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| Party General Secretary Tô Lâm responded to media queries at the international conference held following the 14th National Party Congress as the gathering concluded on June 23 in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo |
HÀ NỘI — At the international press conference announcing the outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the Party, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm has answered journalists’ questions on the new features of the Congress, as well as Việt Nam’s participation in addressing global and regional issues.
The newly re-elected Party leader remarked that the new features of the 14th National Party Congress are grounded in inheritance, selective absorption and the crystallisation of lessons drawn from more than 4,000 years of Việt Nam’s nation-building and defence, from the country’s development process, and from nearly a century under the leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.
They also represent the continuation of the Đổi mới (renewal) process initiated and led by the Party. From these historical experiences and traditions, the Party has summarised and drawn many lessons. New development requirements in the new period demand new approaches, thinking and action, which are clearly reflected in the documents of the 14th Congress.
The Congress is tasked with reviewing the new points emerging from 40 years of Đổi mới. This renewal cause will continue and remains the cause of the Party. “If the country is to develop, if the Party is to maintain its leadership role and bring prosperity and happiness to the people, renewal must continue,” the General Secretary stressed.
According to him, the first, most important and easily recognisable new point is renewed thinking in drafting the documents. The Political Report integrates three reports—the Political Report, the Socio-economic Report and the Report on Party Building, which previous congresses usually presented separately – into a unified, comprehensive whole with clear priorities. It is concise, easy to understand, remember and implement. This represents a new way of thinking and a key highlight of this Congress.
The second new point is that the 14th Congress takes place at a particularly important historical juncture, in a new context that requires a new vision – not only for the 14th tenure (2026–2031) but extending until 2045, the 100th founding anniversary of modern Việt Nam.
The 13th Party Central Committee assigned the task of reviewing 40 years of implementing the Platform on National Construction in the Transitional Period to Socialism, which was supplemented and refined in 2011. By 2031, at the end of the 14th Congress’s term, it will be necessary to review the Platform in order to study and formulate a new one that meets the country’s development requirements in the new context.
The General Secretary affirmed that over the past 100 years, following the Party’s line laid out since 1930, Việt Nam has achieved many great accomplishments.
This review is not merely about looking back at history, but about building a vision for the next 100 years – what Việt Nam will look like under the Party’s leadership by 2130.
Another new point concerns Việt Nam’s development needs in the current period, which require fast, effective and proactive growth, making it necessary to build an appropriate development model. Economically, Việt Nam needs a model capable of delivering double-digit growth. “We must achieve double-digit growth to reach the targets; the growth model must be changed,” the General Secretary emphasised.
Deeper and broader integration
Responding to a question from a Pravda journalist – Pravda being the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation – about Việt Nam’s role in addressing global and regional issues, the General Secretary said Việt Nam has elevated the role of international relations and foreign affairs to a new level of importance, on a par with national defence and security. Defence, security and foreign affairs have become critical and regular tasks. This is a new point that previous congress documents and resolutions had not placed at such a level. It underscores the enhanced role and position of foreign affairs and Việt Nam’s growing role in global issues, as the country clearly defines its responsibilities in international affairs.
The General Secretary affirmed: “Our policy is to integrate ever more deeply into global politics, the international economy and human civilisation.” Accordingly, Việt Nam is a responsible member of the United Nations. All countries, large or small, share responsibility for global and cross-border issues such as climate change, natural disasters, pandemics, non-traditional security, food security, cyber security, wars and conflicts.
After 40 years of renewal, reform and development, the Communist Party of Việt Nam has assessed that the country’s potential has changed markedly compared with the past. Việt Nam now has sufficient stature, credibility and responsibility to participate in regional and global issues. The country is increasingly closely linked with global security and development issues and will continue to work with countries and multilateral institutions to address international challenges.
On international security, Việt Nam stands ready to contribute more as a mediator, conciliator and bridge in resolving disputes and conflicts, making practical contributions to peace-building and ensuring security in the region and the world. “In fact, we have done so and are continuing to carry out these tasks,” the General Secretary stressed.
In the development sphere, he said Việt Nam shares the challenges faced by many countries and is willing to share development experience, participate in global poverty reduction efforts, continue fulfilling commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, ensure food security, respond to climate change, and advance green and digital transitions – areas of global concern. The more uncertain the world becomes, the more countries must unite, maintain strong commitments and actively engage in the pillars of regional and international institutions, especially ASEAN, the United Nations and other mechanisms.
“We will continue to contribute and put forward initiatives, and are also ready to consider participating in peace and development initiatives launched by other countries, on the basis of respecting the interests of all relevant parties, complying with international law and the UN Charter, and in line with Việt Nam conditions and capabilities,” the General Secretary affirmed.
Taking the lead in new fields
Answering a question from a reporter of NHK on how to achieve comprehensive and effective international integration amid a world trend of fragmentation and division, the General Secretary said international integration is a crucial issue for national development.
“We believe it is necessary to attach importance to and elevate international integration, viewing it not only as an important driver of development but as one of the leading means to realise the country’s strategic objectives,” he said.
In the new period, Việt Nam will continue to promote international integration, shifting from “receiving to contributing”, from “deep integration to full integration”, and from “a latecomer integrating into the world to a pioneering country taking the lead in new fields”.
He highlighted several integration priorities. To achieve double-digit growth, Việt Nam identifies economic integration as the core, with integration in other fields facilitating economic integration. At the same time, political, security and defence integration must aim to enhance national capacity and stature, alongside strengthening strategic autonomy, self-reliance and resilience.
Thanking the Party General Secretary, Party leaders and domestic and international journalists, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education and Mass Mobilisation Trịnh Văn Quyết affirmed that the press conference announcing the outcomes of the 14th Party Congress was a great success. It served as a media dialogue forum demonstrating the proactive, transparent, responsible and consistent spirit of the Communist Party of Việt Nam in providing timely, accurate and authoritative information on its line, policies and development vision.
“Through frank, open and cordial exchanges, the General Secretary promptly conveyed key new and core contents of the 14th Congress documents, while affirming the very high political determination of the Party, State and people of Việt Nam to successfully achieve the goals of rapid and sustainable development, build a prosperous and happy country, safeguard independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and proactively and effectively deepen international integration,” Quyết noted.
According to him, the substantive and responsible questions raised at the press conference reflected the strong interest of the international community and media in Việt Nam’s development path and its increasingly important position and role in the region and the world.
He added that immediately after the press conference, the Commission would continue to direct relevant agencies to step up information and communication on the 14th Party Congress, ensuring accurate, timely, vivid and persuasive coverage to help consolidate public confidence and enhance international understanding and support for the revolutionary cause of the Party and the Vietnamese people.
He also called on news agencies and media outlets to closely follow orientations and intensify coverage of the objectives, tasks, solutions and action programmes implementing the Resolution of the 14th Party Congress; to convey its spirit, momentum and major strategic decisions to the entire Party, people and armed forces, as well as international friends, thereby fostering consensus and broad dissemination so that people correctly understand, place absolute trust in and unite in support of the Congress’s resolutions, harnessing the strength of great national unity and the valuable support of international friends for Việt Nam’s nation-building and defence in the new era. — VNS
