Close Ties with People - Foundation of Communist Party of Vietnam's Leadership Strength
	Overseas Vietnamese and Their Confidence and Expectations for 14th National Party Congress

International credibility built through practical development

Dr. Michael Parsons is an Australian policy expert who spent many years serving as a senior adviser to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. He is currently a candidate nominated by Vietnam to the list of Chairs of Expert Panels under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA).

Speaking about Vietnam’s international image and credibility, Dr. Michael Parsons noted that since his first visit to Vietnam in 2007, perceptions within the international community have changed significantly. In the past, Vietnam was primarily associated with its wartime history and the peace-loving spirit of its people. Today, Vietnam is viewed as a country that has achieved remarkable development outcomes, implementing rapid and broad-based poverty reduction. This represents a growth model closely linked to social equity, something rarely seen in the modern context.

Dr. Michael Parsons (Australia). (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Vietnam’s credibility continues to be strengthened through high-level anti-corruption efforts, participation in United Nations peacekeeping forces, reforms in business and visa procedures, and a stable political and social environment. However, he also cautioned that amid digital transformation and the green transition, Vietnam needs to pay particular attention to ensuring consistency in policy implementation. A lack of coordination at the local level could affect the country’s image in the eyes of investors, international organizations, and the global expert community.

Vietnam is entering a new phase of development with an increasingly clear orientation. The documents prepared for the 14th National Party Congress highlight six key pillars for the new development period, including: deep institutional reform; development of high-quality human resources; promotion of digital transformation and green transition; viewing culture as “soft power” and an important socio-economic asset; building a civilized Party; and continuing an independent foreign policy, diversifying relations, and promoting international integration.

These orientations reflect Vietnam’s readiness to assume a more proactive role on the international stage, safeguard national interests, and contribute to shared global interests.

Development for happiness and a sustainable future

Dr. Michael Parsons is particularly impressed by the fact that the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress continue to emphasize development goals centered on the happiness and well-being of the people. In his view, this orientation carries profound significance in the current global context, as the world is witnessing increasingly imbalanced wealth accumulation, with the richest 1 percent holding the majority of newly created wealth in recent years.

He notes that Vietnam has a long-standing tradition of placing human happiness at the heart of development, clearly reflected as early as the 1945 Declaration of Independence with the slogan “Independence - Freedom - Happiness.” As Vietnam pursues its goal of modernizing the country and leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution to move into the group of high-income nations, a comprehensive approach to economic, cultural, and social development is seen as the most appropriate path to realizing this ambition. Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy, which is inclusive and relatively equitable, stands out as a bright spot and offers hope amid a turbulent global landscape.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presents a Certificate of Merit and the Friendship Order to Dr. Michael Parsons in 2023. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

The draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress identify the private economic sector as the “most important driving force” of the economy, marking a shift of historic significance. This is essential for Vietnam to avoid falling into the “middle-income trap,” while also promoting growth through green transformation, digital transformation, and institutional reform to create favorable conditions for domestic enterprises to develop, particularly in high-tech sectors.

Regarding international cooperation, Dr. Michael Parsons believes that beyond defense and maritime security, Vietnam still has substantial room to expand cooperation with partners in areas such as energy transition and renewable energy development; waste management; ensuring access to critical minerals; developing smart agriculture; strengthening water security; protecting biodiversity and wetlands; and building digital land registration systems linked to national geospatial data infrastructure.

On the eve of a new development phase, Dr. Michael Parsons expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue to pursue inclusive and equitable socio-economic development policies aligned with Ho Chi Minh Thought, thereby ensuring that development is driven not only by economic growth, but also by the well-being of people and the planet.

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