Party must seize opportunities to propel national development in new era, says scholar

Marking 95 years of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 3, 1930 – 2025), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Cuong, deputy head of the Institute of Party Building under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, granted an interview to VOV.VN highlighting the CPV’s major milestones and requirements for it to lead the country in the new era. Following is the full text of the interview.

The 95-year journey and historical milestones

VOV: Throughout the 95-year history of its establishment and development, the CPV has left many significant marks. So what do you think are the most outstanding achievements of the Party in recent terms?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Cuong: It’s true that over the past 95 years the Party has left many indelible marks on the nation’s history. Since its establishment, the Party has led the Vietnamese revolution to create the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1945, and guided the country from one victory to another, from the world-renowned Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954 to the liberation of the South and national reunification in 1975.

It’s worth remembering that the CPV initiated the Đổi Mới (Renovation) process at the sixth National Party Congress in 1986, and thanks to the reform policy Vietnam has undergone a significant transformation, rising to stand alongside other nations worldwide.

Another key milestone was during the period of crisis when the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe caused doubts, confusion, and concern among many, hostile forces took pleasure in predicting Vietnam’s imminent downfall. However, with unwavering confidence and determination, the CPV persisted in implementing the 1991 Platform on national construction in the transitional period which was later supplemented and developed further in 2011.

In addition, the Party adopted an open foreign policy, breaking through the siege and embargo. From a country that was once isolated and sanctioned, Vietnam now has diplomatic relations with almost all countries and territories, including major powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as neighbouring countries.

Another highlight of the past two terms is the Party’s long-term vision, extending beyond a single term to a 50-year outlook. The goal is to become a developing country with a modern industrial and upper-middle income economy to mark the Party’s 100th anniversary by 2030, and a developed, high-income economy to celebrate 100 years of its modern state. These aspirations have been recognized globally.

Domestically, a significant achievement is Vietnam’s resilience in overcoming challenges posed by natural disasters, storms, and pandemics. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam managed to maintain positive economic growth while the global economy contracted. When facing super typhoon Yagi, not only did we overcome the disaster, but we also witnessed the strong spirit of unity and mutual support among our people. These are major accomplishments acknowledged by both the world and our citizens.

We have also launched a campaign against corruption and misconduct, which was recently expanded by General Secretary To Lam to include the fight against wastefulness. This effort has yielded remarkable results, becoming an irreversible trend and a nationwide movement.

Looking ahead to the 14th National Party Congress in 2026, the Party is reviewing 40 years of the Đổi Mới policy to gain new insights. The Party remains committed to Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and the theoretical foundation of the Đổi Mới process as guiding principles for action.

Another significant achievement is the Party’s ability to maintain political stability, ensuring continuity while following the principle that economic reform is a prerequisite for stability and gradual political reform in an appropriate manner.

Party must seize opportunities to propel national development

VOV: Vietnam is entering a new historical era, the era of national advancement, that poses urgent demands for a strong renewal of the Party’s leadership methods. What key measures should be taken to enhance the Party’s leadership and governance capacity to ensure Vietnam’s steady progress into this new era?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Cuong: First and foremost, we must reaffirm that the correct leadership of the CPV is the decisive factor behind all revolutionary victories. The great achievements since the Party’s founding demonstrate that it is worthy of the people’s and history’s trust in fulfilling its responsibilities.

To further strengthen the Party’s leadership and governance capacity, we must implement a series of coordinated measures. Specifically, the Party must enhance its political capabilities, intellectual capacity, and strategic vision. This is crucial because, as the sole ruling Party, both the successes and shortcomings of national development are directly tied to the Party’s leadership. This leadership is expressed through intelligence, decisiveness, and the ability to overcome all difficulties and challenges.

In the past, we faced and triumphed over powerful foreign invaders. Now, in the face of new challenges, the Party must seize opportunities to lead the country into a new era. As General Secretary To Lam has stated, this is a pivotal moment to harness the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Thus, the Party must elevate its intellectual capacity to fulfill its leadership role.

Secondly, we must focus on refining the Party’s leadership and governance methods. In a recent article, General Secretary To Lam emphasized the need to strictly uphold the principle of not overstepping governance boundaries by either micromanaging or neglecting responsibilities.

Thirdly, we must pursue a thorough institutional reform to streamline and optimize the government apparatus for greater efficiency. We have carried out administrative streamlining four times, but results have yet to live up to expectations. Now, the time has come for decisive action. Currently, 70% of the national budget revenue is used to sustain the government apparatus that leaves little room for development. This situation must change.

As President Ho Chi Minh once said, “Gaining independence and freedom is meaningless if people still suffer from hunger and cold. People will only truly appreciate independence and freedom when they have enough to eat and wear.” Therefore, economic development must encompass all aspects of social life. The Party’s leadership must be directed toward making sound decisions that drive economic growth while ensuring that culture remains the spiritual foundation of society. If economic progress is achieved while cultural and moral values decline, it would be a grave issue.

Furthermore, the Party must continue to lead in the areas of national defense, security, and diplomacy. Proactively securing the country before threats arise is essential, while diplomatic efforts must enhance Vietnam’s global standing and attract foreign investment. Importantly, environmental sustainability must not be overlooked in the Party's leadership.

It’s a must to strengthen fight against corruption, wastefulness, misconduct

VOV: Combating corruption, wastefulness, and misconduct is a crucial and ongoing task in Party building. How should this effort be intensified and implemented comprehensively to ensure the Party remains pure and strong?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Cuong: Wastefulness is just as severe as corruption, so the fight against it must be relentless.

Looking back to the time when the anti-corruption and anti-misconduct campaign was first launched, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong then wrote in his book that 93% of the people supported it, meaning this fight has become a public demand.

The Party works solely to serve the nation and its people. Therefore, its leadership in the fight against corruption, wastefulness, and misconduct is driven by the goal of protecting the country’s and citizens' interests. This battle must continue uninterrupted.

To ensure its effectiveness, the first and foremost requirement is achieving consensus in perception. A unified understanding will lead to clarity in action. As President Ho Chi Minh once said, internal enemies do not wield swords or guns, yet they are just as dangerous as external foes. Therefore, we must recognize this as a type of enemy that must be fought and not taken lightly.

It is also crucial to establish regulations and policies to handle officials and Party members who fall into this misconduct. Recently, the Party issued Regulation 144 on revolutionary moral standards for officials and Party members in the new era. In the near future, we will amend the regulations on Party discipline and organizational discipline, and synchronize them with legal frameworks.

Furthermore, the implementation process must be consistent and synchronized. It cannot be the case that one locality performs well while another does not, or that the central government does well while local governments do poorly, or vice versa.

Another important aspect is organizing emulation movements, promoting good examples and noble actions, expanding role models widely, and using positivity to eliminate negativity. It’s important to strengthen inspections and supervision, and enforce strict and uniform discipline in line with the principle of “no restricted zones, no exceptions,” regardless of who is involved.

Finally, the role and participation of the media and the people must be fully utilized. With their support, the fight against corruption, wastefulness, and negativity will certainly yield even better results in the future.

VOV: As we enter 2025, which also marks the time for Party congresses at various levels leading up to the 14th National Party Congress, what do you think the Party should focus on?
Assoc. Prof. Le Van Cuong: 2025 is the final year of implementing the resolutions of the 13th National Party Congress and preparing for the congresses at various levels leading to the 14th National Congress.

I think it is essential to make thorough preparations for grassroots-level congresses. If the grassroots-level preparations are not well made, problems will inevitably arise at higher levels.

With regard to preparations, top priority is given to personnel work. It is no coincidence that in the 13th National Congress, the Party designated personnel work as an independent aspect of Party-building efforts. This is because officials are the root of all affairs - no matter how sound the policies and guidelines are, they will not be implemented effectively if the officials are unqualified. Therefore, we must do personnel work properly and choose the right people.

As we all know, the fight against corruption and wastefulness has been carried out very effectively, receiving public support. However, the lessons from personnel work in this fight must also be revisited. Reality shows that some officials were newly promoted, praised as highly reputable and competent, yet later faced disciplinary action. Only when they were punished did it become evident that their misconduct had existed for years, sometimes from the previous term. This highlights weaknesses in personnel work.

Moreover, the preparation of documents for the congress, even at the grassroots level, must be precise and relevant. In some cases, lower-level resolutions are too general and disconnected from local realities, leading to difficulties in implementation. A resolution may sound good, but if it is too broad and vague, it becomes impractical.

As we move toward the 14th National Party Congress, I believe we must focus on ideological work and widespread communication to help officials, Party members, and the public understand its importance. The Party congress is a crucial event, and it should be turned into a political activity that fosters understanding and alignment with the Party’s direction.

In other words, thorough preparations at the grassroots level are not only a means of selecting, screening, and educating officials but also a way to introduce capable candidates for higher levels. Only by doing well at the grassroots level can we contribute to the success of the higher-level congresses and ultimately the 14th National Party Congress.