Seventh Party Congress: Leading the country on the path of reform

7TH PARTY CONGRESS

Time:June 24th to June 27th, 1991

Location:Hanoi, the capital city

Number of delegates attending the Congress:1,176

Number of party members in the country: over 2.1 million

The congress elected:

- General Secretary: Comrade Do Muoi

- Central Executive Committee: 146 members

- Politburo: 13 members

- Advisors to the Central Executive Committee: Comrades Nguyen Van Linh, Pham Van Dong, and Vo Chi Cong.

GENERAL CONTEXT:

- The system of socialist countries fell into a comprehensive and profound crisis. The reforms of the Soviet Union faced many difficulties.

Hostile forces oppose socialism, Marxism-Leninism, and the Communist Party from many sides, aiming to eliminate socialism. The Cold War ended. Major powers adjusted their strategies, promoting détente and cooperation.

- After more than four years of implementing the Party's reform policies, we have achieved very important initial successes. However, many difficulties and weaknesses remain, the country has not yet emerged from the socio-economic crisis, and many pressing socio-economic issues have yet to be resolved.

The economic blockade and embargo against our country has not yet been lifted.

Our country has to confront subversive activities by hostile forces both domestically and internationally.

CONTINUING THE REFORM PROCESS TO ADVANCE THE COUNTRY ALONG THE PATH OF SOCIALISM

The Congress reviewed the implementation of the Resolution of the Sixth Congress and adopted resolutions on: the Platform for building the country during the transitional period to socialism; the Strategy for stabilizing and developing the socio-economic situation until 2000; the Report on Party building and amendments to the Party Charter.

The Congress drew initial lessons from the experience of carrying out the reform process. These included: maintaining the socialist orientation throughout the reform process; comprehensive, synchronized, and thorough reform, but with appropriate steps, forms, and methods; developing a multi-sectoral market economy while strengthening the State's management role in socio-economic affairs; continuing to promote socialist democracy; paying attention to forecasting the situation, promptly identifying and correctly resolving newly arising issues while steadfastly implementing the reform line; strengthening the summation of practical experience and continuously refining the theory of building socialism in our country.

The Platform for Building the Country during the Transition Period to Socialism, adopted by the Congress, clearly outlines the characteristics of the socialist society that our people are building and the basic directions for successfully building socialism in our country. The Platform affirms that the socialist society that our people are building is a society:

- The working people are the masters.

- It has a highly developed economy based on modern productive forces and public ownership of the main means of production.

- It has an advanced culture, rich in national identity.

- People are liberated from oppression, exploitation, and injustice; they work according to their abilities and receive rewards according to their labor; they have a prosperous, free, and happy life, and the conditions for their comprehensive personal development.

- All ethnic groups in the country are equal, united, and help each other to progress together.

- We maintain friendly relations and cooperation with the people of all countries around the world.

The Congress elected the Central Executive Committee, and Comrade Do Muoi was elected General Secretary of the Party. Comrades Nguyen Van Linh, Pham Van Dong, and Vo Chi Cong held the important positions of Advisors to the Central Executive Committee of the Party.

DOMESTIC EVENTS

- February 9, 1991: The Politburo issued Resolution No. 25-NQ/TW on reforming and strengthening the Party's leadership over youth work.

- March 30, 1991: The Politburo issued Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW on science and technology in the cause of reform.

- May 7-13, 1991: General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh visited and worked in the Soviet Union.

- August 1991: Comrade Vo Van Kiet was elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers (at the 9th session of the 8th National Assembly).

- September 12 and 13, 1991: The Vietnam Foreign Investment Conference, titled "Vietnam: The Awakening Tiger," was the first conference on this topic held in the United States.

- November 4, 1991: Vietnam was admitted as the 156th member of the International Police Organization (Interpol).

- November 5-11, 1991: General Secretary Do Muoi and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vo Van Kiet paid an official visit to China. This was a significant event, marking the normalization of relations between Vietnam and China.

INTERNATIONAL EVENT

- January 16, 1991: The US and its allies launched Operation Desert Storm, beginning the First Gulf War.

- April 3, 1991: The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 687 on a formal ceasefire in the Gulf region.

- March 31, 1991: The Warsaw Pact ceased operations.

- February 23, 1991: A military coup in Thailand aimed at restoring the military government led by General Chaovalit.

- August 15, 1991: Laos promulgates its first constitution.

- 1991: The Soviet Union was in a state of crisis, gradually disintegrating: beginning with an unsuccessful coup (August 19); leading to MS Gorbachev's resignation as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, demanding the dissolution of the Central Committee (August 24); the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was suspended (August 29). On December 21, the agreement to dissolve the Soviet Union and establish the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was signed, forcing MS Gorbachev to resign as President of the Soviet Union (December 25, 1991).

- December 7, 1991: Leaders of the 12 European Community countries concluded negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty, laying the foundation for the creation of the European Union (EU).