Party General Secretary To Lam, who is head of the central steering committee for perfecting institutions and laws, chaired its thematic meeting on August 5, during which he stressed that all legal bottlenecks that have been identified must be addressed early and thoroughly to prevent them from hindering development.
He praised the lasting impact of intellectuals, artists, and scientists, saying the country's stature, strength, international standing, and reputation, built on 4,000 years of civilisation, 95 years of the Party's leadership, 80 years of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and 40 years of renewal, owe much to the efforts of millions of people from all walks of life, with intellectuals, scientists, and artists playing a pivotal role.
Party General Secretary To Lam on August 6 attended a gathering of 80 distinguished intellectuals, artists, and scientists in Hanoi on August 6.
The Party Central Committee’s Office must elevate the calibre of Party officials and members, urging stronger leadership and direction to meet increasingly demanding responsibilities.
Party General Secretary To Lam attended the Party Congress of the Party Central Committee’s Office for the 2025-2030 tenure in Hanoi on August 7.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee has urged the Government to early issue a master plan on COVID-19 prevention and control for 2022-2023 to deal with many urgent issues such as COVID-19 test kit prices, the opening of tourism sector and the teaching activities amid the rising infection number.
- The World War I (1914-1918) ended, capitalist countries entered a period of recovery, economic development and stability (1919-1929) before falling into a comprehensive crisis (1929-1933). The ruling bourgeoisie continued to apply the policy of intensifying the exploitation of colonial countries.
The Russian Revolution succeeded in 1917, the Marxist-Leninist theory was materialised, opening up a new era in the human history in which the proletariat and suppressed nations around the world became united under the leadership of the proletariat to struggle against oppression and liberate their nations.
The anti-imperialism movements in capitalist countries and the national liberation movements in colonial countries took place strongly. On this foundation, communist parties were formed in many countries and step by step rose to lead the revolution.
- In Vietnam, the French colonialists launched the second colony exploitation programme. The Vietnamese society was deeply classified, with the working class expanding in both quality and quantity. The national contradiction and class warfare became tense with two essential conflicts: the one between Vietnamese people and the French colonialists and its henchmen, and the other between farmers and feudal landlords.
As an envoy of the Communist International who held the full authority to decide all matters related to the revolutionary movement in Indochina, Nguyen Ai Quoc convened a conference of delegates from Dong Duong Cong san Dang (Indochinese Communist Party) and An Nam Cong san Dang (Communist Party of Annam) to discuss the unification into one party.
From January 6 to early February, 1930, the conference was held in Kowloon, near Hong Kong (China) under the chair of Nguyen Ai Quoc. Participants agreed to merge the Indochinese Communist Party and the Communist Party of Annam, forming a single party under the name Communist Party of Vietnam.
The conference approved documents: Abridged Political Platform, Abridged Strategy, Abridged Workplan, and Abridged Statute of the Party.
The documents passed at the Party founding conference became the important foundation for the building of revolutionary policies and methods of the Party.
The conference also decided the policy to set up Cong hoi (Workers’ Union), Nong hoi (Farmers’ Union) and Hoi Phan de (Anti-Inperialism Association). Accordingly, the Workers’ Union and Farmers’ Union gathered workers and farmers who were not be able to become Party members, while intellectuals and petty bourgeoisie joined the Anti-Inperialism Association.
On February 24, 1930, the Indochinese Communist League was merged into the Communist Party of Vietnam. All the three communist organisations in Vietnam had been united in a single communist party – the Communist Party of Vietnam.
The formation of the Communist Party of Vietnam was an important milestone marking a great historical turning point of Vietnam’s revolution. It was an inevitable result of the combination of the theory on national liberation of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh revolutionary ideology and the workers’ movements as well as patriotic movements in Vietnam during the 1920s.
The third National Party Congress in September 1960 decided to “make February 3 each year on solar calendar as the Party foundation anniversary”.
- International communist and workers’ movements continued to develop, which facilitated struggles of colonised peoples
All-round huge achievements recorded in socialism building in the Soviet Union significantly impacted revolutionary movements in colonised nations.
Capitalist countries tried to overcome the crisis by two different ways: fascisising the political system, promptly preparing for the war (Germany, Italy and Japan), and conducting socio-economic reforms (the UK, France and the US). Fascism posed a threat to global peace and security.
- In Indochina, workers’ movements gradually revived. People of all strata in both urban and rural areas engaged in the struggles in various forms like strikes by students and traders, and anti-tax movements by farmers.
- Party organisations gradually revived following the merciless suppression by French colonialists.
The first National Party Congress reviewed the situation inside and outside the country, highlighted achievements recorded by the Soviet Union and the revolutionary movements of working people in many countries across the world, and affirmed socialism is an historical inevitability.
The Congress held that the system of Party organisations was restored and progress made in revolutionary movements. People’s struggles gained victories at different levels over the past two years.
The Congress put forth three major tasks for the Party in the immediate future:
+ Consolidating and developing the Party;
+ Persuading the masses; and
+ Opposing the imperialist war
The Congress, for the first time, issued many extremely important resolutions to gather forces and build up public movements, including those on mobilising workers, farmers, soldiers, women and youths; anti-imperialism alliance work; on ethnic minority affairs; and on self-defence and aid groups.
The Congress approved the Party Statute and those of the Party’s public organisations.
The Congress elected the Party Central Committee. Comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc was appointed as representative of the Party at the Communist International. Comrade Le Hong Phong was elected as the Party General Secretary. In July 1936, Comrade Ha Huy Tap was appointed as the Party General Secretary. In March 1938, Comrade Nguyen Van Cu was appointed as the Party General Secretary.
In May 1941, the meeting of the Party Central Committee in Pac Bo (Cao Bang) elected Comrade Truong Chinh as the Party General Secretary.
