Hà Nội dazzles with flags and flowers ahead of the 14th National Party Congress. VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

Since its founding, the Communist Party of Việt Nam has convened a series of National Congresses, each marking an important turning point in the country’s revolutionary cause. In recent decades, the Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth National Congresses have set strategic directions for renewal, integration and the new period of national development.

Eleventh National Congress: further enhancing the Party’s leadership and comprehensively promoting renewal

The Eleventh National Congress was held in Hà Nội from January 12 to January 19, 2011. VNA/VNS Photo

The Eleventh National Congress was held in Hà Nội from January 12 to January 19, 2011, with 1,377 delegates representing more than 3.6 million Party members nationwide.

The Congress discussed and adopted the Political Platform for national construction during the transition to socialism, supplemented and developed in 2011, the Strategy for socio-economic development for 2011 to 2020, the report of the Tenth Party Central Committee, the revised Party Statute and a number of other important documents.

These documents provided a profound theoretical and practical summary of 20 years of implementing the Political Platform, 10 years of carrying out the socio economic development strategy for 2001 to 2010 and five years of implementing the socio economic development orientations and tasks for 2006 to 2010.

The Eleventh National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam was held in Hà Nội in January 2021. It adopted the Platform for national construction during the period of transition to socialism. VNA/VNS File Photo

They reflected the collective wisdom, will and aspirations of the entire Party and people, reaffirming, refining and developing the renewal line in the spirit of Marxism-Leninism and Hồ Chí Minh Thought and defining goals and tasks for a new stage of development full of promise and challenges through to 2020 and beyond.

The Congress placed special emphasis on Party building as a crucial task and decisive factor in maintaining and enhancing the Party’s leadership role so that it remains worthy of its position as the vanguard of the working class, the working people and the Vietnamese nation, representing the interests of the entire people.

Nông Đức Mạnh, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee for the tenth tenure, Politburo member Trương Tấn Sang and Politburo member Nguyễn Tấn Dũng congratulate Nguyễn Phú Trọng on his election as General Secretary at the first meeting of the Eleventh Party Central Committee. VNA/VNS File Photo

The Congress elected the Eleventh Party Central Committee with 175 full members and 25 alternates. At its first meeting, the Central Committee elected a 14-member Politburo and a four-member Secretariat. Nguyễn Phú Trọng was elected General Secretary.

Twelfth National Congress: entering an era of integration and development

The Twelfth National Congress took place in Hà Nội from January 20 to January 28, 2016, with 1,510 delegates organised into 68 delegations, the largest number of delegates at any National Congress up to that time. The Congress was convened after 30 years of renewal since the Sixth Congress in December 1986.

On the morning of January 20, 2016, the Twelfth National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam held its preparatory session at the National Convention Centre in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

This was the first Congress at which the Party implemented the scheme on planning the Party Central Committee, Politburo, Secretariat and key leadership positions of the Party and State for the 2016 to 2021 tenure and subsequent terms.

On the basis of this strategic cadre plan, preparations for personnel for the Central Committee, Politburo, Secretariat and key leadership positions were carried out in a rigorous, methodical, scientific and prudent way, genuinely promoting democracy, ensuring discipline and securing high consensus within the Eleventh Central Committee and among Congress delegates.

The Twelfth Congress has been described as a second renewal congress. Building on previous Congress resolutions, its documents introduced many new ideological elements and set out roadmaps, goals and key tasks to promote comprehensive development in politics, economics, culture, society, national defence, security and foreign affairs.

On the morning of January 26, 2016, at the National Convention Centre in Hà Nội, the Twelfth National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam convened in plenary session to elect the 12th Party Central Committee. In the photo, delegates from the Public Security delegation cast their ballots for the 12th Party Central Committee. VNA/VNS Photo

The Party identified socio-economic development as the central task, Party building as the key, cultural and human development as the spiritual foundation and the strengthening of national defence and security as a regular and vital mission.

At this Congress, Party building was given pride of place in the title of the Political Report and listed first among the six priority tasks of the tenure, underscoring the Party’s recognition of the particular importance of Party building and rectification in the new context.

With a strong sense of responsibility, the Congress elected the Twelfth Party Central Committee with 200 members, including 180 full members and 20 alternates. At its first meeting, the Central Committee elected the Politburo, Secretariat and Central Inspection Commission. Nguyễn Phú Trọng was re-elected General Secretary.

Thirteenth National Congress: new stature, new vision, new aspirations

On the morning of January 10, 2021, at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Nam Từ Liêm District, Hà Nội, the Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with the Ministry of National Defence, held a deployment ceremony and rehearsal for security measures to safeguard the 13th National Party Congress. VNA/VNS Photo

The Thirteenth National Congress was held in Hà Nội from January 25 to February 1, 2021, at a time when the entire Party, people and army had successfully implemented the Twelfth Congress resolution and achieved many highly important and relatively comprehensive results. These outcomes highlighted the major achievements of 35 years of renewal, 30 years of implementing the 1991 Platform and 10 years of implementing the 2011 Platform, supplemented and developed the Platform and the socio-economic development strategy for 2011 to 2020.

The Congress drew 1,587 delegates representing more than 5.1 million Party members nationwide. It not only reviewed a 10-year development strategy but also conducted an overall and comprehensive assessment of 35 years of renewal, highlighting outstanding achievements. The Congress reached a consensus assessment that Việt Nam had never before enjoyed such a position, potential, prestige and international standing, a conclusion written into the Congress resolution.

The Congress set out orientations and tasks for the next five years and towards the long term goals of marking the 100th anniversary of the Party and the 100th anniversary of the country. The overall spirit and determination of the Congress reflected the aspirations of Party members and people from all walks of life to build a more developed Việt Nam.

On the second official working day of the 13th National Party Congress on Januart 27, 2021, delegates discussed the Congress documents in the main hall. VNA/VNS Photo

The Thirteenth Congress elected 200 members to the new Party Central Committee, including 180 full members and 20 alternates. At its first meeting, the Central Committee elected an 18-member Politburo. The Thirteenth Secretariat consisted of Politburo members assigned by the Politburo and five members elected at the first Central Committee meeting. With very high consensus, the Thirteenth Party Central Committee re-elected Nguyễn Phú Trọng as General Secretary.

On July 19, 2024, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng passed away, to the boundless grief of the entire nation and many international friends. Throughout his life of dedication to the country and the people, he left a valuable body of thought and theory on the path of the Vietnamese revolution in the new era and was a shining example of studying and following Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, morality and style.

On August 3, 2024, the Party Central Committee elected Tô Lâm as General Secretary. At its seventh session, the National Assembly elected Trần Thanh Mẫn as Chairman of the National Assembly. At its eighth session, the National Assembly relieved Tô Lâm of the position of State President and elected Lương Cường as State President.

The completion of key leadership positions reflected the unity and high determination of the entire Party, army and people to maintain stability and development, laying a solid foundation for entering a new era.

After nearly 40 years of renewal and 35 years of implementing the Platform for national construction during the transition to socialism, the Party’s theory on the renewal line, on socialism and on the path to socialism in Việt Nam has been steadily refined and gradually realised.

In the report of the Twelfth Party Central Committee on the documents submitted to the Thirteenth Congress, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng affirmed: “We have attained great achievements of historic significance, developing more strongly and comprehensively than in the years before renewal. With all due modesty, we can still say that our country has never had such a position, potential and international prestige as it does today.”

In his speech at the ceremony marking the 79th National Day of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam on September 2, 2024,  affirmed that the Party, the State and the people of Việt Nam are striving to accelerate progress and fulfil the Resolution of the Thirteenth Party Congress, as the nation looks towards the 80th anniversary of independence and the 50th anniversary of national reunification.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm. VNA/VNS Photo

The country is determined to realise its development goals for 2030, when it will mark 100 years under the Party’s leadership, and for 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam.

The aim is to make Việt Nam a developed, high income country where people enjoy prosperity and happiness in a secure, safe and peaceful environment and no one is left behind, fulfilling President Hồ Chí Minh’s testamentary wish that “our entire Party and people must strive to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic and prosperous Việt Nam, contributing worthy service to the cause of world revolution.”

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the New Year 2025, General Secretary Tô Lâm affirmed that Việt Nam is now entering an era of national rise, beginning with the historic event of the Fourteenth National Party Congress.

Each era lays the foundations for the next, and each new era inherits and develops the achievements of the previous one, making national independence and socialism ever more closely intertwined. The Party’s will resonates with the people’s aspirations as the country advances into a new era of breakthrough development and accelerated progress, building a prosperous, democratic, equitable, civilised and happy socialist Việt Nam that catches up with, advances alongside and stands shoulder to shoulder with the major powers of the world. VNS

Workers from Hà Nội’s Green Tree Company are assembling ornamental floral displays in front of the National Assembly Building ahead of the 14th National Party Congress. VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

Workers from Hà Nội’s Green Tree Company are assembling ornamental floral displays in front of the National Assembly Building ahead of the 14th National Party Congress.