Cuban Ambassador to Việt Nam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes. Photo courtesy of the embassy

What are your expectations for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam?

The upcoming 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam marks a milestone in the development of Vietnamese society. It will make a very important contribution to the country and also for world affairs.

The Communist Party of Cuba sends wishes for a very successful congress, because this will show the momentum of Việt Nam's development and the starting point of a new era, a new stage for the Vietnamese society.

We think that this congress will mark development for a country that will continue advancements in very important sectors, a transformation from the institutional point of view and also in infrastructure and improving the quality of the workforce.

These three strategic advancements for the future of Việt Nam will be very important in the years to come. We think that the congress will review the last 40 years of the Đổi mới (Renewal) process, which has been very significant for Việt Nam because it laid out all the main contributions for the country's rapid development.

In the near future, Việt Nam will continue developing with double-digit growth. This will be challenging for the leadership and for the people of Việt Nam, but the main foundation for this growth has been already laid out.

The restructuring of Việt Nam's political system and two-tier administrative system, the importance of the new Politburo resolutions for the development of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, and at the same time, all the other key advancements in building the private and State-owned economy are breakthroughs that will establish the new pace of the country's development in the near future.

I think this development will be in harmony with the social development of Việt Nam, and at the same time, will continue to grow in harmony with the environment, which is also a priority for Việt Nam in the new era.

We think that the congress will be very important for the next two decades in Việt Nam. It will establish the main goals to reach Việt Nam's two centennial objectives: to be a developing country with upper-middle income by 2030, and to be a developed country with high income status for the centenary of the foundation of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam [in 2045].

I think all these objectives will be reached. It will be challenging for Việt Nam and its people, but we have the conviction that due to the willingness and unity of the people and the clear goals that have been laid down, these major centennial objectives will be achieved in the future.

How do you think the cooperation between our two countries will be after the congress?

The relationship between Cuba and Việt Nam is a very friendly one. It was founded in the time of our common struggle for liberation and the construction of socialist society in both countries.

Established by our founders, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz and President Hồ Chí Minh, during all these years of our relationship, new leaderships and compatriots of both countries have been strengthening this special relationship, this brotherhood between our countries.

That's why we think after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, this important relationship will continue and strengthen in the future. We will continue exchanges between our high-level leaders of the Party, State and of different governmental institutions. We will continue improving our cooperation in all areas, in all sectors, to look for new avenues for our relationship.

We hope that in the near future we'll continue strengthening, for example, ties in commerce, investment and collaboration.

In the next few years we will be prioritising three areas, including the production of food, and especially the contribution of Việt Nam's experience to the production of rice and other crops in Cuba, using high technology and new methods of economic management.

At the same time, we expect that in energy, and particularly renewables, we will construct some projects in Cuba with the support of Việt Nam, due to our hardships with energy production in our country.

We will also continue working together to manufacture biotechnological products after the creation of a joint venture in Việt Nam for research, production and commercialisation of a range of biotech health care products. These will help improve health care for Cubans and Vietnamese people, and will allow us to trade these products not only in Việt Nam, but also in the region.

To accomplish all of this, we should update the bilateral economic agenda for the next few years. After all the measures that we have been taking in Cuba to facilitate the investment of Vietnamese enterprises in our country, this will be a new milestone in the relationship and in the economic landscape between Cuba and Việt Nam.

Julien Guerrier, EU Ambassador to Việt Nam. VNS Photo Trần Khánh An

From the EU’s perspective, how important is the 14th National Party Congress in shaping Việt Nam's development path and its role in the region over the years ahead, given the crucial junction Việt Nam is at in its journey since establishment? What are your expectations for the congress?

Indeed, the 14th National Party Congress is a pivotal political event for the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the State and the people of Việt Nam. It will review 40 years of Đổi mới (Renewal), 35 years of implementing the Political Platform on National Construction and five years of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

As well as selecting the 14th Central Committee and the new top leadership for the 2026-2030 tenure, it will also decide on the direction the country will take over the next five years, setting out the orientations and tasks for socio-economic development for the 2026-2030 period and defining the goals, directions and long-term vision for national development until 2045.

It is therefore of utmost significance for the country's future development in what General Secretary Tô Lâm has called the “era of nation's rise”, as Việt Nam continues on its path towards being an upper middle-income country by 2030 and a developed, high-income country by 2045.

This is also a time when Việt Nam has taken the stage and its full position in the concert of nations. It can take responsibility as a middle power in Asia and beyond. So it's important for us to see what policy directions the congress will bring, not only for the local development of Việt Nam, but also for its place in the world for the next five years.

What key policy signals or strategic directions will the EU be looking for from the outcomes of the congress, in terms of economy, climate, sustainability or other areas? How might the EU work with Việt Nam in these fields?

