Moving forward, victory is certain: Party General Secretary To Lam
WVR - General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam has highlighted the success of the 14th National Party Congress, saying it represents a powerful convergence of the will, aspirations, and determination of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, crystallising the nation’s intellect and desire to rise.
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| General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam. (Photo: VNA) |
In an article written on this occasion, the Party chief recalled President Ho Chi Minh’s call to action, “Forward! Total victory will be ours!” and emphasised that today the late President’s appeal still surges with momentum, “spurring us to strengthen our resolve, overcome poverty and backwardness, and build a prosperous and happy country.”
The World and Vietnam Report is honoured to introduce a translation of the article:
FORWARD! TOTAL VICTORY WILL SURELY BE OURS!
The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam has just concluded with great success, marking a particularly momentous political event that opens a new era of development for the country. The Congress represented a powerful convergence of the will, aspirations, and determination of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, crystallising the nation’s intellect and desire to rise. The Congress’s guiding principle - “Solidarity–Democracy–Discipline–Breakthrough–Development” - is not merely a slogan, it is truly a call to action and a mandate of responsibility before history, affirming an unshakable belief in the path chosen by the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, and our People.
With thorough, rigorous, and scientific preparation and broad-based input from across the Party and the people, the documents adopted at the 14th Congress reflect strategic vision and the highest level of political resolve. Notably, for the first time in the history of Party congresses, the 14th Congress issued an Action Programme accompanying the Resolution - a breakthrough aimed at ensuring that the Resolution is put into practice immediately. From guidelines to planning and implementation, responsibilities are clearly defined: who does what, when it is done, what resources are required, and what the ultimate objectives are. As a result, the Resolution of the 14th Congress has truly become an action handbook for the Party and the entire political system, a “guiding torch” lighting the way forward on the country’s new development path.
The Resolution of the 14th Congress 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 to move confidently into the nation’s new era. More importantly, the 14th Congress’s documents translate this spirit of decisive action into concrete terms. The Action Programme accompanying the Resolution places particular emphasis on the requirement to “make the right choices - implement quickly - follow through to the end - measure performance by results” across all tasks. Every major policy decision of the Congress has been developed into a practical implementation plan, with clearly defined objectives, solutions, and evaluation criteria. The principle of “the People as the roots” runs throughout: the People are placed at the centre and as the subject of development, with all policies aimed at improving their material and spiritual well-being; while upholding respect for, listening to, and fully harnessing the People’s role as masters of the nation. As a result, the Resolution of the 14th Congress goes beyond vision and orientation, carrying the pulse of real life, inspiring a renewed aspiration for development and a powerful momentum for action, ready to be translated into practice immediately after the Congress.
From resolution to action
With the Resolution in place and the Programme clearly defined, what remains is action. The Congress requires Party Committees at all levels to swiftly disseminate, study, and translate the Resolution into programmes and plans tailored to their respective localities and units, promptly putting both the Resolution and the Action Programme into practice. The overarching imperative is a decisive shift from “talk” to “action,” from awareness to implementation. The Congress documents make clear the need to resolutely and thoroughly address the problems of “talking much but doing little,” “saying well but doing poorly,” and “saying one thing and doing another,” and to put an end to bureaucratic, formalistic working styles. Every Party Committee, every Party Organisation, and every cadre and Party member, especially those in leadership positions, must heighten their sense of responsibility and lead by example in turning decisions into reality. From now on, “words must be matched by deeds” must become a guiding principle of action; every policy and task must clearly define objectives and solutions, link responsibility to results, align breakthroughs with sustainability, and ensure that discipline in implementation is measured by the People’s satisfaction.
Entering a new phase, every sound guideline, once adopted, must be carried out with tenfold determination and a hundredfold effort in practice; 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. From the central to grassroots levels, from Party and State agencies to the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations, all must move forward in unison with a renewed sense of momentum; in this process, every cadre and Party member - above all, each member of the Party Central Committee - must lead by example, daring to think, to speak, to act, to take responsibility, and to innovate for the common good, with service to the People as the highest measure of work effectiveness
The next 5–10 years
The coming 5–10 years will be a pivotal period of decisive significance for the country’s two centenary strategic goals. Within this relatively short timeframe, we must both complete the objectives of the 2026–2030 period and lay a solid foundation for reaching higher development milestones by 2045. The goal for 2030 is to transform Vietnam into a country with modern industry and upper-middle income status. This requires the economy to sustain average annual growth of 10% or higher over many consecutive years - an unprecedented breakthrough pace, yet an entirely feasible target if all resources are fully mobilised and effectively utilised. By 2045, we must resolutely achieve the goal of building a developed, high-income Vietnam on par with leading countries worldwide.
With limited time and heavy, decisive tasks, the 14th Congress set out revolutionary and breakthrough orientations and solutions to seize every opportunity and overcome all challenges. Over the next five years, we must accelerate comprehensively across all key areas: the economy must make strong breakthroughs to achieve sustained high growth; science, technology and innovation must be vigorously promoted as a driving force for development; and institutional reform, together with improvements to the investment and business environment, must be pursued resolutely and transparently to unleash all social resources. At the same time, social sectors such as education, health care and culture must receive attention and investment commensurate with economic growth, ensuring harmonious and sustainable development. The building and rectification of the Party and the political system continues to face very high requirements, particularly in the building of a contingent of officials equal to their tasks - those who are “truly exemplary in moral qualities, intellect and mettle, and fully capable of leading the successful fulfillment of the major missions entrusted by the Party, the State and the People.”
The 14th National Party Congress term is an exceptionally important period for the entire Party and the entire people to achieve the highest accomplishments in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Party’s founding (2030). From now on, the mindset of “five-year action with a twenty-year vision” must be thoroughly embedded in leadership and governance. This means that successfully fulfilling the immediate five-year objectives will at the same time lay a solid foundation for goals in the years ahead. The sound and breakthrough decisions taken today will not only deliver immediate results for the 2026–2030 period, but will also generate momentum for a leap in development in the decades to come. If we seize opportunities and overcome the challenges of this pivotal 5–10-year period, the country will undoubtedly take off strongly, turning into reality the aspiration of building a powerful Vietnam by the mid-21st century. Conversely, if opportunities are missed or delays and mistakes occur during this critical juncture, the cost will be extremely high - potentially squandering the opportunity of an entire nation and causing the country to fall further behind in a rapidly changing world. Fully aware of this, the entire Party and people are determined to act with speed and resolve from the very start of the term, allowing “not a single day to be wasted, not a single week to be delayed.”
Rising above challenges
Looking ahead, we have no option other than success. The 14th Congress has ignited the flame of invincible confidence, placing upon the entire Party and the entire people a historic responsibility that is extraordinarily heavy yet profoundly honourable. Ahead lie many difficulties and challenges, but the Party allows no room for hesitation or failure on the chosen path. Standing alongside the Party are the trust, affection and expectations of more than 100 million compatriots, and before us lies the fate of the entire nation in the 21st century. The goal of “a prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, equity and civilisation” set by the Party is not merely an aspiration, but a solemn pledge of honour to the People. Therefore, every official and Party member, especially those who “bear the main responsibilities” must constantly remind themselves to rise higher and overcome their own limitations. We cannot afford to delay reform, we cannot afford to hesitate in action, and we certainly cannot allow complacency or rest on past laurels. Lessons from previous terms show that wherever there is strong political resolve and focused, unified and hands-on leadership, work progresses positively; conversely, where there is laxity, complacency or a lack of determination, even the soundest policies are difficult to translate into success.
History has proven this: our Vietnamese nation has never bowed to any enemy or hardship. From the earliest days of nation-building and nation-defence, our forebears forged a tradition of resilience and indomitability: the greater the hardship and trial, the greater the unity and shared resolve to achieve victory. In the twentieth century, under the Party's leadership flag, our nation achieved victories that were “resounding across the five continents and shaking the globe”. In the new era, on the front of socio-economic development, we must all the more bring into full play the spirit of “never retreating, never faltering, only moving forward, advancing ceaselessly”. Our Party and our People are determined to secure victory in the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland, for every delayed step and every unfulfilled objective affect the future of the entire nation. “Success, certain success!” – that is the mindset, the political resolve that we engrave deeply in our hearts as we embark upon the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th Congress.
In a world context marked by constant turbulence, never before have opportunities and challenges been so intricately intertwined as they are today. The destiny of the country depends on our ability to seize opportunities and overcome challenges. Intensive and extensive international integration means that Vietnam faces mounting competitive pressures, yet it also opens doors to the acquisition of knowledge, advanced technology, and development resources from abroad. Economic globalisation provides large markets for Vietnamese goods and services, but it also requires us to continuously enhance our endogenous capacities in order to ascend to higher rungs of the global value chain. Geopolitical fluctuations worldwide may affect the environment of peace and stability – the prerequisite for development – and therefore the task of firmly safeguarding independence, sovereignty, and a peaceful environment becomes ever more vital. The new context demands new thinking and new vision: we must be strategically proactive, constantly vigilant and perceptive in analysing developments, flexible and creative in our responses, steadfast in principles yet not dogmatic or rigid.
With the mettle and intellect of the Vietnamese nation, and with the trust, unity, and consensus of the People, we can affirm that favourable conditions will outweigh challenges. The position and strength of the country, after more than half a century of reunification, have grown stronger than ever before, creating the foundation for us to rise with confidence. The steadily increasing reputation and standing of Vietnam on the international stage constitute favourable conditions for mobilising the support and cooperation of international friends. What is essential is that we maximise internal strength while harnessing external resources, transforming this combined power into a driving force for national development. Proactive adaptation and vigorous promotion of innovation are precisely the keys that will enable Vietnam to weather storms and advance steadily in an era full of volatility.
Certain victory
At this special moment, more than ever, the words of beloved President Ho Chi Minh continue to resound: “Forward! Total victory will surely be ours!” That call to action from Uncle Ho in those earlier days became an invincible belief, inspiring our entire nation to rise up and win independence and freedom. Today, in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, that call still surges with momentum, spurring us to strengthen our resolve, overcome poverty and backwardness, and build a prosperous and happy country, standing shoulder to shoulder with friends across the five continents.
Nearly six million Party members and more than 100 million compatriots carry within their hearts a flame of aspiration for a strong and powerful Vietnam. The 14th Congress has entrusted us with the banner of decisive victory. Now is the time for the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army to tighten ranks, unite in common purpose, and vigorously emulate one another in labour, study, work, and combat, in order to successfully implement the Resolution of the Congress. Now is the time to turn every guideline and resolution into action and concrete results. The future and destiny of the country urge us to act – to act with even greater determination. The entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army act together in the spirit of “each person working twice as hard”, armed with new knowledge, supported by science and technology, under the guiding light of the Party; we act with indomitable will, advancing on all economic, cultural, and social fronts like “soldiers in peacetime”, and as a result, the effectiveness generated will be tenfold, a hundredfold. From our unwavering faith in the leadership of the Party and in the strength of the People, we together proclaim in unison: “Under the glorious flag of the Party, for the bright future of the nation, advance forward, victory is certain”.
Forward! Total victory will surely be ours!
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| The 14th National Party Congress term is an exceptionally important period for the entire Party and the entire people to achieve the highest accomplishments in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Party’s founding (2030). (Photo: VNA) |
