following the resounding success of the 14th National Party Congress, the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army are commemorating the 96th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 – February 3, 2026) in a particularly joyful spirit. The 96-year milestone carries even greater significance as it coincides with the first year of the new term - a starting year with a decisive significance for translating the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress into concrete action and turning strategic goals into reality. Pride in the Party’s glorious 96-year journey under its illustrious flag is continuing to generate renewed strength, inspiring fresh momentum and confidence as we stride forward.

Over the course of 96 springs since its inception, especially more than 80 years in power, our Party has demonstrated enduring vitality, steadfast mettle and a correct leadership line, guiding the Vietnamese revolution from one victory to another. Since the Party’s establishment, our nation, with its millennia-old tradition, has written new heroic chapters in its history: leading the people to the successful 1945 August General Uprising and the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; leading the entire population to victory over colonialism and imperialism in protracted wars of resistance, reunifying the country, and steering the nation onto the path of renewal, construction, development and defence of the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. Every ebb and flow of history has served as a crucible, tempering the Party and enabling it to grow ever more mature and resilient in its mission of serving the Fatherland and the people.

The 96-year journey has affirmed a fundamental truth: no political force other than the Communist Party of Vietnam possesses sufficient prestige, capability and mettle to lead the revolution with the people as its ultimate purpose. The Party’s ruling role and comprehensive leadership constitute the decisive factor behind every victory in the cause of national construction and defence. The Party’s strength and credibility stem not only from its historic triumphs, but also from its spirit of self-reflection, its readiness to face the truth, courageously acknowledge shortcomings, and resolutely correct them. Through this process, the Party has continuously renewed and rectified itself, growing ever cleaner and stronger.

The Party’s 96-year journey has yielded many valuable lessons. First and foremost, the flag of national independence and socialism - the two strategic objectives that are inseparably linked throughout the entire revolutionary process - must always be held aloft with unwavering determination. National independence is the prerequisite for building socialism, while socialism provides the firm foundation that guarantees genuine and lasting independence for the nation. Guided by this truth, the Party has remained steadfast on the path chosen by President Ho Chi Minh and our people: resolutely safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while persistently building socialism for the happiness of the people.

A profound lesson of particularly vital significance is that the revolutionary cause is of the people, carried out by the people, and for the people. The people are both the creators of historic victories and the inexhaustible source of strength for the Party’s existence and development. All the Party’s guidelines and policies must originate from the legitimate interests and aspirations of the people. Entrusted by the people with its historic mission, the Party has no interests of its own beyond serving the Fatherland and the people. President Ho Chi Minh once emphasised: “The Party is not an organisation for seeking official positions or personal gain. It must fulfil its task of national liberation, making the Fatherland prosperous and the people happy.” ⁽¹⁾ His teaching retains its full value today, serving as a constant reminder that the Party must remain closely bound to the people, take the people as its foundation, and regard their happiness as its supreme goal. Practice has also shown that bureaucracy, corruption and alienation from the people pose incalculable dangers to the fate of the nation and to the very survival of the Party itself. Therefore, preserving the close, flesh-and-blood relationship with the people and relying on them to build the Party is a matter of vital importance. The people’s support and trust constitute the true measure of our Party’s credibility, the source of its strength, and the “key” to its victories at every stage of the revolution.

Furthermore, our Party has always valued and continuously strengthened the great national unity bloc. "Unity, unity, great unity - Success, success, great success” - President Ho Chi Minh's famous call underscores the enduring truth that unity is a precious tradition and the greatest strength of Vietnam’s revolution. The Party must fully harness its power and that of the people, harmonising the national strength with that of the times. This serves both as a lesson and a guiding principle for the Party to lead the people in overcoming all difficulties, and elevate the country to new heights amid the globalisation context at present.

The overarching lesson is that the Party’s sound leadership is the foremost factor determining every victory of the Vietnamese revolution. The past 96 years have affirmed the vanguard role of the Communist Party of Vietnam as the “guiding force” in the struggle for national liberation and in building and developing the country. For the Party to maintain its long-term leadership, it must constantly refine and renew itself, while upholding its revolutionary character and vanguard role. Our Party must consistently study and creatively apply Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, while strengthening intellect, political mettle, moral integrity, and practical organisation capacity to be able to tackle new issues emerging from revolutionary practice. At the same time, the Party must remain vigilant against major risks, especially errors in policy, deviation, economic setbacks, bureaucratism, corruption, and moral degradation, as well as internal “self-evolution” and “self-transformation.” Building a clean and strong Party in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organisation, and personnel remains a core task with decisive significance for the survival of both our Party and regime.

At every historical turning point, the Party has timely put forward correct policies and rigorously corrected mistakes and shortcomings when they arise. Its courage to “self-reflect and self-correct” has helped the Party avoid dogmatism and stagnation, allowing it to grow continuously to meet the evolving requirements of the revolution. Drawing from historical lessons, the Party has consistently acted proactively with timely decisions; a notable example is the Doi moi (renewal) process since the 1980s, which steered the country out of crisis and onto a path of robust development. Recently, in response to corruption and moral degradation among some cadres and Party members, the Party has issued many resolutions and conclusions, demonstrating a high determination to rectify issues and strengthen the fight against corruption under the resolute approach “no forbidden zones, no exceptions and all are equal before the law.”

Today, looking back over nearly a century, we can proudly recognise that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country has risen from a state of subjugation and poverty to become an independent, unified, and self-reliant country with an increasingly prominent position in the international arena. From a nation devastated by wars, Vietnam launched the Doi moi process in 1986, overcoming crisis to become a developing country with middle-income status, while steadily improving the living standards of its people.

On the global stage, it is clear that Vietnam’s achievements, resources, and international standing and prestige are steadily increasing. Friends across the five continents recognise Vietnam as a heroic nation in the struggle for independence, a trusted partner, and a peace-loving country with a rapidly growing economy. These historic and significant accomplishments affirm an enduring truth: The Party’s correct leadership is the decisive factor behind all victories of the Vietnamese revolution, and serves as “the flag uniting the strength of the entire nation” on the path of national construction and defence./.