The first National Party Congress was an important historical event, making the success of the struggle to keep and restore the system of Party organisations from the central to the grassroots levels, uniting revolutionary movements under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, and creating conditions for revolutionary movements to enter a new period of struggle.
- From 1950, the revolutionary movement around the world developed strongly. The socialist system formed after World War II (1939-1945) was consolidated and strengthened in all aspects.
The national liberation movement continued to develop.
The movement to protect world peace became a widespread movement of the masses.
A bipolar world order was formed, with the US and the Soviet Union having the greatest sphere of influence.
The US and western countries waged the “Cold War” against the socialist side. The world witnessed an arms race among superpowers, especially between the Soviet Union and the US.
In Indochina, the US increased aid for France and its puppet military and deeply interfered in the invasion war, ready to replace French colonialists.
- The Vietnamese people’s resistance war against France colonialists developed comprehensively and received active support and assistance from socialist countries. Particularly, after the 1950 northern border victory, the resistance war entered a new phase, the phase of counter-attacks and offensives.
The congress discussed the political report, the report on Vietnam’s revolution, the report on the Party’s organisation and Statute, and the supplementary reports on the “Mat tran dan toc thong nhat” (United National Front), the people’s democratic administration, the people’s army, economy – finance, and the people’s literature and arts.
The political report delivered by President Ho Chi Minh reviewed the Party’s diverse experiences over more than 20 years of leading the revolution and outlined orientations and tasks to lead the resistance war to complete victory. The report affirmed that the Party’s policy on a people-based, comprehensive and long-term resistance war for independence, unification and democracy was right, and the Vietnamese people’s resistance war against French colonialists and the US intervention would definitely be successful. The report pointed out two main tasks for the Party:
+ Leading the resistance war to complete victory.
+ Organising the Workers’ Party of Vietnam.
The congress reviewed the process of the anti-French colonialists resistance war and perfected the guidelines for the people’s democratic national revolution.
The congress decided to make the Party’s activities public under the name of the Workers’ Party of Vietnam, and adopted the Political Platform, Statutes and Declaration of the Party. It also decided to set up revolutionary organisations that suited the situation in Laos and Cambodia. The Workers’ Party of Vietnam had the duty to assist the revolutionary organisations of Laos and Cambodia in leading the two countries’ resistance wars to final victory.
The Party Central Committee elected at the congress consisted of 29 members. Ho Chi Minh was elected Party Chairman. The Politburo elected by the Party Central Committee comprised seven official members: Ho Chi Minh, Truong Chinh, Le Duan, Pham Van Dong, Vo Nguyen Giap, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Hoang Quoc Viet, and one alternate member who was Le Van Luong. Truong Chinh was re-elected General Secretary of the Party Central Committee.
The second National Party Congress was a significant historical event, marking the Party’s new development in terms of ideology and political line. From secret activities, the Party resumed public operations under the name the Workers’ Party of Vietnam, thus meeting the revolution’s development requirements.
- The world socialist system led by the Soviet Union recorded breakthrough developments that had intensive and extensive influence on international relations and played a decisive role in the maintenance of world peace and security, which created new favourable conditions for revolutionary movements of countries.
- In Vietnam, the Dien Bien Phu victory put an end to the French colonialists’ invasion war. The Geneva Accords were signed on July 21, 1954, restoring peace to Indochina. The country was temporarily divided into two regions.
The northern region was completely liberated and transiting to the stage of socialist revolution, becoming a firm base for the struggle for national reunification.
In the south, the Vietnamese people’s fight against US imperialist invaders and their henchmen took place fiercely.
The Party Central Committee’s political report at the third National Party Congress pointed out that:
The two revolutionary tasks in the north and the south belonged to two different strategies. Each task aimed to deal with concrete requirements of each region in the context of the temporary national division. However, those two tasks had an immediate common target - realising national peace and reunification.
The northern region was the shared revoutionary base of the whole nation. The unceasing development of the north not only enhanced the southern patriotic compatriots’ confidence and encouraged their revolutionary enthusiasm, but also made the balance between the revolutionary forces the anti-revolutionary forces in favour of the former and created optimal conditions for the revolution in the south to develop strongly and gain the ultimate victory…
On the other hand, to ensure peace for the northern region to build socialism and maintain peace in Indochina and the world, the south needed to resolutely fight against the US imperialists and their henchmen, thwarting their invasion and warfare policies, and toppling their brutal rule. There were no ways other than that.
The fundamental tasks of the first five-year plan (1961-1965) included:
+ Exerting efforts to develop industry and agriculture, prioritising the development of heavy industry, and developing agriculture comprehensively
+ Completing the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicraft industry and trade
+ Improving people’s educational level
+ Improving the working people’s material and spiritual lives and
+ Consolidating national defence, strengthening order and security, and protecting the socialism building in the north.
* The congress passed:
+ The resolution on the Party’s tasks and guidelines for the
+ The resolution on the date of Party establishment
+The Party’s Statutes (revised)
+ The appeal of the third National Congress of the Workers’ Party of Vietnam.
The congress elected the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Ho Chi Minh re-elected as Party Chairman and Comrade Le Duan elected as First Secretary of the Party Central Committee.
- Since the late 1970s, the socio-economic situation in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries encountered various difficulties, hindering the support and material supply to other countries. Soviet Union leaders sought ways to negotiate with the US to gradually reduce the arms race.
In the mid-1970s, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN, established in August 1967) carried out an array of activities to promote cooperation between its member countries, and improve its influence and prestige in the region.
The Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia following the anti-US resistance war (April/1974) and betrayed the revolution. Backed by a number of external forces, the Khmer Rouge ruthlessly killed people at home and rolled out a foreign policy hostile towards the Vietnamese revolution.
- The Great Spring Victory in 1975 with the Ho Chi Minh Campaign at its peak liberated the south completely, opening up a new period of the Vietnamese revolution: the period of national independence, reunification and moving towards socialism.
The general elections (April 1976) elected the National Assembly of a unified Vietnam. The National Assembly made historical decisions on the country’s name, national flag, national anthem and the establishment of the state apparatus.
The Congress looked into the Political Report of the Party Central Committee; the report on major orientations, tasks and targets of the five-year (1976-1980) plan; and the report on Party building work and adjustment to the Party Statute.
* The Congress decided
- Directions for the socialist revolution in Vietnam in the new period.
Documents of the fourth National Party Congress desribed the victory of the anti-US and national salvation war as the most dazzling milestone in the national history, and a great feat of arms in the world’s history in the 20th century.
The Congress put forth the general directions for the socialist revolution in Vietnam in the new period as follows: firmly grasping the dictatorship of the proletariat, promoting the right to collective mastery of working people; simutanously conducting three revolutions on production relations, science-technology, and idegoly and culture, with the revolution on science-technology as the key; pushing ahead with socialist industrialisation as a central task during the transitional period to socialism; building the socialist collective mastery regime, socialist large-scale production, new culture and new socialist residents; abolishing exploitation, and eradicating poverty and backwardness; upholding vigilance, consolidating national defence, and preserving political security and social order; successfully building a Vietnam of peace, independence, unity and socialism; and significantly contributing to the global struggle for peace, national independence, democracy and socialism.
- Major orientations, tasks and targets of the five-year plan (1976-1980):
Developing and reforming the national economy; boosting scientific-technological development; intensifying ideological and cultural revolutions, and building and developing a new culture; strengthening the socialist state, promoting the role of mass organisations, well performing mass mobilisation; international missions and the Party’s foreign policy; and improving the Party’s leadership and combat capacity
* The Congress approved:
+ A resolution on renaming the Vietnam Workers’ Party as the Communist Party of Vietnam.
+ Supplements to the Party Statute, the replacement of the title “First Party Secretary” by “Party General Secretary”, and a regulation stipulating a five-year term of the Party Central Committee.
- The socio-economic situation in Soviet Union and East European socialist countries faced difficulties, step by step falling into crisis.
The socio-economic reform policy of China (starting from 1978) saw initial positive outcomes.
In Southeast Asia, international hostile forces intensified interference measures to strengthen their domination and influence. Especially, they increased activities to sabotage the Vietnamese revolution.
- Vietnam was in peace but faced a kind of destructive war in many aspects, while standing ready to respond to any situation from which the enemies could wage a large-scale invasion war. The US continued its embargo policy on Vietnam.
The congress listened to a Political Report of the Party Central Committee and many other important reports. They pointed out the subjective and objective reasons behind difficulties and shortcomings. They highlighted subjective reasons – mistakes in economic leadership and management, and social management. The understanding of real situation, as well as the concretization of Party policies also revealed weaknesses and mistakes. Failing to fully realize the difficulties and complexity of the path to socialism from an economy in which small-scale production was popular and a mechanism of bureaucratic and subsidised administrative management was maintained too long, with slow change of policies.
On that basis, the Congress set out main socio-economic directions, tasks and objectives from 1981 to 1985 and for the 1980s, while affirming the continued implementation of the socialist revolutionary guidelines outlined by the fourth National Party Congress.
The Congress defined that one more step forward would be made between 1981-1985, along with the restructuring and the acceleration of socialist-oriented reform of the national economy.
The three aspects should be combined closely together, so as to basically stabilise the socio-economic situation, meeting the most urgent and essential needs in people’s lives, mitigating the most imbalanced areas of the economy, fixing an important part of the abnormalities in distribution and circulation, increasing premises and conditions to move forward more strongly and firmly in the next years.
On this foundation, the Congress outlined the main socio-economic directions, tasks and goals for the 1981-1985 period, and set out two strategic tasks of building socialism and firmly defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.
- The Congress approved:
+ Resolution on the orientations, missions and targets of the five-year plan for 1981-1985 and the 1980s.
+ Resolution on Party building
+ Supplementations to the Party’s Statutes.
The Congress elected a Party Central Committee and re-elected Le Duan as General Secretary of the Party. On July 10, 1986, Party General Secretary Le Duan passed away. The Party Central Committee convened an extraordinary meeting on July 14, 1986, during which Truong Chinh was elected as the new Party General Secretary.
The socialist system in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe fell into crisis and faced serious difficulties. Movements for national independence developed strongly; the Non-Aligned Movement became a massive political force playing an increasingly important role.
The gap between developed capitalist countries and developing countries further widened. The increasingly heavy exploitation by imperialist nations pushed many Asian, African and Latin American countries into extreme poverty and debt. Workers’ movements in capitalist countries saw new development.
The scientific-technological revolution proceeded in a vigorous way, giving a great boost to the workforce and accelerating the internationalisation of the workforces.
- Vietnam continued the building of socialism, collective ownership, a new and socialist economy, culture and people in combination with national defence.
However, the first 10 years of the transitional period, outdated production, war consequences and remnants of the old regime hindered the national development. The country’s advancement was negligible from the too low starting point. The mistakes and shortcomings the country had committed further worsened the situation
The sixth National Party Congress marked an important reform in Party leadership in politics, ideology and organisation work. With the spirit of “looking strait at the truth, accurately assessing the truth and clarifying truth,” the Congress affirmed achievements recorded in the previous term and also pointed out that socio-economic development was bogged in severe difficulties: slow production growth; low production and investment efficiency; ineffective utilisation of natural resources; tangled circulation, troublesome distribution; slow progress in dealing with major economic imbalances, with some even getting worse; slow consolidation of the socialist production relations; the life of people, especially workers and public servants, meeting various difficulties; and increasing social negative phenomena.
Generally, the country had yet to complete the overall target set by the fifth National Party Congress of basically stabilising the socio-economic situation and people’s lives.
Based on the analysis and assessment of the national situation, the Congress had a serious self-criticism itself for its mistakes and shortcomings. Reforming the way of thinking, better recognising the objective rules of the transitional period, inheriting attainments and experience in socialism building in the north and during the first years of national reunification, conducting various research experiments in the reality, the Congress worked out the policy of reform.
The Congress defined: The Party must mature in political leadership, devise and make concrete the guidelines, and work out righteous solutions to emerging issues regarding socialism building and national defence. To strengthen its combative and organisation capacity in reality, the Party needs to reform its way of thinking, firstly in economy and organisation; reform its personnel; and reform its leadership and work styles.
The Congress decided to supplement and amend certain points of the Party Statute, making it match the new situation.
Comprehensively reforming was actually the intention of the Party and an aspiration of the people. The sixth National Party Congress’s Resolution brought into life was the concretisation of major guidelines. The Party and State focused on addressing urgent socio-economic issues and maintaining political stability, and at the same time conducted the reform of various fields in the social life. Reform policies and guidelines brought about initial visible outcomes: the economic situation and people’s living standards were improved, social democracy promoted, and public trust in the renewal process was raised.
The Congress elected the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Nguyen Van Linh elected as Party General Secretary. Comrades Truong Chinh, Pham Van Dong and Le Duc Tho were assigned as advisors to the Party Central Committee.
- The system of the socialist countries fell into a comprehensive and deep crisis. The reform in the Soviet Union encountered various difficulties.
Hostile forces fought against socialism, Marxism-Leninism and communist parties from many aspects in an attempt to eliminate socialism. The Cold War ended. Powers revised strategies and stepped up trend of détente and cooperation.
- After over four years following the Party’s reform policy, Vietnam gained initial important achievements. Due to various difficulties and shortcomings, the country still failed to get out of the socio-economic crisis, and many hot socio-economic issues were yet to be addressed.
Economic blockade and embargo against the country was yet to be lifted.
Vietnam still confronted sabotage activities by hostile forces at home and abroad.
The Congress reviewed the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the sixth Party Congress and adopted a Platform on national construction during the period of transition to socialism; a socio-economic development strategy till 2020; and a Report on Party building and amendment of the Party Statutes.
The Congress acquired initial experiences in conducting the cause of reform. Such included maintaining the orientations to socialism; conducting comprehensive, concerted and full reforms with suitable steps, forms and methods; developing a multi-sectoral economy in combination with strengthening the State socio-economic management; continuing to widely uphold socialist democracy; paying attention to situation forecast, promptly discovering and dealing with new emerging issues in the spirit of persisting the reforms; strengthening practical summarisation and constantly completing the theory on the way of building socialism in the country.
The Platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism was adopted by the Congress, highlighting the socialist features built by the people, basic orientations to successfully build socialism in the country. The Platform affirms that the socialist society built by the people is:
- Mastered by working people
- Having a highly developed economy based on modern production forces and public possession of key production materials.
- Having a modern culture imbued with national identity
- Having people liberated from suppression, exploitation, injustice, following the motto of “From each according to their ability, to each according to their work”, and having a free and well-off life and conditions for full personal development.
- Domestic ethnic groups being equal, united and offering mutual support for progress.
- Enjoying relations of friendship and cooperation with peoples from all the countries worldwide
The Congress elected the Party Central Committee and Do Muoi as Party General Secretary. Nguyen Van Linh, Pham Van Dong, and Vo Chi Cong served as advisors to the Party Central Committee.
- The socialist systems in the Soviet Union and East European countries collapsed, creating a temporary recession of socialism, but this failed to change the nature of the time, the mankind was still in the transitional period to socialism.
The risk of a world war was rolled back, but armed conflicts, local wars, racial and religious conflicts, arms races, acts of intervention, overthrowing, and terrorism still happened in many places.
The scientific and technological revolution continued developing at a higher level.
The Asia-Pacific region developed dynamically but also had certain latent factors that might cause instability.
- After 10 years implementing comprehensive reforms, the country obtained noticeable successes in multiple fields. The material life of most of the people was improved; democracy promoted; and the people’s trust in the regime, the country’s future, the Party and the State enhanced. The country got out of the socio-economic crisis but had yet to attain solid performance in some aspects.
In foreign relations, Vietnam gained considerable achievements, including the normalisation of ties with the US (July 1995) and the joining into ASEAN (July 1995), thus helping raise its stature in the international arena.
The Congress reviewed the 10 years of implementing comprehensive reforms and the five years of implementing the resolution of the seventh National Party Congress; devised goals, orientations and solutions for promoting national industrialisation and modernisation; and supplemented and amended the Party’s Statutes.
The congress assessed that the reforms carried out in 10 years harvested significant achievements. The tasks set by the seventh National Party Congress were basically fulfilled. The country got out of the socio-economic crisis but had yet to attain solid performance in some aspects. The task for the initial phase of the transitional period, which was preparing preconditions for industrialisation, was basically completed, enabling the switch to the next phase – stepping up national industrialisation and modernisation. The way to socialism in Vietnam had been further clearly defined.
After looking into the world’s situation, opportunities and challenges, the Congress defined that the target of industrialisation and modernisation was building Vietnam into an industrialised country with modern material-technological infrastructure, a reasonable economic structure, progressive production relations that matched the development level of production forces, high material and spiritual living standards, firm defence – security, rich people, a strong nation, and an equal and civilised society.
The event worked out development directions for key areas: developing and shifting the economic structure towards industrialisation and modernisation; policies for economic components; pushing ahead with the reform of economic management mechanisms; developing science – technology, education – training; building an advanced culture deeply imbued with national identity; policies for solving some social issues; defence and security; the foreign policy; promoting the great national unity and bringing into play the people’s mastery; and continuing the reform of the State apparatus, the building and perfection of the state of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
It also specified Party building orientations and tasks so that the Party would be able to meet requirements in the new period. They included firmly maintaining and enhancing the Party’s nature of the working class; strengthening cadres and Party members’ political mettle, virtue and capacity; consolidating the Party in terms of organisation and seriously complying with the democratic centralism principle; paying attention to developing the contingent of cadres; improving Party units’ combat capacity; pressing on with reforming the Party’s leadership methods; and reforming the Party’s inspection and disciplinary activities.
The congress elected a 170-strong Party Central Committee with Comrade Do Muoi re-elected Party General Secretary. Nguyen Van Linh, Pham Van Dong and Vo Chi Cong served as advisors to the Party Central Committee.
At its fourth meeting in December 1997, the Party Central Committee accepted Do Muoi’s offer to resign as Party General Secretary and elected Le Kha Phieu to this post. It honoured Do Muoi, Le Duc Anh and Vo Van Kiet as advisors to the Party Central Committee.
- As the 20th century ended and the 21st century began, global integration took place strongly.
Bilateral and multilateral relations among nations have been expanded and deepened in various areas.
The scientific-technological revolution, especially information and biological technologies, continued to make great strides, becoming a direct production force that drove the knowledge-based economy, accelerated economic restructuring and caused deep changes in all social fields.
- Important achievements gained during 15 years of reform created a new posture and driving force for the country’s Doi Moi (renewal) cause. Additionally, we also faced challenges such as lagging further economically behind many countries in the region and the world, deviating from the socialist direction, and the threat of corruption and bureaucracy and “peaceful” evolution caused by hostile forces.
The Congress reviewed the Party’s 71-year leadership of the Vietnamese revolution, the five-year implementation of the Resolution adopted by the eighth National Party Congress, the 15 years of national renovation, the 10-year implementation of the socio-economic development strategy, in order to draw lessons, thereby developing and perfecting guidelines and outlining a national development strategy for the first two decades of the 21st century. It also devised Party building orientations and tasks to meet the nation’s requirements in the new period, revised and supplemented the Party Statute.
The Congress adopted a Political Report entitled “Promoting national power, continuing with reform, speeding up industrialisation, modernisation, building and safeguarding a socialist nation”.
According to the Congress, in implementing the 1991-2000 socio-economic stabilisation and development strategy, we gained great and important achievements. The economy has transformed from a serious lack of commodities to being able to meet essential needs of the public and the economy, from the centralised and subsidized management mechanism to the socialist-oriented market mechanism, from an economy with only two economic sectors - State and collective - to a multi-sectoral economy in which the State economy plays a leading role. Lives of people from walks of life improved. The country has emerged from a socio-economic crisis and economic embargo, expanded external relations and proactively integrated into the world economy.
About experiences after 15 years of reform, the Congress pointed out key lessons, including consistently following the goal of national independence and socialism on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. The Doi Moi process must be based on people and for their interests, suit reality and combine the national strength with the era’s power. The Party’s sound policy is a decisive factor for the success of the Doi Moi cause.
Regarding socio-economic development guidelines, the ninth Party Congress highlighted the need to step up industrialisation, modernization and build an independent and self-reliant economy to turn Vietnam into an industrialised country; give priority to developing production forces and building production relation that suits the socialist orientations; fully tap internal strength while mobilizing external resources and proactively integrating into the world economy for rapid, effective and sustainable development; develop the economy in combination with culture to gradually improve material and spiritual lives of people, ensure social progress and fairness, protect and improve the environment; combine socio-economic development with national defence-security strengthening.
The 2001-2020 socio-economic development strategy aims to bring the country out of underdevelopment status, significantly improve material and spiritual lives of the people, and lay the foundation for Vietnam to become a modernity-oriented industrialised nation by 2020. Human resources, scientific and technological capability, infrastructure, and economic and defence-security strength must be enhanced while socialist-oriented market economic institutions must be basically shaped, and the country’s position on international arena improved.
The Congress elected a 150-strong Party Central Committee. Nong Duc Manh was elected as Party General Secretary.
- Economic globalisation created development opportunities but also contained many factors of inequality, posing considerable difficulties and challenges to countries, especially developing nations.
Economic and trade competition among countries became increasingly fierce.
Local wars, armed, racial and religious conflicts, arms races, intervention and overthrowing activities, separatist activities, terrorist acts, and disputes over borders, territories, seas, islands and natural resources continued in many places in an increasingly complicated manner.
- Inside the country, after 20 years of reforms (1986-2006), Vietnam’s stature and strength grew more and more strongly. The expansion of external relations, the proactive and active international economic integration, and the maintenance of a peaceful environment created many favourable conditions for the country to push on with reforms and boost socio-economic development faster.
However, the country was also facing a number of major challenges: the risk of lagging further behind many countries in the region and the world in terms of economy; the degradation of political mettle, thought, morality and lifestyle of some cadres and Party members; hostile forces’ continued implementation of the plot of “peaceful evolution” and triggering riots in an attempt to change the political regime in Vietnam.
The congress reviewed, made objective and comprehensive assessments of achievements, weaknesses and shortcomings, pointed out lessons during the implementation of the 9th National Party Congress’s resolution, and looked back on the 20 years of Doi moi (reforms). Basing on that, the congress further developed and perfected guidelines and viewpoints, specified national development orientations, targets and tasks for 2006-2010, along with Party building orientations and tasks, and supplemented and amended the Party’s Statutes.
The Political Report adopted at the congress was themed: “Improving the Party’s leadership and combat capacity, bringing into play the strength of the whole nation, comprehensively promoting reforms, and soon lifting the country out of the underdeveloped status.”
The congress affirmed that over the last 20 years, thanks to efforts by the entire Party, people and army, the country’s reforms attained substantial and historic achievements. Vietnam weathered the socio-economic crisis and underwent fundamental and comprehensive changes. The economy grew relatively fast; the industrialisation, modernisation and development of a socialist-oriented market economy were promoted; and people’s living standards were improved considerably. Besides, the political system and the great national unity bloc were reinforced, the political and social situation was kept stable, defence and security were firmly safeguarded, and the country’s standing in the international arena increasingly improved. The combined strength of Vietnam grew greatly, creating a new stature and strength for the country to keep moving forwards with bright prospects.
The awareness of socialism and the path to socialism was increasingly promoted while a system of theoretical viewpoints on “Doi moi”, a socialist society and the path to socialism in Vietnam took shape.
The congress adopted national development targets and orientations for 2006-2010: Improving the Party’s leadership and combat capacity, bringing into play the strength of the whole nation, comprehensively stepping up reforms, mobilising and optimising every resource for national industrialisation and modernization; developing culture; realising social progress and equality; enhancing defence and security, expanding foreign relations; proactively and actively integrating into the world economy; firmly maintaining political and social stability; soon lifting Vietnam out of the underdeveloped status; and creating the foundation for the country to become a modernity-oriented industralised nation by 2020.
The congress elected the Party Central Committee with 160 official members and 21 alternate members. Nong Duc Manh was re-elected Party General Secretary.
- At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the world situation was complicated and unpredictable.
Although peace, cooperation and development remained the major trend, local wars, armed conflicts, terrorism, socio-political instability, and sovereignty and territorial disputes, especially those in the East Sea, were still complicated.
Natural disasters, epidemics, energy crisis, environmental pollution and climate change became serious problems on a worldwide scale.
The financial crisis in the US spread, turning into a global financial crisis and economic depression.
- After 25 years of renewal, 20 years of implementing the Platform on National Construction in the Period of Transition to Socialism, and 10 years of realising the socio-economic development strategy for the 2001-2010 period, the country succeeded to emerge from the underdeveloped status, the national strength was improved in all aspects, national independence, self-reliance and the socialist regime were maintained, and Vietnam’s position and prestige in the international arena was enhanced.
Vietnam became a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2006.
However, hostile forces continued their sabotage activities and riot incitement, and stepped up "peaceful evolution" activities.
The congress made assessments and drew lessons from the implementation of the resolution adopted by the 10th National Party Congress, socio-economic tasks in the five-year period (2016-2010), the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Strategy (2001-2010) and the 1991 Platform for National Construction in the Period of Transition to Socialism. On this foundation, the congress decided to supplement and develop the 1991 Platform, outlined a 10-year Socio-economic Development Strategy (2011-2020), set out the orientations, targets and tasks for five years (2011-2015), and adopted the supplemented and revised Party Charter along with many other important documents.
Commenting on the implementation of targets and tasks set by the 10th National Party Congress, the congress agreed that the whole Party and people exerted efforts and made important achievements, including effectively responding to complicated developments in the global and domestic economic situation; basically maintaining a stable macro-economy; sustaining a fair economic growth rate with development seen in all sectors, and expanding scale of the economy. The living conditions of people continued to be improved, the socio-political situation was stable, and defence and security were strengthened. National independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity were firmly safeguarded. External relations and international integration activities were expanded, raising the country’s position and prestige in the world arena. Progress was seen in democracy promotion, while the national great unity bloc continued to be reinforced. The building of the Party and the political system enjoyed positive results.
The congress defined the general targets for the five-year period (2011-2015) as follows: continuing to enhance the leadership and combat capacity of the Party; comprehensively promoting the renewal cause; building a pure and strong political system; promoting democracy and the strength of the national unity bloc; developing the economy in a fast and sustainable manner; improving the living conditions and spiritual life of people; maintaining political and social stability; expanding foreign relations activities; firmly safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unification, and territorial integrity; creating the foundation for the country to basically become a modernity-oriented industrialised country by 2020.
The Party’s Platform on National Construction in the Period of Transition to Socialism (which was supplemented and developed in 2011), which was adopted in the congress, affirmed that advancing to socialism is the aspiration of the Vietnamese people and a correct choice of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, which is in line with the development trend of the history.
The socialist society that Vietnamese people are building is a society with rich people, strong nation, democracy, equality and civilization, having a highly developed economy basing on modern production forces and progressive and suitable production relations, a modern culture imbued with strong national identity and people living in prosperity, freedom and happiness and enjoying conditions for comprehensive development. All ethnic groups in the country are equal and unite with solidarity, mutual respect and mutual support for common development. The society has a socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, for the people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and has friendly and cooperative relations with countries in the world.
The congress elected the 11th Party Central Committee with 175 official members and 25 alternate members. At the first session, the 11th Party Central Committee elected a Politburo with 14 members, and a Secretariat with four members. Nguyen Phu Trong was elected as the Party General Secretary.
At the seventh session of the 11th Party Central Committee, held from May 2-11, 2013, two members were supplemented to the Politburo, while one added to the Secretariat.
- In the world, peace and development cooperation remained the major trend, but extreme nationalism and ethno-religious conflicts as well as terrorist activities still continued to increase. World powers strengthened their military might and strategic competition in the region became more fiercely.
The global economy showed slow and unequal recovery with many difficulties.
- Inside the country, through the 30 years of implementing the reform cause, the five years of the Platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011) and the Strategy on socio-economic development in the 2011-2020 period, the country recorded plenty of significant achievements with historical importance, affirming that the reform policy of the Party was right and creative, and the path to socialism in Vietnam was suitable to the reality in the country as well as the development trend of the history.
However, the reforms were yet to be concerted and comprehensive. The implementation of some socio-economic goals was behind the target, and many parts of the goals of turning the country into a basically industrialised and modernity-oriented country in 2020 were not reached.
The degradation in political ideology, morality and lifestyle seen in a no minor contingent of Party officials and members, and the evils of bureaucracy, corruption and wastefulness were not rolled back.
With the theme of “Strengthening the building of the Party into pure and strong; promoting the strength of the whole nation and socialist democracy; comprehensively and concertedly accelerating the cause of reform; firmly safeguarding the Motherland, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; striving to turn Vietnam into a basically industrialised and modernity-oriented country at an early date”, the congress discussed and comprehensively evaluated the outcomes of the implementation of the resolution released at the 11th National Party Congress, the five-year socio-economic development tasks of 2011-2015, and reviewed the 30 years of reform.
The congress agreed that in the 2016-2020 period, it is crucial to focus on leading and directing the effective implementation of major tasks as follows:
- Strengthening the building and purification of the Party; preventing and fighting the degradation in political ideology, morality, lifestyle and signs of “self-evolution” and self-transformation” inside the Party. Focusing on the building of a contingent of officials, especially those at the strategic level who are capable, qualified and reputable, on a par with their duties.
- Building and organising the apparatus of a streamlined and effective political system; stepping up the fight against corruption, wastefulness and bureaucracy.
- Concentrating on the implementation of solutions to raise the growth quality, labour productivity and the competitiveness of the economy. Continuing to effectively implement strategic breakthrough in three areas (completing the socialist-oriented market economic institution; basically and comprehensively renovating education-training and developing human resources, especially high quality human resources; and building modern and synchronic infrastructure system), restructuring the overall and concert the economy in line with the reform of the growth model; speeding up the national industrialisation and modernisation with a focus on the industrialisation and modernisation of the agricultural sector and the rural areas in association with the building of new-style rural areas. Focusing on dealing with the restructuring of State-owned enterprises as well as the restructuring of State budget, tackling bad debts and ensuring safety for public debts.
- Resolutely and persistently struggling to firmly protect independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Motherland; maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development; ensuring national security, social order and safety. Extending and deepening external relations; taking advantage of opportunities, overcoming challenges, and effectively implementing international integration in new conditions, continuing to improve the country's position and prestige at the international arena. and
- Strongly attracting and promoting all the creativeness and resources from the people. Improving the people’s material and spiritual life, effective solving urgent problems; strengthening social development management, ensuring social security and human security; improving social security and welfare, and promoting sustainable poverty reduction. Bringing into play the people's mastery and promoting the strength of great national solidarity.
The congress elected the 12th Party Central Committee comprising 180 official and 20 alternate members. At the first session, the Party Central Committee elected a 19-member Political Bureau with 19 members, along with a Secretariat with three. Nguyen Phu Trong was re-elected as the Party General Secretary.
At the sixth plenum of the 12th Party Central Committee from October 4-11, 2017, two more officials were elected to the Secretariat. At the seventh plenum of the 12th Party Committee from May 7-12, 2018, two more others were elected to the Secretariat.
In the world, the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading out at a dizzying speed, pushing many countries into a dual crisis on health and economics. It has caused intensive and extensive impact on all aspects of the socio-economic life, changing the methods of working, living and communicating of the people, and forcing the world to adapt to the new normal state. According to the International Monetary Fund, under the adverse impact of the pandemic, the global economic growth is estimated to fall by 4.4 percent in 2020. Lockdown and border shutdown measures to contain the pandemic have stagnated trade and interrupted supply chains, resulting in a wave of bankruptcy around the world, especially in the fields of aviation, tourism and retail sale.
After eight years of negotiations, on October 15, 2020, the 10 ASEAN member states and five partners signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, creating the world’s largest free trade market with 2.2 billion consumers, accounting for more than 30 percent of the world population and 30 percent of global GDP, or around 27 trillion USD. RCEP is a comprehensive and high-quality trade deal, opening up new opportunities for multilateral trade cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, creating an important motivation to boost recovery and growth of the world economy which is receding under the COVID-19 pandemic impact.
Inside the country, thanks to efforts and the high determination and will of the entire Party, people and army, Vietnam has gained important achievements in all fields over the past five years, especially in 2020, in the context that the regional and world situations are developing in an unpredictable and rapid way under the serious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedentedly serious floods and storms in the central and Central Highlands regions.
Vietnam is rated as one of the 10 countries recording the highest economic growth in 2020, with an average GDP growth rate of 5.8 percent in the past five years. The fields of socio-culture, health, education, and science and technology have continued to develop and see progress in various fields, with the poverty rate being brought from 10 percent in 2015 down to 3 percent in 2020. Diplomatic relations and international integration have also gained important successes, contributing to improving Vietnam’s position in the regional and international arena.
In 2020, Vietnam successfully organised the ASEAN Chairmanship Year and the AIPA Chairmanship Year, and performed active moves as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2020-2021 term.
Particularly, in the year, the COVID-19 pandemic had huge impact on the country, causing serious socio-economic losses. Thanks to the bringing into play of the strength of the national great solidarity and the superiority of the socialist regime, the concerted, resolute and effective engagement of the entire political system under the leadership of the Party, and the support from the people, Vietnam has gradually well controlled the pandemic; step by step recovered production and business; stabilised the life, thus helping consolidate people’s trust in the Party, State and the socialist regime; and affirmed the mettle, will and fine tradition of the Vietnamese people and nation.
