Building Vietnam's development doctrine with a vision to 2045

Editorial: After nearly 40 years of implementing the Doi Moi process, never before has the issue of building and implementing the country's development philosophy posed such a fierce challenge, requiring Vietnam to make a comprehensive and outstanding effort. The fourth industrial revolution, especially artificial intelligence and digital technology, brings opportunities that developing and underdeveloped countries can seize to get ahead, accelerate and expect outstanding development. Therefore, the creation of Vietnam's development philosophy with a vision for 2045 has become both urgent and strategic. The People's Representative Newspaper respectfully introduces a series of articles by Dr. Nhi Le, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine, with the theme: "Creating Vietnam's development philosophy with a vision for 2045".

Báo Đại biểu Nhân dân•19/04/2025

Building Vietnam's development doctrine with a vision to 2045 Vietnam

Editorial: After nearly 40 years of implementing the Doi Moi process, never before has the issue of building and implementing the country's development philosophy posed such a fierce challenge, requiring Vietnam to make a comprehensive and outstanding effort. The fourth industrial revolution, especially artificial intelligence and digital technology, brings opportunities that developing and underdeveloped countries can seize to get ahead, accelerate and expect outstanding development. Therefore, the creation of Vietnam's development philosophy with a vision for 2045 has become both urgent and strategic. The People's Representative Newspaper respectfully introduces a series of articles by Dr. Nhi Le, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Magazine, with the theme: "Creating Vietnam's development philosophy with a vision for 2045".

Dr. Nhi Le - Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine

Lesson 1: The new era is the continued development of the strategic socialist path.

Over thousands of years of history, our ancestors have always taken the national and ethnic interests as the ultimate goal in all actions. Therefore, whether we like it or not, continuing to innovate is essentially returning to the perception and action in accordance with the laws of the country's movement in a comprehensive manner in accordance with the times, first and foremost and directly in solving the central issue of the common interests in a comprehensive and specific way from individuals, classes, strata... to the nation, the people with countries on the international level with unity and diversity.

Embrace science and technology, go straight to high-tech science

Naturally, if we consider the core of politics as interests and political relationships, whether micro (individual to individual; individual to organization, party...) or macro (class, strata to each other; political organizations to each other; nation, people to each other; nation to the international...) revolve around the issue of interests, then what is the constant, the variable of the comprehensive, synchronous innovation work that needs to be done?

National interests must be unified. Innovating the national administration, defining comprehensive strategic areas in the national and global value chain, reforming the model of local administrative organization without intermediaries, on the one hand, breaking down the "bunkers" of group interests, the "backyards" of the bureaucratic apparatus, cumbersome, cumbersome, overlapping. On the other hand, strongly destroying and removing intermediate levels, separations with a democratic, smooth and direct national operating mechanism to ensure unified governance with a suitable institutional system, transparent responsibilities, efficiency measurement and a streamlined, streamlined apparatus 50% smaller than the current one.

Grasp science and technology, go straight to high-tech science, consider this as the main driving force to promote innovation in production relations, pave the way for strong development of productive forces and create a leap in labor productivity, changing the quality of development and the scale of national growth. At the same time, implement the strategy of developing and making good use of talents, especially management and science and technology talents on the basis of modern education, practical learning, real talent and practical work. That is, rapidly increase internal strength.

General Secretary To Lam, Head of the Personnel Subcommittee of the 14th Party Congress. Photo: An Dang/VNA

An independent and free nation, under the banner of socialism, is the sacred and unchanging thing, the soul and honor of Vietnam in the country's strategic political positioning. In today's era, in the space of globalization, the truth "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" shines brighter than ever in the thoughts, ideas, feelings and actions of the entire nation.

Therefore, renewing thinking, exploring strategies, planning appropriate mechanisms and roadmaps, and properly resolving the laws of national construction and protection, all aim to protect and develop the supreme interests of the Vietnamese nation and people in unification with the interests of the People; at the same time respecting the interests of other nations and peoples, contributing to protecting the balance and development of the world.

The great lesson after nearly 40 years of Renovation shows that the national and ethnic interests are unified with the interests of the People, which are supreme and concrete; the sacred territorial integrity and the right to national independence are priceless. We are determined to protect the country's independence and freedom, for the peace of the Fatherland; first of all, by peaceful means, with the motto "not to cause enmity with anyone", for a peaceful, civilized, and prosperous region and world. That is the constant that we need to grasp firmly, in order to proactively respond to all changes of the times and the world in the path of comprehensive and synchronous renovation, for socialism in Vietnam.

On the other hand, developing the independence and freedom of the Fatherland in the unity but diversity of the world both ensures autonomy and self-determination and proactively integrates into the international community. Independence is the art of acting in the wind of the times and integrating into the international community in a clever way; integration is the art of grasping the spirit of development and the strength of the times to maintain the independence of the nation, protect the right to national self-determination and the freedom and happiness of the people, and strive for greatness, in harmony with the flow of the whole era. That is the external force.

Innovation, aimed at building a national brand, is the measure of innovation and stability. There can be no stability without development; and, in turn, development is the level of stability. Therefore, we must take the country's development as the goal and driving force for higher and sustainable stability. That is the new level of "innovation, stability and development", which is the factor that creates the value system of a strong Vietnamese national brand, with regional and global brands in economics, culture, science and technology , standing among the ranks of developed countries. That is the platform for action, the measure of the effectiveness of the innovation process.

More than ever, opportunity is force, so we must proactively and resolutely seize the fourth industrial revolution to carry out innovation, breakthroughs, and reach prosperity.

