People in Cao Bằng Province welcome Party General Secretary Tô Lâm during his working visit to the northern locality on January 28, 2026. VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Nguyễn Khánh Chi

The year 2026 opens as a hinge moment for Việt Nam – the first year of a new Communist Party of Việt Nam term and the point at which the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress begins its real test: turning strategic ambition into action, and vision into measurable change, as General Secretary Tô Lâm has highlighted in an article released on the occasion of the Party’s 96th founding anniversary (February 3, 1930–2026)

The Party leader described the Congress itself as a political milestone that ushers the country into a new era of national development.

After 40 years of Đổi mới (Renewal), the country has achieved accomplishments of historic significance, gaining new strength and stature, fostering renewed confidence, and advancing self-reliance and resilience. With this momentum, Việt Nam confidently opens the door to history, officially entering a new era – the era of the nation’s rise.

Two centuries, one destination

The dawn of this era was particularly heralded by the 14th National Party Congress. Its Resolution sets out exceptionally clear, bold yet feasible overarching goals for the 2026–2030 period, with a vision through 2045: maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; advancing rapid and sustainable national development; comprehensively improving the people’s living standards; and strengthening self-reliance and resilience.

Youths pose for a group photo by Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hà Nội, with festive decorations celebrating the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam in the background. VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Quang

These mindset, vision and strategic decisions enable Việt Nam to advance firmly into the new era, successfully achieving the objective of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle-income by 2030, and fulfilling the vision of a developed, high-income country by 2045.

The Congress sets out the main development goals and targets for 2026–2030, including an average annual GDP growth rate of 10 per cent or higher and GDP per capita of about US$8,500 by 2030.

“The guidelines, policies and strategic decisions adopted at the Congress play a decisive role in shaping the nation’s destiny, aiming to successfully realise the country’s two centennial strategic goals: the 100th anniversary of the Party’s founding and the 100th anniversary of the founding of modern Việt Nam,” said Vũ Văn Phúc, former editor-in-chief of the Cộng sản (Communist) Review in A Historic Moment Ushers the Nation Into a New Era of Development published on February 3.

The Resolution also outlines 12 orientations for national development in 2026–2030. It emphasises continued vigorous renewal of mindset and action, identifying science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as primary drivers of growth.

Associate Professor Trần Lê Hưng, PhD, a lecturer at ESIEE Paris, France – an engineering school of University Gustave Eiffel – said science and technology, innovation and digital transformation would remain the main drivers of development and represent a sound long-term strategy.

“This aligns perfectly with the aspirations of the Vietnamese people, vividly demonstrating the harmony between the Party’s will and the people’s heart,” said Hưng.

“The clear mapping of Việt Nam’s development path, coupled with Resolution 57, issued on December 22, 2024, on strategic breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, has established a vital foundation. It serves as a catalyst for the political system and the public to collaborate, invest in scientific research, and apply innovative ideas to real life, ultimately enhancing labour productivity and improving living standards.”

Nanotechnology Lab of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. Science and technology, innovation and digital transformation would remain the main drivers of development and represent a sound long-term strategy. VNA/VNS Photo

From Resolution to action

For the first time in the history of Party congresses, the 14th National Congress issued an Action Programme accompanying the Resolution, a breakthrough to ensure the Resolution is implemented immediately.

The Action Programme sets out strategic tasks, schemes, projects and initiatives for 2026–2030. It assigns responsibilities, clarifies resources, timelines and conditions for implementation, serving as a crucial basis for all levels and sectors to carry out their duties.

“A very important innovation of the 14th National Congress is the issuance of an Action Programme attached to the Resolution,” said Lê Văn Lợi, PhD, member of the Party Central Committee and president of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

“This reflects a strong shift from policy-oriented thinking to action-oriented thinking, from general orientations to specific tasks and solutions, in line with General Secretary Tô Lâm’s directive to transform political will into concrete actions, to turn decisions into practical results, to match words with deeds, and to carry them through to the end,” Lợi told the scientific conference entitled "Solutions to Bring the 14th National Party Congress’ Resolution into Life" in Hà Nội on February 2.

Sharing the same view, Nguyễn Đức Hà, PhD, former head of the Grassroots Party Organisation Department under the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission, said: “This approach ensures that the resolution does not stop at providing orientations but goes straight into implementation.”

