Listening and dialogue are the "keys" to building consensus.
In the context of numerous major policies and key projects being implemented simultaneously from the provincial to the grassroots level, direct dialogue between the heads of Party committees and government with the people is increasingly affirming its particularly important role. When dialogue is conducted in a substantive, democratic, and open-minded manner, without avoidance, it not only resolves difficulties but also contributes to strengthening trust and creating social consensus – an important foundation for effectively carrying out political tasks.
Content:Khanh Ly/Present:Hong Toai• January 30, 2026
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In practice, dialogue is not only a form of democratic practice, but also a measure of the leadership and management capabilities and sense of responsibility of the staff.
In Tan Mai ward, where the Quynh Lap LNG power plant project – a key national project with a capacity of 1,500 MW and an estimated total investment of approximately 55,946 billion VND – is being implemented, the compensation and land clearance process is considered a crucial step. Without the consensus of the local people, it will be very difficult to complete the project on schedule.
Recognizing this, the Standing Committee of the Tan Mai Ward Party Committee recently organized a direct dialogue with the Party branch committees, block committees, heads of the Fatherland Front working committees, and heads of mass organizations of the three residential blocks directly affected by the projects: Dong Minh, Dong Thanh, and Tan Minh.
The dialogue took place in a democratic, frank, and open atmosphere; people were allowed to express their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions; and the government did not shy away from difficult or sensitive issues.
Speaking at the dialogue session, Comrade Dam Huu Hong – Secretary of the Tan Mai Ward Party Committee – emphasized the urgent need for the project to ensure progress according to the Power Development Plan VI and the revised Power Development Plan VII. He affirmed that the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee had repeatedly inspected the site and assigned specific tasks to the locality, including the requirement to complete compensation and land clearance work and build a resettlement area so that the project could commence on April 30, 2026.
In that spirit, along with issuing directives to the People's Committee of the ward to develop compensation and land clearance plans; and establishing a working group to review the current land use and assets on the land in the planned area, the Standing Committee of the Ward Party Committee proactively included dialogue with the people in its work program.
During the dialogue, the leaders of Tan Mai ward publicly and transparently provided basic information related to the project: the land acquisition plan, compensation, support, and resettlement; and anticipated difficulties and obstacles such as encroachment, illegal construction on planned land, and the large number of graves that need to be relocated. Through this, the people were able to "know," "discuss," and ultimately "understand" the project and cooperate with the Party committee and government in its implementation.
With frank and open suggestions from the Party and government leaders, many people's opinions were publicly expressed, focusing on pressing issues such as compensation, support, and resettlement policies, as well as concerns arising from previously stalled projects.
Mr. Tran Xuan Hoang, a resident of Dong Minh neighborhood, believes that socio-economic development, especially energy development, is an essential requirement; cadres and Party members, particularly leaders, must take the lead in disseminating information and mobilizing the people. According to him, many issues will inevitably arise during the compensation and land clearance process, but "if we skillfully persuade and resolve issues fairly and reasonably, even the most difficult problems can be solved." However, he also expressed his hope that the government would pay more attention to the legitimate rights of the people, especially regarding resettlement, so that people can feel secure and stable in their lives.
Responding to public feedback, the leaders of Tan Mai ward affirmed that they will continue to organize thematic dialogues, promptly address difficulties, and strengthen communication efforts to ensure that people understand the purpose, significance, and importance of the project, thereby gaining their consent to hand over the land and ensuring the overall progress.
Not only in Tan Mai ward, but in recent times, many localities in the province have transformed dialogue into a direct and effective channel for mobilizing the people. People are no longer hesitant to express their opinions; officials and leaders also do not shy away from facing "hot" and long-standing issues.
In Quynh Mai ward, after the implementation of the two-tiered administrative system, the Party committee and local authorities organized numerous dialogues to focus on resolving prominent issues such as land-related complaints within the 13.5m radius (National Highway 1A expansion and upgrade project), the 110kV Quynh Luu – Nghi Son power line project, fuel subsidy policies for fishing vessels, and handling IUU violations…
Through dialogue, many outstanding issues have been resolved, contributing to stabilizing the situation at the grassroots level. For example, to date, the authorities have resolved outstanding cases regarding fuel payments under Decree 48 for 254 fishing vessels, as well as the issue of handling 63 vessels violating IUU regulations since February 2024…
According to Ho Van Cay, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Mai Ward: "The more interaction between the government and the people, the higher the level of consensus. Dialogue helps the government understand the true nature of the issues, while the people better understand the policies and guidelines, thereby finding common ground."