Developing a national value system that crystallizes political vision, courage, strength, prestige and national action

The new era is not only the strategic vision of the new era but also the intelligence, courage, aspiration and honor of Vietnam in the 21st century.

Remember, before the Renovation (1986), our country fell into crisis, the economy stagnated, inflation skyrocketed to 3 digits, and was surrounded by embargoes... The economic crisis directly threatened the regime. Economic or political, social or cultural renovation... in the "chain" of the country's overall structure?

The choice to initiate the Renovation process led to the inevitable change in thinking, first of all economic thinking. That was culture. That was the right choice in solving the overall situation of the country at that time, starting from solving the economic crisis that threatened the fate of the country.

And, in fact, more than ever, politics is the concentrated expression of economics, so solving political problems from its foundation, which is economics; that is to handle political problems scientifically. If history determines who we are, where we are... then the political strategic vision gives us the answer as to where we are going and how we are going? The political vision at this time is the political position, political force, and also the strength of the Vietnamese nation and people, not simply experience. Therefore, the political vision must be based on historical experience, to continue to keep pace with the times, it must be guided by a strategic political vision on a cultural level.

Kiến tạo chủ thuyết phát triển Việt Nam trong tầm nhìn năm 2045. Nguồn: ITN — Building Vietnam's development doctrine with a vision to 2045. Source: ITN

Overall, facing the country's new development requirements, in the context of globalization, among many issues, the 7 fundamental qualities of comprehensive and synchronous innovation, with a vision to 2045, stand out.

One is freedom. The country is independent, but the people must enjoy happiness and freedom, as President Ho Chi Minh said. Therefore, if preserving the integrity of independence is a difficult task, then developing freedom is a great horizon, but inevitably, full of difficulties and thorns, but we are determined to move forward, to ensure the natural needs and legitimate aspirations of the people. That is the premise of true democracy.

Second is democracy. That is the goal and the driving force of the Party's leadership and governance in building the political system and developing Vietnamese society. In other words, democracy is both the goal and the path of development. For nearly 80 years, that proposition has become the motto of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the goal of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Democracy is still one of the greatest propositions, which we need to strive towards in the goal of a rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization. Democracy is the first thing, the goal, and the driving force for development. People are the root of the country.

Third is the rule of law. Democracy must be guaranteed by the rule of law; that is the nature of the Socialist State, when the law is supreme. To develop the rule of law, democracy is the goal that the rule of law aims for; and in turn, the rule of law is the foundation for true democracy to be implemented, not a formal democracy or some variation of democracy: anarchist democracy, fake democracy...

Fourth is ethics. Historical experience has shown that no political regime can operate successfully on an incompatible ethical foundation. When developing a market economy and integrating deeply into the international community, even under the guidance of a socialist rule-of-law state, the issue of ethics becomes the most pressing and urgent issue at both the macro and micro levels, from society to each individual.

Five is development. It is the measure of progress in a civilized and modern society. If growth is the “tip”, then development is the “root”. Development is the goal that growth aims for. Growth cannot be achieved at all costs. If so, we will have to pay the price, not just in one year or 10 years, but even in many generations... A traditional and modern Vietnam, harmonious and tolerant, democratic and disciplined, loyal and transparent, identity and integration, independent and harmonious... are the fundamental qualities that we need to preserve, to build an industrialized and modernized country. That is the inevitable path of development of the nation, in line with the pace of the world.

Sixth, humanity. This is the tradition of the country, the nature of the Vietnamese people passed down for thousands of years. The more in life and death, the more the humanity of the nation shines, even subduing all kinds of invaders from all sides, across all continents, for 1,300 years out of 2,000 years AD. That is the honor and prestige of Vietnam that makes the country and the people last forever.

Especially, nowadays, in the fierce competition and breakthrough, and more recently, the imposition and slavery in the complex world of "fish fighting for food", "the strong win, the weak lose", even "the big fish eat the small fish", Vietnam must uphold the humanistic tradition, which has become the national "gene" as an unchanging quality to respond to all changes.

Seventh, happiness. Happiness in the slogan under the Vietnamese national name: "Independence - Freedom - Happiness" is a holistic synthesis: National independence - Civil rights and freedom - People's happiness, the more we see the issue of happiness as an element of the truth of an independent Vietnam like the country our ancestors left for future generations. It is not only the premise, the goal, the motivation but also the path to build Vietnam: Rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization .

It can be said that the emerging issue is a turning point, a phase change, it is necessary to thoroughly understand that, if the Renovation over the past 40 years from 1986 to 2026 was through the renovation policy to bring our country from a poor, crisis, underdeveloped country to a country with political - social stability and average development, with a great position in the world, then the renovation of the second era, from 2015 onwards, is the renovation, creation after 2015 to develop the premise, from 2026 with the name of the New Era of a strong Vietnam , that is, in the next 20 years, to become a developed country!

General Secretary To Lam affirmed: “The Party's current mission is to lead and bring the country into an era of development, an era of prosperity and strength, successfully building a socialist Vietnam, a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, on par with the world powers; ensuring that all people have a prosperous and happy life, are supported to develop and get rich; contribute more and more to peace, stability, and development of the region and the world, for the happiness of humanity and global civilization" ^(*) .

Therefore, there is no other way but to innovate more strongly and creatively, with the aspiration to become a developed country in the middle of the 21st century, with a truly constructive, honest, rule-of-law, strong State, maintaining independence, sovereignty and national integrity and unity, with the backbone of a team of worthy politicians - technocrats - strategists - scientists - businessmen , with the strong impulse of the scientific and technological revolution, grasping first and foremost high technology, continuing to enhance Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena.