Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu: 14th National Party Congress brims with vitality, confidence, and aspiration for national development

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu gave an interview to The World & Vietnam Report on the occasion of attending the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

How does the Ambassador perceive the atmosphere welcoming the 14th Party Congress? How have friends and partners in Japan expressed their interest in this significant event for Vietnam?

On the eve of the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the general atmosphere is marked by seriousness, responsibility, and high expectations. This is a crucial time for Vietnam to reflect on its development journey and to set strategic visions and directions for the new phase amid regional and global uncertainties.

Domestically, preparations have been thorough, demonstrating a commitment to continue renewing, developing rapidly, and sustainably. Streets are adorned with flags, flowers, and vibrant banners to welcome the 14th Congress. Vietnamese citizens are enthusiastic and confident in the Communist Party's sound leadership amid rapid and unpredictable global changes.

For friends and partners in Japan, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is followed with special interest. Japanese politicians, scholars, and businesses view it as a long-term guiding event for Vietnam's development policy and investment environment.

Upon learning about the timing of the Communist Party of Vietnam's Congress, many leaders of Japanese parties, such as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Communist Party, and the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), extended their warmest congratulations to the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Japanese party leaders hope that under the leadership of the newly elected Central Committee at the Congress, the Communist Party of Vietnam will make even greater contributions to the country's reform and development and achieve remarkable progress in the new era.

Additionally, many partners in Japan express confidence in Vietnam's stability and consistency in policy, hoping the Congress will introduce decisions that promote reform, green transition, digital transformation, and human resource development. They believe these orientations will lay a crucial foundation for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan to be further strengthened and deepened in the future.

The ceremony for signing cooperation documents between localities and businesses of the two countries within the framework of the Vietnam-Japan Local Cooperation Forum on November 25, 2025, in Quang Ninh. (Photo: Thanh Long)

During the 2020-2025 period, Vietnam has continuously enhanced its position, prestige, and role on the international stage by upgrading relations with many countries, including Japan. Could the Ambassador highlight the achievements and notable milestones in Vietnam-Japan relations since upgrading to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world two years ago?

Since Vietnam and Japan upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the world in 2023, bilateral relations have developed strongly and substantively, leaving many notable milestones.

Firstly, political trust has been consolidated at a very high level, as evidenced by frequent high-level visits and exchanges, with increasingly comprehensive and in-depth cooperation content. Both sides maintain a tight dialogue mechanism, effectively coordinating at regional and international forums, sharing many views on peace, stability, and a rules-based international order.

In terms of economy, Japan remains one of Vietnam's top economic partners. Cooperation in investment, trade, ODA, technology transfer, and infrastructure development has achieved specific results, particularly in high-tech industries, green transition, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

In the field of people-to-people exchange and human resource cooperation, relations are increasingly close with a community of over 700,000 Vietnamese in Japan, along with strong expansion in education, training, labor, and local cooperation.

It can be affirmed that after two years of upgrading the relationship, Vietnam-Japan relations have not only expanded in scope but also improved in quality, becoming a model of reliable, substantive, and mutually beneficial cooperation, contributing positively to regional and global peace and prosperity.

In a world full of fluctuations and challenges, what should Vietnam and Japan do to turn potential into opportunities for cooperation for the benefit of the people of both countries in the next phase?

In a rapidly changing and complex world and regional context, Vietnam and Japan need to be more proactive, flexible, and closely connected to turn potential into specific, practical cooperation opportunities for the people of both countries.

First and foremost, both sides need to continue consolidating political trust, maintaining high-level exchanges and coordination at regional and international forums, thereby creating a solid foundation for comprehensive and long-term cooperation.

The greatest strength lies in the mutual complementarity between the two economies. Vietnam, with a population of over 100 million, a dynamic economy, abundant workforce, and stable political environment, is an attractive destination for Japanese investors. Conversely, Japan brings advanced technology, management experience, and high-quality investment capital, supporting Vietnam's economic development.

Science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation have become new pillars in Vietnam-Japan bilateral relations. The two countries coordinate to ensure supply chains in economy, trade, and investment. Both sides maintain regular high-level exchanges, strengthening trust and orienting the development of bilateral relations.

Culturally, the two nations share many similarities, with a long history of exchanges. The nurturing by generations has created a close and enduring relationship. Nearly 700,000 Vietnamese people working and living in Japan contribute to the socio-economic development of both Japan and Vietnam.

Vietnam and Japan also effectively coordinate at bilateral forums such as the 2 2 Deputy Ministerial-level Diplomatic-Defense-Security Dialogue, multilateral forums at the United Nations, ASEAN , APEC, and ASEM, contributing to enhancing the roles of both countries in the region and the world.

Investment promotion conference into Hung Yen province, Vietnam, in Tokyo, Japan, on October 28, 2025.

Attending the 14th National Party Congress in the jubilant atmosphere of celebrating the Party and Spring, what message would the Ambassador like to convey?

In the jubilant atmosphere of celebrating the Party and Spring, attending the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the Spring of Binh Ngo 2026, as one of the Heads of the Representative Mission on Vietnam, is a great honour and a very emotional experience for me.

The National Congress atmosphere at the beginning of the new year brings a clear sense of the intersection between tradition and future aspirations, between historical depth and the development vision of the country. I am deeply impressed by the spirit of responsibility, unity, and determination for renewal demonstrated throughout the preparation and organization of the Congress. This reflects Vietnam's strong will to continue steadfastly on the path of independent and self-reliant development while proactively integrating deeply with the world.

Attending the Congress in the Spring also evokes trust and expectations for a new development phase of Vietnam – more dynamic, sustainable, and increasingly significant in the region and on the international stage. For me, this is not only a significant political event but also an occasion to more clearly perceive the vitality, confidence, and aspiration for advancement of the country and people of Vietnam.

For me, or any Vietnamese or person of Vietnamese origin, wherever they are, there is an aspiration for a strong, independent, prosperous Vietnam, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's powers, as President Ho Chi Minh always wished. This is the common pride of the entire nation.

What the Party and State have done over the decades, along with the achievements attained, form the basis for belief in the Party's correct path. Each congress is a new milestone, creating new momentum for the country's development.

Similarly, the Vietnamese community in Japan hopes that the 14th National Party Congress will create new breakthroughs to promote great national unity, whereby all Vietnamese people enthusiastically join hands to lead the country into a new era, an era of the Vietnamese nation's rise.

Thank you very much, Ambassador!

The 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam takes place in the Spring of Fire Horse 2026. (Photo: Thu Trang)

Vietnam Embassy in Belarus shares information on the 14th National Party Congress WVR - On January 14, the Vietnam Embassy in Belarus, in collaboration with the Communication Department of the Communist Party of Belarus, organized an information ...

14th National Party Congress: Culture is the 'soft key' to global integration WVR - Culture and people are affirmed as the spiritual foundation and a powerful resource for the sustainable development of the nation.

Optimism over Vietnam's strong progres ahead of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam WVR - I am confident that the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the wisdom of previous congresses, will evaluate the past ...

Brunei partners and friends congratulate the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam WVR - Recently, Brunei partners, friends, and the local Vietnamese community have shown interest in and followed the organization of the 14th National Congress of ...

14th Party Congress’s documents to ignite aspirations for progress: Party official Politburo member Nguyen Van Nen, who is also a standing member of the subcommittee responsible for drafting the Congress documents, said one of the most ...