Draft documents for the 14th Party Congress: Reflecting great aspirations and strong determination of the Party

Ahead of the 14th National Party Congress, hostile and reactionary forces as well as political opportunists have been ramping up sabotage activities. Their focus has been on spreading fabricated and false information about the draft congress documents. In recent days, social media platforms hosted overseas have continuously circulated distorted claims such as: “The draft documents submitted to the 14th Party Congress remain the same or contain nothing new.”

Dong Nai Provincial Youth Union holds a conference to gather feedback on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress. Photo: Nguyen Tuyet

However, in the comment sections beneath these posts, many netizens have bluntly pointed out that these are merely smokescreen tactics aimed at undermining credibility and denying the new contributions of the draft documents. Their dark scheme is to deviate the socialist path right from the Party’s views and policies.

Selective inheritance

First of all, it is undeniable that since its founding, the Communist Party of Vietnam has consistently upheld fundamental issues expressed in its Political Platform to lead the nation in each period. Based on that foundation, each Party Congress has been tasked to review and assess the results of the previous term, while setting goals, policies, and solutions for the next. Accordingly, the draft documents submitted to the 14th Congress selectively inherit contents from past congresses while adjusting, supplementing, and developing them in line with the country’s current reality.

Specifically, at the 13th Congress, the Party set the motto: “Solidarity – Democracy – Discipline – Creativity – Development.” In the draft Political Report for the 14th Congress, the element “Creativity” has been replaced by “Breakthrough”. This clearly reflects the Party’s great aspirations and strong determination to create dramatic, effective progress for the nation in the new era.

Another new point is that, drawing on 40 years of renewal practice, the draft Political Report for the 14th Congress for the first time identifies five theoretical lessons on the renewal line. First, it’s necessary to stay steadfast while creatively applying and developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought; to remain committed to the goal of national independence linked with socialism; and to persist with the Party’s renovation line… Second, there’s a need to maintain and strengthen the leadership and ruling role of the Communist Party of Vietnam as the decisive factor for all victories in renovation, nation building, and national defense, while accelerating Party building and rectification and enhancing the political system’s integrity and strength… Third, deeply grasping and thoroughly practicing the principle that “the people are the root” are required. Every policy must truly stem from the aspirations, legitimate rights, and interests of the people… Fourth, efforts should be made to proactively implement comprehensive, synchronized, focused, and prioritized renovation in leadership, direction, governance, and execution… Fifth, it’s crucial to actively prevent and combat subjectivism, dogmatism, opportunism, and conservatism, while properly addressing the relationship between inheritance, supplementation, and development…

The above-mentioned lessons embody the creative application, supplementation, and development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought in Vietnam’s new conditions. Importantly, they also represent theoretical innovation on socialism and the socialist path in Vietnam, consistent with objective laws while rooted in national realities and global trends. At the same time, these five lessons inherit the nation’s fine traditions and selectively embrace the cultural essence and development achievements of humanity. More importantly, this theoretical framework on the renovation line demonstrates the Party’s vision, viewpoints, and development goals for Vietnam: staying steadfast to national independence associated with socialism; placing the people at the center; strengthening and renewing the Party’s leadership and governance methods is the decisive factor, unleashing the strength of the people and the great national unity bloc in combination with the power of the times…

Identifying a new system of guiding viewpoints

Another outstanding new point in the draft Political Report is the identification of a new system of guiding viewpoints, namely the harmonious integration of practical review, theoretical research, policy formulation, and implementation of the Party’s line as well as State policies and laws.

Regarding the overall development strategy, the draft Political Report adds new insights of the Party on fast and sustainable national development in the new era. These include placing environmental protection at the center; considering cultural and human development as the foundation; and promoting external relations and international integration as a core, constant task.

On institutions and development drivers, the draft adds: firmly removing bottlenecks and obstacles, unlocking and mobilizing all resources, promoting all drivers, and encouraging the spirit of daring to think, daring to act, and daring to take responsibility.

On decisive factors for the success of national development and defense, it emphasizes the need to strengthen power control and resolutely, persistently combat corruption, wastefulness, and misconduct.

The draft congress documents also introduce many new contents. For instance, the draft Political Report defines national defense and security as a core, regular task, but closely linked with external relations. It further affirms that diplomacy is not only the work of professional diplomats but also the responsibility of the entire political system, mobilizing and allocating external resources to serve domestic needs.

Alongside familiar concepts such as political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, and cultural diplomacy, the draft Political Report introduces a new component: technology diplomacy. This is entirely consistent with the realities of the country and the times, as without advances in science and technology, it would be difficult to attract high-quality foreign investment and leaving the country at risk of falling behind other nations in the region and the world.

From the above evidence, it is clear that those claiming the draft documents for the 14th Party Congress are “nothing new” are utterly ignorant. Moreover, such remarks expose the deceit and destructive tricks of hostile, reactionary forces- many of whom are remnants of the former Saigon regime who fled the country but still harbor personal grudges and nostalgia for the puppet Republic of Vietnam. History has shown, in both East and West, that traitors to their homeland always face tragic ends.

To conclude this article, let us borrow the words of former U.S. President Bill Clinton as a message to those on the other side of the globe who still harbor illusions about undermining Vietnam, it is time to wake up: “They fled their homeland out of cowardice. Now they want revenge against the victors… It seems they are unaware of their own conditions.”

By: Diep Vien

Translated by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha