According to Dr. Le Huu Nghia, member of the Party Central Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine, the experiences of the past 20 years show that the renewal process must serve the people's welfare and develop the people's creative and active roles. The process must recognise reality and always adapt to new developments. "The people's legitimate benefits" are the basis for the foundation of policies and "the people's support" of the Party and State is a standard by which the soundness of policies can be affirmed.

The second lesson is that internal strengths must be developed to a high degree, taking advantage of external forces and combining established strengths with new conditions. Vietnam's renewal process has taken place in the context of the booming science and technology revolution and the developing intellectual economy. Thus, Vietnam needs to actively take advantage of these circumstances for its socio-economic development, and needs to create favourable domestic conditions for developing and applying the world's advanced modern technologies.

Recognising the trend of the economy's globalisation, the Party and State have been active in international economic integration and implemented independent and sovereign foreign policies in concert with the multilateralisation and diversification of the international relations.

Vietnam has to date established diplomatic ties with 167 nations and trade relations with 221 countries and territories worldwide. The country has joined large organisations in the world and in the region such as the Asia Free Trade Area (AFTA), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and is now in negotiations for entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) entry.

Through its foreign relations, Vietnam has been attracting many foreign direct investment (FDI) sources and established credit relations with international monetary organisations like the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The necessity of renewal is that it is comprehensive and synchronous with inheritance, promotion, and existing forms and methods. This is the third lesson that the Party and State have learned. According to the Vietnam Communist Party's viewpoints, the renewal process is an intensive and comprehensive revolutionary cause, which affects all fields of society at all levels and branches and all people.

Over the past years, in concert with economic renovation, Vietnam has gradually renewed the organising and methods of the political system, reorganised the Party, promoted democracy in the Party and improved the Party's leadership of the State and society. The country has built a legitimate state of the people, by the people and for the people; implemented legislative, executive and judicial reforms; renewed local authorities and activities of the Fatherland Front and other socio-political organisations; and promoted democracy in society and the fight against corruption and wastefulness.

During the renewal process, it is necessary to strengthen the Party's leadership and fighting spirit, constantly renovate the political system, gradually perfect the socialist democracy and ensure the people's power.

The last lesson is that the goal of national independence and socialism on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought must be consistently pursued. The reality of the Vietnamese revolution since the Communist Party was set up in 1932, especially during the 20 years of renewal, has proved the value and vitality of the Marxist-Leninist doctrine and Ho Chi Minh Thought. The renewal's success is also a victory for Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in Vietnam.

VNA