The Party Central Committee stressed that the principle " principle “the people are the root” must be deeply understood and fully implemented, leaving no room for shallow awareness or execution by halves.

HÀ NỘI — “For the people”, “serving the people”, and “of the people” emerged as prominent keywords and concepts emphasised and repeated in the 13th Party Central Committee's draft political report to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress.

The first significant connection between the draft political report and these keywords stems from the lessons learned during Việt Nam’s 40-year “Đổi mới” (renewal) journey — emphasising that the principle “the people are the root” must be deeply understood and put into practice.

In the draft, publicised on October 14, the Party Central Committee stressed that the principle must be deeply understood and fully implemented, leaving no room for shallow awareness or desultory execution.

“The people are the root” — meaning their central role and position as the true motivation must be fully promoted.

According to the draft report, all guidelines and policies must genuinely stem from the aspirations, rights, legitimate interests, and happiness of the people. It stresses the need to truly trust, respect, and promote the people’s right to mastery; persistently follow the motto of "people know, discuss, do, inspect, supervise, and benefit”; tighten the bonds between the Party and the people; use citizens and businesses' satisfaction as the meter of officials and civil servants' performance; and further strengthen and effectively harness the power of the people and the great national solidarity bloc.

The draft emphasises that the people must remain at the centre of Đổi mới and the key stakeholder of all policies. It also underlines Việt Nam’s socialist model as being built on three pillars: a socialist-oriented market economy, a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people under the Party’s leadership, and a socialist democracy.

The draft report’s opening section reviews the implementation of the 13th Party Congress’s Resolution and Việt Nam’s achievements after four decades of Đổi mới, highlighting significant progress in culture, human development, and social welfare, with steadily improving life quality.

The Party’s and State’s policies on comprehensive human development have become more focused and effective, with talent identification, training, and utilisation showing positive initial results. Việt Nam’s Human Development Index rose 14 places to 0.766 points, placing it among countries with high human development. Meanwhile, its Happiness Index climbed 33 places to rank 46th out of 143 countries.

The Government has fully waived or subsidised tuition fees for preschool children, general education students, and learners in the national education system.

Việt Nam’s economic growth has become more closely linked with ensuring social progress and equity, with the State prioritising resources for social security and human development. The material and spiritual well-being of the people has improved significantly, the draft noted.

Besides, comprehensive and inclusive poverty reduction policies under the motto “leaving no one behind” have delivered fruitful results. The multidimensional household poverty rate fell from 4.4 per cent in 2021 to 1.3 per cent in 2025. By September 2025, all temporary and dilapidated houses had been eradicated nationwide. The number of people receiving regular social assistance has increased continuously, topping 3.5 million people – 55 per cent of them elderly – in 2025.

Việt Nam’s healthcare system has made notable progress, with strengthened cross-facility medical services covered by health insurance. The health insurance coverage expanded, from 90.9 per cent in 2020 to 95.2 per cent in 2025.

The draft report also highlights the Party Central Committee’s high evaluation of mass mobilisation efforts, which helped further tighten the Party – people bond. Party committees at all levels have prioritised dialogue, listened to public opinions, and promptly addressed legitimate concerns and petitions of the people. The people's role in the Party and political system building has also helped reinforce public trust in the Party.

The Party Central Committee particularly emphasised the outcomes of the political system’s organisational reform, noting that the local administration structure is now more streamlined, efficient, and people-oriented.

One of the guiding principles for national development in the 2026–2030 period, as stated in the draft report, is to harness the strength, mettle, and intellect of the Vietnamese people and the great national solidarity bloc, combine the strength of the people with that of the era, enhance the Party and State's close-knit ties with the people, and promote socialist democracy and the people's right to mastery. — VNA/VNS