General Secretary To Lam's closing speech at the 13th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee
WVR - On the morning of October 8, at the Party Central Committee headquarters, the 13th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee held its closing session. The World and Vietnam Report is honoured to present the translation of the speech by General Secretary To Lam at the closing session of the 13th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee.
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| General Secretary To Lam delivering the closing speech at the Conference. (Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
Dear comrades, members of the Politburo, Secretariat, and the Party Central Committee,
Dear delegates attending the Plenum
The 13th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee has successfully completed its agenda. Each issue was meticulously prepared, thoroughly discussed, and resolved with high consensus, including many “backbone” contents directly linked to the success of the 14th National Party Congress, the goals of rapid and sustainable development, and the real improvement of people's lives.
Between the two Conferences, the Politburo worked urgently and decisively, holding 10 meetings, providing opinions on 88 issues, and issuing 16 conclusions to promptly direct and institutionalize the contents of the 12th Plenum of the Party Central Committee and the 13th Congress Resolution in the “accelerating” and “finishing” stages.
The focus is on preparing for the Party Congresses at all levels, moving towards the 14th National Party Congress, prioritizing the Draft Documents and Personnel preparation; preparing for the 16th National Assembly elections and the People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term; renewing Party building and cadre work; issuing standard frameworks for positions managed by the Politburo, Secretariat, and leaders at all levels; quarterly evaluations of the cadre team and the quality of grassroots Party organizations; promoting socio-economic development and caring for people's lives; resolving institutional bottlenecks, perfecting the two-level local government and continuing to streamline the three-level political system, establishing criteria, standards, and classifications for administrative units and urban areas; strengthening anti-corruption, wastefulness, and negativity; consolidating national defense and security; proactively engaging in foreign affairs and integration; effectively conducting information and propaganda work.
This 13th Plenum of the Party Central Committee has frankly, scientifically, and unanimously discussed many important policies and decisions. Four main results can be summarized:
First, the Party Central Committee approved the Draft Documents to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress; agreed on introducing personnel for the 14th Party Central Committee and Central Inspection Commission; provided opinions on the timing, content, program, working regulations, and election regulations of the 14th Congress, ensuring adherence to the charter, innovation, science, efficiency, and practicality. Notably, the Documents are designed to be concise, substantive, clearly orienting breakthroughs in institutions-infrastructure-human resources, digital and green transformation, regional linkage, and developing the country towards autonomy and sustainability.
Second, the conclusion on the Report on the implementation of the socio-economic plan for 2025 was approved; there is a determination to complete the remaining targets of the 2021–2025 Five-Year Plan; laying the groundwork for the socio-economic plan for 2026 and financial-budget 2026–2030 with a spirit of macroeconomic stability, public debt safety, prioritizing development investment, and ensuring social welfare.
Third, clearly identifying institutional bottlenecks that need immediate resolution within the Central Committee's authority; agreeing on a mechanism for periodic monitoring-evaluation, publicizing the responsibility of the head, and encouraging those who dare to think and act for the common good.
Fourth, agreeing on major orientations and methods for organizing the implementation of the conclusions of the 13th Central Committee Conference and the Politburo's conclusions in recent times; establishing the operating principle “Discipline first - Resources alongside - Results as the measure”.
The Central Committee has decided on several issues regarding cadre work within its authority.
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| Party and State leaders and delegates attending the closing session of the 13th Plenum. (Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
The overarching spirit of this Plenum is to take results as the measure, the people as the center, discipline as the foundation, and innovation as the driving force. Through frank, democratic, and responsible discussions, the Central Committee has agreed on the following nine major orientations.
First, thoroughly prepare for the 14th National Party Congress: (i) Continue to supplement and refine the Draft Documents to be concise and profound, reflecting strategic vision, affirming three strategic breakthroughs in the new conditions (institutions-infrastructure-human resources), clarifying digital-green transformation, regional-smart urban linkage, focusing on marine and cultural economies; importantly, quantify targets with clear implementation timelines. (ii) Personnel must ensure quality-capacity-reputation-integrity-efficiency, resolutely preventing those who seek positions, engage in corruption, negativity, lack ambition, or are complacent; emphasize setting examples by leaders, valuing true talent, placing the right people in the right jobs at the right time.
Second, complete and exceed the remaining targets of the 13th Party Congress Resolution, socio-economic development tasks for 2025, and the 2021–2025 Five-Year Plan. Continue to maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation, create room for investment-consumption-exports; accelerate public investment disbursement “right-targeted-fast-effective”; significantly improve the business environment, reduce compliance costs, and implement one-stop public services with interconnected data.
Third, actively prepare for the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly and thoroughly prepare for the 16th National Assembly elections and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term. Review legal frameworks and processes; ensure democracy, discipline, and transparency; proactively plan personnel and organization, so the election truly becomes a broad political activity, strengthening people's trust.
Fourth, perfect the two-level local government model, continue to streamline the three-level apparatus throughout the system. The focus is on digitizing processes, simplifying procedures, expanding decentralization-delegation with accountability, measured by citizen and business satisfaction. Simultaneously, quickly complete the proposal for standards-classification of administrative units, urban classification in a comprehensive, interconnected, feasible manner, creating new development space for grassroots levels, so local governments not only execute tasks and serve the people but also become an endless source of creativity in national development.
