Opinion

In a special discussion with the Vietnam News Agency, three international experts – Professor Carl Thayer, a renowned Vietnam scholar at the Australian Defence Force Academy, University of New South Wales; Dr Valeria Vershinina, Deputy Director of the ASEAN Centre at MGIMO University in Moscow and a leading Russian expert on Southeast Asia and ASEAN affairs; and journalist Amiad Horowitz, a regular contributor to People’s World who closely follows communist parties worldwide and pathways towards socialism – shared in-depth perspectives on the overarching vision of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, its assessment of past achievements, and the strategic breakthroughs expected to shape Vietnam’s future trajectory.

The 14th Party Congress has identified multilateral diplomacy as a major and strategic direction for Vietnamese diplomacy, said Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency after the 14th National Party Congress concluded in Hanoi on January 23.

The successful conclusion of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is not only a major political milestone for the country, but has also spread joy, confidence and strong expectations across all walks of life.

Pallab Sengupta, President of the World Peace Council, described the four decades of renewal as a historic success that vividly reflects Vietnam’s independent, people-centred development path. From a war-ravaged and impoverished nation, Vietnam has risen to become a country with political stability and rapid growth, recording remarkable achievements in poverty reduction, social welfare, education and healthcare, while firmly safeguarding political independence and social cohesion.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta also highlighted the deliberate capitalisation of the word “People” in Congress documents, describing it as a clear expression of the CPV leadership’s view of the "People" as the foundation, driving force and centre of national renewal, construction, and defence.

Commenting on the significance of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, Benjamin Pestieau, Deputy General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB), said the most notable aspect was its ambitious development vision.

The scholar emphasised the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) as pivotal in setting higher development targets, adopting strategic resolutions for a new era, and shaping a vision through 2045 to achieve Vietnam’s goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation.

The 14th National Party Congress is discussing, giving opinions on, and adopting a number of particularly important draft documents that provide long-term guidance for the country’s development. International friends in Vietnam have voiced strong confidence in the success of the Congress.

Zhu said the congress plays a crucial role in shaping Vietnam’s future development, as it discusses development pathways and policy directions to achieve targets set for 2030 and realise the long-term vision towards 2045. The convening of the congress is truly a major political event in the life of the Vietnamese people.

In his presentation at a recent seminar hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, Dr. Kin Phea described the the 14th National Congress of the CPV as a historic and momentous event, saying that with three strategic breakthroughs and six key tasks set for the country’s new revolutionary period, the Congress is seen as a landmark ushering in a new era - the era of the nation’s rise.

Andrew Goledzinowski, former Australian Ambassador to Vietnam from 2022 to 2024, said that Vietnam is at a historic juncture, noting that the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is an event of particularly important significance.

Dr Ho Quoc Tuan, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol in the UK pointed to Vietnam's strong economic performance during the 2020–2025 period, noting that Vietnam not only sustained robust growth but also preserved key growth engines, particularly exports, while steadily enhancing the economy’s internal resilience during an interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

The Party has not only played a central role in shaping political and economic directions but has also been a key factor in ensuring social stability and strengthening the great national unity, said President of the Argentina-Vietnam Culture Institute (ICAV) Poldi Sosa.

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 important and breakthrough innovations in document crafting is the early rollout of new policy decisions and strategies before the Congress convenes. These have been tested in practice and refined through lessons drawn from 40 years of Doi Moi (renewal), before being distilled and embedded into the draft documents for consideration and adoption at the landmark gathering.

For Vietnam, the treaty opens favourable avenues to expand international partnerships, access cutting-edge knowledge, data, and technologies, and build stronger domestic capabilities in marine science, ocean governance, and environmental protection. It also presents Vietnamese researchers with meaningful opportunities to join global research activities and benefit from marine genetic resources in international waters and the deep seabed, ultimately supporting the emergence of a modern, innovation-led ocean economy, said Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.

Together with Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy, it has created a combined strength for Vietnam’s professional and modern diplomacy; contributed to enhancing the country’s position in the international arena and promoting rapid and sustainable development, firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and interests, and consolidating a comprehensive and solid legal foundation for deep international integration.

Beyond region-wide efforts, each member state, including Vietnam, is proactively rolling out strategies to enable broader public participation in the digital transformation process.

The former diplomat once said when leaving Hanoi in 2019 that: “Vietnam is not only a place where I worked, it became a part of my diplomatic life”. Today, in his message to the 14th National Party Congress, his enduring affection for Vietnam remains steadfast, a quiet thread connecting friends across half the globe in shared aspirations for peace, independence, and social justice.

R.Arun Kumar, Head of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M)’s committee for external affairs, highlighted the significance of the 14th National Part Congress of Vietnam and the country’s major development orientations in the new period.

“One of the most important developments has been the deepening of security, defence and maritime cooperation, which reflects our shared commitment to regional peace, stability and the rules-based international order,” the ambassador said.