Congress’s content
The 13th National Party Congress has the theme of “Strengthening the building and rectification of the Party and the political system into purity and strength; rousing the will and determination for national development and promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc in combination with the power of the era; continuing to comprehensively and synchronously accelerate the cause of reform; constructing and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; and striving to turn Vietnam into a developed, socialist-oriented nation by the middle of the 21st century”.
The congress is held at a time when the entire Party, people and army have successfully realised many guidelines, targets and tasks set in the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress, reaped various very important and relatively comprehensive achievements and left many deep imprints; and helped signify the great achievements of historical significance gained during the 35 years of renewal, the 30 years of implementing the 1991 Political Platform, the 10 years of implementing the 2011 Platform, and in the implementation of the 2011-2020 Socio-economic Development Strategy. There also remain shortcomings and weaknesses which need to be addressed in the next five years to realise the aspiration of a powerful and prosperous Vietnam by 2045.
In this context, the 13th Congress holds a great historical responsibility for the Fatherland, the people and the nation not only in the next five years, but also in the subsequent decades and for the future generations. With the viewpoint of looking strait to the truth, speaking the truth, renewal, integration and development, bringing into play the tradition of solidarity, joint effort and will, persisting with the trust on Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh ideology and the way selected by the Party and beloved Uncle Ho, the Congress is assigned to review the 35 years of the renewal process, the 30 years of implementing the 1991 Political Platform, the 10 years of implementing the 2011 Platform, and the implementation of the 2011-2020 Socio-economic Development Strategy, and to set out socio-economic development orientations and tasks for 2021-2025 (the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the south and national reunification), and targets and orientations to 2030 (the centenary of the Party) with a national development vision to 2045 (the centenary of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). These will be important milestones in the development process of the Party, the nation and the people, which hold the significance of national development orientations and strategic vision in the new era.
At the same time, the Congress deeply and comprehensively reviews the Party building and the leadership of the 12th Party Central Committee, defines orientations and tasks of Party building in the new tenure; assesses the implementation of the Party Statute and especially elect the 13th Party Central Committee with really exemplary members in terms of political quality, revolutionary ethics, leading capacity, mettle and wisdom sufficient to meet the rising requirements of the renewal cause, and to direct the implementation of the great, heavy, but glorious missions assigned by the Party, State and people in the time to come.
With the motto of “Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Creativeness - Development”, the 13th National Party Congress demonstrates the mettle, unyielding will and determination of the whole nation to advance forwards, for the goal of wealthy people, a strong, democratic, equal and civilised nation./.
The 13th National Party Congress has the theme of “Strengthening the building and rectification of the Party and the political system into purity and strength; rousing the will and determination for national development and promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc in combination with the power of the era; continuing to comprehensively and synchronously accelerate the cause of reform; constructing and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; and striving to turn Vietnam into a developed, socialist-oriented nation by the middle of the 21st century”.
The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has the theme “Enhancing Party building and rectification work for a strong and clean Party and political system; stirring aspirations for national development and boosting the willpower and strength of the national solidarity bloc in combination with the era’s power; continuing to promote synchronously and comprehensively the Doi Moi cause; building and firmly protecting the Fatherland, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; striving to turn the country into a socialist-oriented developed nation by the middle of the 21st century.”
The Congress approved important documents: the Political Report; a report on the implementation of the socio-economic development strategy for the 2011-20 and the building of a new one for the 2021-2030 period; a report evaluating the implementation of socio-economic development tasks during the five-year period from 2016 to 2020, and setting orientations and tasks for the 2021-25 period; a report reviewing Party building work and the enforcement of the Party statute in the 12th tenure; a report reviewing the leadership of the 12th Party Central Committee.
The congress then adopted the resolution with consensus. The resolution affirmed that achievements obtained in the past five years are the fruits of constant and steadfast efforts of the entire Party, people, and army throughout many tenures, contributing to the country’s major and historic accomplishments after 35 years of “Doi moi” (Renewal) policy. The resolution said the achievements during the 35 years of Doi moi and 30 years of implementing the 1991 Platform, especially the 10 years of the Platform supplemented and developed in 2011, have continued to affirm that the path to socialism in Vietnam matches the reality in the country and the development trend of the era, and that the Party’s clear-sighted leadership is the leading factor determining the success of Vietnam’s revolution. Amid fast and complicated developments in the global situation, the Party’s Platform remains “the flag of ideology, the flag of combat, the flag gathering the great national solidarity” for the goal of rich people, strong nation and an equitable, democratic, and civilised nation. The resolution also highlighted three strategic breakthroughs, which are completing synchronous institutions for development; developing human resources ;and building a uniform and modern socio-economic infrastructure system.
Specific targets are as followed:
- By 2025, Vietnam is a developing nation with modernity-oriented industry and surpasses the low-middle-income level.
- By 2030, Becoming a developing nation with modern industry and upper-middle-income level.
- By 2045, Becoming a developed nation with high-income level.
The congress elected the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee with 200 members, including 180 official and 20 alternate members. The 13th Party Central Committee convened its first plenum and elected a Politburo comprising 18 members.
Also at the plenum, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee in the 12th tenure Nguyen Phu Trong was re-elected as General Secretary of the Party Central Committee in the 13th tenure with very high consensus. The 13th Party Central Committee’s Secretariat comprised of a number of Politburo members assigned by the Politburo, along with five members elected at the first plenum.
The new Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission has 19 members, with Tran Cam Tu re-elected as its head.
With the motto "Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Creativity – Development, the Congress showed the mettle, indomitability and determination of the entire nation for the goal of rich people, strong nation and an equitable, democratic, and civilised nation.
State President Luong Cuong highlighted the need to build a strong political system at all levels, ensure firm national defence, maintain political stability and social order and safety, enhance effectiveness of foreign affairs, and improve living standards, especially for ethnic minorities and residents in remote or disadvantaged areas.