He emphasised that "the guiding spirit throughout the new term is to link words with actions, overcoming the situation where correct resolutions are implemented slowly". All levels and sectors must review, supplement and refine action programmes, clearly identifying priorities, solutions and resources.

At the international press conference held after the 14th National Party Congress, General Secretary Lâm said: “Our greatest weakness is that many correct policies exist, but their implementation has not met requirements. Therefore, these documents strongly emphasise action, heightening the responsibility of each sector, level, Party cadre and member to bring the Party's policies and guidelines into practice quickly, so that people can see and benefit from them, enhancing trust in the Party.

“The Party's goal is to improve the lives of the people; there is no other goal.”

This spirit was reiterated by the Party leader in the article Steadfast under the Party’s Flag (February 2): “The 14th National Party Congress set out major strategic orientations and goals for the period ahead, with strong determination to successfully realise the two centenary objectives. The historic responsibility placed on the entire Party, the people and the army is to translate these goals and aspirations into vivid reality.”

People are the roots

The overarching idea of the documents submitted to the 14th National Party Congress, and the enduring source of the Vietnamese revolution, is that "the people are the roots". The people are at the centre of development, the key actors, the ultimate goal, the driving force and the vital resource for national progress.

“The Party originates from the people, and its strength comes from the people. Therefore, the principle that the people are the roots, the people are the masters has always been emphasised by the CPV throughout its terms.

Even in the previous 13th tenure, one of the five major lessons clearly affirmed this principle, and at the 14th Congress, it was further underscored and deepened,” said Professor Lê Văn Cường, PhD, deputy head of the Institute of Party Building under the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics.

“This deepening is reflected in the Congress’s statement that development must be measured by the happiness of the people, both as the ultimate goal and as the standard of evaluation.

“I am deeply impressed that in his speeches, General Secretary Tô Lâm posed profound, self-reflective questions that compel every delegate and leader, before making a decision, to consider: for whom is this being done, who will benefit, and what obstacles must be removed, so that the final objective is always for the people.

“This spirit vividly reflects President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought: whatever benefits the people must be pursued with utmost effort, and whatever harms the people must be avoided at all costs. In this way, the principle that ‘the people are the root, the people are the masters’ is expressed in a multidimensional manner.”

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency bureau in Ottawa, Canada, Philip Fernandez, a member of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist–Leninist), lauded the CPV’s 14th National Congress for its vision and strategic direction.

Fernandez said "Việt Nam is fully prepared, with the infrastructure and a clear roadmap, to enter a new era of development". He highlighted the 2045 goal of becoming a developed, modern, high-tech, people-centred society where no one is left behind.

He noted that the Congress’s most significant breakthrough was not only meticulous preparation and personnel selection, but also unprecedented participation of diverse social strata, including overseas Vietnamese, in policymaking.

Fernandez said this solidified a historic realisation: the era of the nation’s rise had moved from a strategic choice to an objective necessity.

Lecturer Hưng at ESIEE Paris agreed: “The clear, people-centred orientation has unified millions of Vietnamese hearts in a collective effort to build the nation. With the vision of a rising Việt Nam now within reach, the country is determined to achieve its two centenary goals, starting with the 100th anniversary of the Party’s founding in 2030.”

Call to action

With the Resolution in place and the Action Programme clearly defined, the next step is implementation.

In another article, Forward! Total Victory Will Surely Be Ours!, General Secretary Lâm emphasised: "Entering a new phase, every sound guideline, once adopted, must be carried out with tenfold determination and a hundredfold effort; political resolve must be at its highest, effort at its strongest and action at its most decisive, an imperative arising from the nation’s will and aspiration for development."

Nguyễn Sĩ Dũng, PhD, former vice chairman of the National Assembly Office, said the success of the 14th National Party Congress marked the start of a new era of development: "A new era demands new thinking, innovative approaches and more decisive action."

"When the Party’s vision aligns with the people’s aspirations, and strategic goals are translated into concrete results, the nation will possess the internal strength needed for a major breakthrough," said Dũng.

"Therefore, the 14th National Congress is not just a critical political milestone; it marks the dawn of a new chapter for the country – one defined by greater confidence, sustainability, and a shared ambition to build a strong and prosperous Việt Nam where every citizen enjoys a life of plenty and happiness."

As Việt Nam enters a new term, the challenge now lies in execution rather than vision. With clear strategic goals, an action programme in place and a renewed focus on people-centred development, the coming period will test how effectively political resolve can be translated into real change. — VNS