Five strategic pillars usher in an era of national progress.
The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is considered a major milestone, a turning point, not only shaping the country's development strategy in the new period, but also opening a new chapter of development - "the era of national resurgence".
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of France, Trinh Duc Hai - one of the 1,586 official delegates attending the 14th National Congress in Hanoi last January - analyzed the key policy decisions with fundamental significance and long-term impact adopted by the Congress, in the context of profound changes in the region and the world.
Recalling General Secretary To Lam's remarks at the international press conference on the afternoon of January 23, Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai affirmed that the 14th National Congress "was a brilliant success, a very good success," a milestone in the 96-year history of the Communist Party of Vietnam and in the historical flow of the country. The Congress demonstrated a high spirit of solidarity and unity, reflecting the will, character, aspirations, and cultural depth of the Party and the people in the new stage of development.
Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai assessed that, in the context of a world witnessing unprecedented profound changes and upheavals in the 80 years since the end of World War II (1945), the decisions adopted by the 14th National Congress demonstrate sharp strategic thinking and a harmonious combination of inheriting core values and leading breakthroughs.
According to Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai, five key policy decisions with fundamental significance and long-term impact were made at the 14th National Congress. First is the decision on the national development orientation for the period 2026-2030, focusing on continued strong innovation in both thinking and action, promoting strategic breakthroughs, and creating a new development ecosystem. The overarching principle is to use development for stability, and stability to promote development, while continuously improving the lives and happiness of the people. The focus is on comprehensively and synchronously perfecting the institutions for rapid and sustainable development, in which the political institutions play a key role, the economic institutions are central, and other institutions hold important positions.
Secondly, the policy focuses on establishing a new growth model aimed at improving productivity, quality, efficiency, added value, and competitiveness of the economy. Science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation are identified as the main driving forces, creating new, high-quality production capacity and production methods. The focus of this model is the data economy, digital economy, green economy, and circular economy, linked to promoting digital transformation, green transformation, energy transformation, structural transformation, and improving the quality of human resources. On this basis, strong growth poles, key economic regions, new-generation cities, and special economic zones will be formed, with a stature comparable to the region and the world.
Thirdly, there is the policy on foreign affairs and international integration. Establishing the viewpoint of strengthening national defense and security in close conjunction with promoting foreign relations as a crucial and ongoing task has created a nationwide defense posture that protects the Fatherland from early on, from afar, proactively in strategy and flexible in tactics. The 14th National Congress reaffirmed the independent, self-reliant, self-strengthening, peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developmental foreign policy; multilateralizing and diversifying foreign relations; and being a responsible member of the international community. In the new era, Vietnam's foreign policy is developing in proportion to the country's historical, cultural, and positional stature, aiming to ensure the highest national interests on the basis of the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, equal cooperation, and mutual benefit. Vietnam continues to proactively and actively contribute to maintaining peace, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development, in the spirit of being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community.
Fourthly, the policy is to thoroughly implement the viewpoint that "the people are the foundation," affirming that the people are the subject and the center of the process of reform, national construction, and defense. All policies and guidelines of the Party and the State must stem from the needs, aspirations, rights, and legitimate interests of the people. Respecting, guaranteeing, and protecting human rights, civil rights, happiness, and satisfaction of the people are considered the benchmark and the overarching goal.
Fifthly, the policy considers human development and cultural development as the spiritual foundation, the intrinsic strength, and the great driving force for the rapid and sustainable development of the country. The 14th National Congress emphasized building a modern national education system, on par with the region and the world, with a focus on improving the quality of education and training. At the same time, it prioritizes investment in the people's healthcare, continues to innovate methods of social management and sustainable social development management; effectively addresses social policies, ensures security, welfare, safety, and well-being for the people, especially for policy beneficiaries and vulnerable groups in society.
According to Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai, with the five fundamental and long-term policy groups mentioned above, the 14th National Congress not only sets strategic directions for the immediate future but also creates a framework for sustainable development for many decades to come, enabling Vietnam to confidently enter a new era of development in a rapidly changing world.