As you may already know, the EU has more agreements with Việt Nam than with any other country in ASEAN, covering a range of issues from climate action (with the Just Energy Transition Partnership) to trade (with the EU–Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement) to security and defence (with the Framework Participation Agreement). It is one of the strongest and highest priority partners for us in the region.

We are also in the final stages of upgrading our relations with Việt Nam to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which will serve to deepen our cooperation in many more areas, including transport, infrastructure, clean energy, critical raw materials and the blue economy, among others.

So the EU will be watching closely for signals from the congress on many different issues where we are already cooperating, or where we see an opportunity for new areas of cooperation.

As for foreign policy, highlights in the draft political report to the 14th Congress include identifying two key tasks: strengthening national defence and security, and promoting external relations and international integration. This includes Việt Nam's "responsible participation in addressing common regional and global issues", per the report. What do you think about these changes? 

This is very welcome from our side, and I think it's particularly important for two reasons.

One, the world is going through a very turbulent phase; we see a number of hotspots around the globe. Peace and security are at stake in this region and beyond, and we need to be working together for peace and stability.

Second, we see that the international rule of law, multilateralism, all the pillars of our world order are being challenged. 

And it is in our common interest, Việt Nam and the European Union, to fight for those principles. So, we have common interests. We are very much aligned on international policies, and we believe that middle powers, powers that are attached to the respect of the international rule of law, the UN system, the multilateral trade system, need to join forces to ensure that it develops and prevails.

Are you hopeful for a new Đổi mới (Renewal) in Việt Nam, especially with this congress?

I think we have seen in the past year a number of systemic changes in the organisation of the State, of the provinces and of the economy. This is going in the right direction. It could have a great impact, great both in terms of importance and in terms of positive influence on the future development of Việt Nam. So, the trajectory is very positive, and we hope that the congress will further push in that direction.

What does the EU hope the 14th National Party Congress will deliver for Việt Nam and for EU–Việt Nam ties, especially when an upgrade in relations is potentially imminent?

The development of Việt Nam in the past few years has been very impressive. It is going in the right direction. We have just seen 8 per cent economic growth in 2025, a number of important reforms that are taking place, Việt Nam taking its responsibilities on the world scene politically, but also Việt Nam being much more integrated into value chains, and in particular with other Asian countries and with Europe.

So, what we hope to see is, in one word, continuity. Continuity in this policy direction. Continuity in the very upward trajectory of Việt Nam, of its economy and of EU–Việt Nam relations, which I am hopeful that in 2026 will reach a new level. The EU stands ready to work with Việt Nam to try to overcome internal and external challenges, many of which are common challenges for us all, such as climate change, environmental pollution, demographics, peace and stability and global trade.

James Nickel, Ambassador of Canada to Việt Nam. VNS Photo Trần Khánh An

What do you expect from the upcoming National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam?

I would like to convey our warmest wishes for a successful and productive National Party Congress. I am very excited and feel very privileged to be in Việt Nam at this important moment in the country’s governance.

We expect that the National Party Congress and Việt Nam's leadership will continue the strong momentum already achieved in administrative reform, innovation, economic growth and in international integration. Canada looks forward to continuing our close cooperation with Việt Nam for the benefit of both our peoples, with a shared focus on promoting multilateralism, rules-based trade and a rules-based international order.

This is an important opportunity, a turning point, where we can work together to continue the good work that we’re doing for the people and businesses in both Việt Nam and Canada.

I believe we have shared interests and shared focus on important areas like energy – that's energy security, energy transition – and on climate action, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, and working to build economic prosperity between our two countries.

What do you think our relationship will be after the congress?

Well, I'm very confident that coming out of the National Party Congress, as Việt Nam has its new direction for the next five years, that this will be a wonderful opportunity to further deepen the strong cooperation that we have between Việt Nam and Canada. And that cooperation will focus on prosperity, economic growth, climate change resilience and contributions to a more peaceful and stable world.

These things we can do together. We have shared interests in these areas. And when it gets into some specific areas of cooperation, as I've said before, energy is an important topic for both Việt Nam and Canada.

That's what drives our economic growth. Canada and Việt Nam can cooperate on energy security, energy supply and a transition to clean, green energy. There's a lot that we can do to combat climate change, to ensure that our agriculture, our infrastructure, our livelihoods are adapted to the changes in climate, and that we can mitigate the effects of climate change.

And we can ensure that there are opportunities for people's livelihoods and businesses to grow through mutual cooperation and supporting increased trade, increased innovation, increased investment and a focus on science and technology. All of these areas will help us build a stronger Việt Nam and a stronger Canada. — VNS

The preparatory session of the 14th National Party Congress took place the National Convention Centre in Hà Nội on January 19. The session marks the formal start of the Congress’s working agenda, bringing together representatives from across the country to review organisational matters and finalise procedures ahead of the official opening, which is scheduled to take place on January 20. — VNA/VNS Photo