The Era of National Rise and the Historical Mission of the Communist Party of Vietnam

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The history of development of each nation and people is a continuous flow formed by the succession of eras. Each era poses objective historical requirements that a nation must meet to ascend to a new level. Since its founding by President Ho Chi Minh in the spring of 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam has steadfastly shouldered its historical mission, leading the Vietnamese people through two glorious eras, building unprecedented foundations of national potential, strength, stature, and international prestige. These achievements constitute a solid basis for confidently entering a third era of development.

Professor, Doctor Phung Huu Phu, former Member of the Party Central Committee, has profoundly summarized this historical trajectory. The first era was the Era of independence, freedom, and socialist construction (1930-1975). Beginning with the establishment of the Party, this era met the vital historical requirement of overthrowing imperialist and feudal domination and regaining national independence. Under the Party’s leadership, the Vietnamese people achieved the great victory of the August Revolution of 1945 and won resounding triumphs in the wars of resistance, successfully fulfilling the mission of national liberation.

The second era was the Era of national reunification, renewal, and development (1975-2026). After the country was reunified, the historical task was to overcome poverty and backwardness. The Party initiated and led the Doi Moi (Renewal) process in 1986 - a landmark decision that generated strong and comprehensive development across all fields. After nearly 40 years, Vietnam has escaped the status of a poor, underdeveloped country and has built new strength and momentum.

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These achievements have created the necessary conditions for Vietnam to enter the third era, identified by General Secretary To Lam and other Party leaders as the “Era of national rise,” beginning with the 14th National Party Congress. This is an era of development and prosperity, with the ultimate goal of successfully building a socialist Vietnam that is “prosperous people and strong nation,” standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s major powers. This new era presents special historical requirements, demanding resolute determination and decisive action from the entire Party and the entire people to realize the national aspiration.

Historical requirements of the new era

Entering the era of rising, the Vietnamese nation must confront objective historical requirements that call for a powerful transformation in both thinking and action. This is no longer a period of overcoming the consequences of war or escaping poverty; it is a phase that requires breakthroughs and acceleration to keep pace with the times.

The most overarching and urgent requirement, as analyzed by Professor, Doctor Phung Huu Phu, is to successfully carry out a process of “dual breakthroughs.” On the one hand, Vietnam must leapfrog and move straight into modernity, particularly in high-technology fields such as digital technology and artificial intelligence - areas where Vietnam has advantages - while simultaneously modernizing national governance. On the other hand, it must resolutely break through and thoroughly resolve persistent “bottlenecks” and inherent weaknesses in institutions, infrastructure, and human resources that are constraining development. These two processes must proceed in parallel and in harmony, with the direct move into modernity being decisive. The guiding philosophy of this process, as identified by General Secretary To Lam, is to “maximize opportunities and favorable conditions, push back risks and challenges, and drive the country’s comprehensive, strong, breakthrough development.”

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To realize this “dual breakthrough,” the requirement of decisive, breakthrough significance is to bring about a strong renewal in thinking and awareness. The history of the Renewal process has shown that all great achievements originate from innovations in theoretical thinking. The nation’s era of rising is unfolding alongside the digital era and the Fourth Industrial Revolution - an age in which “nothing is impossible.” This reality demands new theoretical breakthroughs regarding Vietnam’s path toward socialism and its development model in the digital era. As late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong once emphasized, we need a society in which development truly serves people, goes hand in hand with social progress and justice, and is compassionate, united, and sustainably developed. These are the authentic values of socialism that the Party and the Vietnamese people pursue. Firmly upholding the ideological foundation while continuously fostering creativity, without allowing dogmatism or conservatism to constrain thinking, is a revolutionary requirement.

The new era also requires a breakthrough in mobilizing and making optimal use of all national resources. Vietnam possesses abundant natural resources, substantial reserves of resources within its people, and a Vietnamese populace that is industrious, intelligent, and creative. However, it must also be candidly acknowledged that due to institutional constraints and limitations in governance capacity, many resources remain wasted or lost. The historical requirement is to bring about a fundamental transformation in awareness and action across society as a whole. Every unit of currency, every square meter of land, and every hour of the people’s labor must be valued, nurtured, and unlocked to generate material wealth. Thrift and the fight against waste must become a national policy and a matter of conscious self-discipline for every Vietnamese citizen.

More importantly, the new era demands the fullest possible mobilization of spiritual drivers, especially patriotism, the will for self-reliance and self-strengthening, and the aspiration of the entire people to contribute. History has proven that the strength of the people is the source of all victories. To shape the new era, it is necessary to transform the Party’s guidelines and policies into inspiration for action and creativity among millions of citizens. This begins with consolidating and nurturing the people’s trust. The principle of “the Party leads, the State manages, and the people are the masters,” whereby all policies must originate from the legitimate aspirations and interests of the people and take the people’s happiness as the measure, must continue to be institutionalized and implemented rigorously.

The Party’s noble mission in the era of rising

History has entrusted the Communist Party of Vietnam with the mission of leading the nation. Over nearly a century, the Party has fulfilled this mission with distinction, transforming a nation from subjugation into a people who are masters of their own destiny. As the country enters the era of rising, the Party’s mission remains unchanged in essence, but is enriched with new, more demanding, and more glorious content and requirements.

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The foremost mission of the Party in the new period is to continue enhancing its leadership and governing capacity, to build a Party that is truly clean and strong, “ethical and civilized”, exemplifying the intelligence, honor, and conscience of the nation. The Party’s sound leadership is the decisive factor in all victories. Therefore, the Party must constantly engage in self-renewal and self-rectification. The people place their trust and expectations in a Party with firm political resolve, ideological unity, scientific organizational structures, and a contingent of cadres and Party members who are genuinely incorruptible, virtuous, and capable, who “worry before the people and rejoice after the people.” As Nguyen Duc Ha, former Director of the Department of Grassroots Party Organizations under the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission, has emphasized, for the country to rise, the Party must be strong, and Party building and rectification constitute the primary foundation for entering the new era.

To meet these requirements, the Party’s mission is to lead institutional reform with determination. One of the central tasks is to continue building and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people. At the same time, the Party must lead a revolution in reorganizing and streamlining the apparatus of the entire political system to make it more effective and efficient. This is a profound revolution that requires very high political resolve, aimed at dismantling barriers that are constraining development.

The Party’s mission also includes leading the formulation and successful implementation of breakthrough development strategies. These include a strategy to accelerate industrialization and modernization based on science, technology, and innovation; a strategy to build an independent and self-reliant economy in tandem with proactive and active international integration; and a strategy to develop culture so that it truly “illuminates the path for the nation,” while building well-rounded Vietnamese people. At the same time, the Party continues to lead efforts to strengthen national defense and security, firmly safeguarding the Fatherland “early and from afar.”

Above all, the Party’s most noble mission is to remain closely bonded with the people and to serve the people. All lines and policies must stem from the legitimate interests and aspirations of the people. The lesson that “the people are the foundation” remains fully valid. As President Ho Chi Minh taught, whatever benefits the people must be done with utmost dedication. In the new era, this means that the Party must lead the country toward rapid and sustainable development, continuously improving the material and spiritual lives of the people, advancing social progress and justice, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

The history of nearly a century has affirmed that in Vietnam, there is no political force other than the Communist Party of Vietnam with sufficient mettle, intellect, experience, and prestige to lead the country through all challenges. With the trust and support of the people, the Communist Party of Vietnam will continue to fulfill its historical mission with distinction, guiding the Vietnamese nation to successfully realize its aspiration to rise and to build a strong, prosperous, and happy nation.

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