In Hung Nguyen Nam commune, direct dialogue has been identified by the Party committee and local government as a key solution to resolve difficulties and create consensus. Beyond dialogue in meeting halls, commune leaders and specialized departments proactively "go door-to-door," meeting directly with each household facing problems.
It is this proactive approach of listening and engaging in specific discussions that has helped resolve many long-standing issues in a fair and reasonable manner, ensuring compliance with legal regulations while safeguarding the legitimate rights and peace of mind of the people.
For example, immediately after the establishment of the two-tiered administrative system, the People's Committee of the commune organized a consultation with households benefiting from the project to upgrade and construct the road in residential cluster 2, Xuan Lam commune. Based on the feedback received from the people and in accordance with legal regulations, the People's Committee of the commune issued a decision and a notice to halt the implementation of the investment project – clearly demonstrating a respect for reality, respect for the rights of the people, and prioritizing the common good. Another example relates to the land clearance work for the North-South expressway (passing through Hung Nguyen Nam commune with a total length of approximately 2.3km).
The affected area is approximately 270,000 square meters.2, of which the residential land area is approximately 29,000m².2(The number of households expected to be relocated is approximately 145). The Party Committee and the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen Nam commune have held numerous meetings to gather public opinion on the proposed location and layout of the resettlement area.
This aims to create consensus, expedite progress, ensure compliance with legal regulations, protect the rights of the people, and meet the project's requirements. At the same time, it continues to understand the concerns and aspirations of the people in order to promptly submit proposals to relevant authorities.
According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen Nam commune, Cao Anh Duc, all outstanding issues are directly related to the rights and interests of the people, therefore dialogue is always the top priority. In reality, soliciting public opinion on infrastructure projects, including decisions to halt investment projects without consensus, has contributed to strengthening trust and fostering cooperation between the government and the people.
After 5 years of implementing Project No. 07-DA/TU dated November 24, 2021, of the Provincial Party Committee on reforming and improving the effectiveness of contact and dialogue with the people, this work in Nghe An has gradually become more systematic and substantive. The entire province has issued thousands of directive documents and organized thousands of dialogues at all levels, attracting a large number of people to participate; many opinions have been resolved right at the meetings, and the satisfaction rate of the people is increasing.
In particular, after the two-tiered government system came into operation, the Party committees and local governments at the commune level organized dialogues to listen to, record, and resolve difficulties at the grassroots level. The dialogues not only focused on resolving complaints and denunciations, but were also organized thematically, linked to Party building and socio-economic development. For example, in Mau Thach commune, through thematic dialogues on Party member development, many "bottlenecks" were resolved, contributing to improving the leadership capacity of the Party organization at the grassroots level. As a result, from July 1st, 2025 to the end of 2025, the Mau Thach commune Party committee admitted 11 new Party members (bringing the total for the year to 14).
In the border commune of Nhon Mai, the dialogues held at the beginning of 2026 focused on practical issues affecting the lives of the people, such as agricultural production, housing, transportation, clean water, social welfare, and national defense and security. Many opinions were directly discussed and answered by commune leaders at the meetings; issues beyond their authority were compiled and submitted to higher levels for consideration.
However, alongside the achievements in dialogue, the Provincial Party Standing Committee also frankly pointed out some limitations such as: the quality of dialogue in some localities is not high; the skills of some officials in grasping, analyzing information and persuading the people are still limited; there is still a tendency towards one-sided dialogue, and the monitoring of the implementation of conclusions after dialogue is not regular.
To further enhance the effectiveness of this work, the province has decided to continue including dialogue and consultation in its annual work program; strengthen training in dialogue skills for officials, especially on complex issues such as land, land clearance, and social policies; promote the role of the Fatherland Front and political and social organizations in disseminating information and mobilizing the people to participate in dialogue in a democratic and constructive spirit; and accelerate the application of information technology and digital transformation in monitoring and supervising the implementation of conclusions after dialogue.
Experience confirms that dialogue – when conducted with a spirit of openness, responsibility, and respect for the people – becomes an effective "soft key" to resolving grievances at the grassroots level, strengthening trust, creating social consensus, and contributing to building an increasingly strong Party and government.
This is also consistent with the "people-centered" perspective, placing people at the heart of the development strategy as stated at the 14th National Congress of the Party.