Fifth, resolve institutional bottlenecks within the Party Central Committee's authority, focusing on land-investment-construction-environment-energy sectors; clean up the corporate bond and real estate markets, strengthen market discipline and trust; encourage public-private partnerships, technological innovation, unlock social resources, enhance the leading role of the state economy, and promote the role of the private economy in national development.
Sixth, intensify anti-corruption, wastefulness, and negativity with the spirit of “no forbidden zones, no exceptions”, accelerate inspection, investigation, prosecution, and trial of cases under the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Wastefulness, and Negativity; simultaneously protect those who dare to think and act for the common good, tighten Party discipline, to combat more strongly and build more sustainably.
Seventh, maintain national defense and security; be proactive and effective in foreign affairs and integration: steadfast in national and ethnic interests, ensuring territorial integrity, independence, sovereignty; proactively adapt to new trade policies of major partners; diversify markets-products-supply chains; maintain a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and developmental environment.
Eighth, enhance communication, orientation, and information dissemination to strengthen social trust in the protection, construction, and development of the country; focus on communicating new policies, methods, exemplary people, and good deeds. Implement comprehensive propaganda on the implementation of Party Congress resolutions at all levels and the preparation for the 14th National Party Congress.
Ninth, consistently implement the conclusions of the 13th Party Central Committee Conference, the Politburo from after the 12th Party Central Committee to now, and upcoming conclusions. Every task must have clear objectives, timelines, resources, responsibilities, and inspections; report on time; publicly disclose progress and results for public oversight.
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| Closing session of the 13th Plenum of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. (Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
Dear comrades,
To turn major policies into concrete results, we need decisive, transparent, and consistent action. I propose focusing on three priorities - three transparencies - one measure:
Three priorities: (i) Quickly institutionalize the resolutions and conclusions of the Party Central Committee, Politburo, and Secretariat; (ii) Decisively implement according to weekly, monthly, quarterly schedules; (iii) Regularly inspect and supervise, promptly resolve obstacles.
Three transparencies: transparency in progress, responsibility, and results for society to jointly monitor and accompany.
One measure: the living standards and trust of the People. Specifically, better public services, broader job and business opportunities, less time and procedural costs; a more peaceful society, and happier, more prosperous citizens.
For local Party committees and governments, especially at the provincial and city levels: focus on creating substantial changes: (i) From “process” to “results”, every task must have an output product, a responsible address, and a clear completion milestone. (ii) From “strong individual bases, strong individual localities” to “strong by region”; complete planning, connect transport-digital-energy infrastructure, form dynamic clusters, leverage urban economy. (iii) Shift from “caring” to “practical caring”: welfare, healthcare, and education must reach the right people, meet the right needs, at the right time; upgrade worker housing, public services; leave no one behind. Strive for every individual and family to be well cared for both spiritually and materially.
We conclude the 13th Plenum program with new momentum, new confidence, and new responsibilities. Great opportunities are opening up: positive results in 2025, a smoothly operating three-level government model, post-restructuring development spaces complementing each other, and seven strategic resolutions by the Politburo paving the way. At the same time, challenges are not small: strategic competition, international policy changes, climate change, and the demands of digital and green transformation. Courage, intelligence, and aspiration will help us overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and develop the country day by day.
I urge each Party Central Committee member to continue setting an example, “speak less-do more-decisive-effective”; resolutely avoid formalism, dogmatism, and buck-passing. Let us together maintain discipline, unlock resources, innovate, accelerate implementation to create breakthroughs from the last months of 2025 and lay a solid foundation for entering 2026 and the following years.
On behalf of the Politburo and the Secretariat, I sincerely thank the Party Central Committee members, assisting agencies, service teams, and journalists from news agencies and press for working with high responsibility, contributing to the overall success of the Plenum.
With unwavering faith and high determination, I declare the Closing of the 13th Plenum of the 13th Central Committee of the Party. I urge comrades to promptly implement the Plenum conclusions; thoroughly prepare for the 14th Party Central Committee Conference and especially the 14th National Congress of the Party.
Given the very complex weather developments recently, I extend my condolences for the losses in lives, health, and property of the people in storm and flood-affected areas and commend the Government, agencies, localities, military forces, police, youth, and relief organizations for their efforts, sacrifices, and fearlessness in rescuing people, protecting state and people's property, and promptly overcoming difficulties in recent localities.
I urge Party Central Committee members, especially local leaders, to urgently focus on directing the prevention and mitigation of the consequences of storms, floods, landslides, and severe inundation occurring in many places, especially after Typhoons No. 10 and 11. Mobilize the entire political system, armed forces, and people to protect lives and property, ensuring no one is hungry, homeless, or without medical care; focus on overcoming difficulties so students can return to school as soon as possible. Simultaneously, proactively prepare response plans for the forecasted very complex and harsh weather developments that may occur.
Once again, I wish all comrades good health, happiness, and success.
Thank you sincerely, comrades.
