Prime Minister reflects on General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng's contributions to Việt Nam's development

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, a Member of the Politburo, wrote an article reflecting on the significant contributions of Nguyễn Phú Trọng to the construction and development of Việt Nam.

PM Chính wrote: "Comrade Nguyễn Phú Trọng, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, is an outstanding leader, a shining example of studying and following Hồ Chí Minh's thought, morality, and style. He embodies the full qualities, talent, bravery, and intellect of the Vietnamese leadership generation during the renewal period, wholeheartedly serving the Fatherland and the people. He has great prestige and influence both domestically and internationally, making significant contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party, State, and people, as well as peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world."

General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng was the first to assert and have it approved by the 13th Party Congress: ‘With all modesty, we can still say that our country has never had the prestige, potential, position, and international reputation like today.’

Over nearly 40 years of renewal under the Party's leadership, with the concerted efforts of the entire political system, the people, and the army, Việt Nam has overcome numerous difficulties and challenges to achieve great, historically significant accomplishments, as evidenced by specific results across various fields.

Economic development

Chính wrote that after nearly 40 years of renewal, Việt Nam has transformed from a war-torn, impoverished country to a middle-income nation with a per capita income of about US$4,300 in 2023. The average economic growth rate exceeds 6.5 per cent per year, among the highest in the region and the world. The economy's scale has increased more than 95 times, from $4.5 billion in 1986 to $430 billion in 2023. Export-import turnover in 2023 reached $681 billion, with a trade surplus for eight consecutive years, placing Việt Nam among the top 20 countries with the largest trade scale globally.

The economic structure has positively shifted towards industrialisation and modernisation. Growth quality is continuously improved by enhancing the application of science and technology, increasing productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of the economy, promoting digital transformation, and developing a green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, and knowledge economy.

The business investment environment is increasingly improved, making Việt Nam a bright spot in attracting foreign investment. In 2023, Việt Nam attracted over $39.4 billion in FDI, with realised capital reaching $23.2 billion, ranking among the top 20 countries in FDI attraction. Việt Nam has become a production centre in the regional and global supply chains of many leading technology corporations. The private sector is encouraged to develop and plays an increasingly important role in the economy, with about 900,000 operating enterprises.

Economic and social infrastructure is prioritised for resources and focused on investment, creating breakthroughs for development, especially in strategic transport infrastructure, urban infrastructure, energy infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure, education, healthcare infrastructure, and climate change response. To date, over 2,000 km of expressways have been completed and put into use, aiming to reach over 3,000 km by 2025. The expansion of Tân Sơn Nhất and Nội Bài airports and the construction of Long Thành International Airport are underway, with a total capacity of 100 million passengers per year upon completion.

Foreign relations and diplomacy

In the article, PM Chính also highlighted General Secretary Trọng's significant contributions to the field of diplomacy, noting that the late Party leader consistently provided deep guidance and paid special attention to foreign relations.

As a result, over the past years, amid a complex global landscape, Việt Nam has steadfastly pursued an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developmental foreign policy. This approach has included diversifying and multilateralising foreign relations, establishing Việt Nam as a good friend, reliable partner, and responsible member of the international community, all in pursuit of peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

From a country isolated and embargoed for 30 years, Việt Nam has now established diplomatic relations with 193 countries, strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries, including comprehensive strategic partnerships or strategic partnerships with all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and many G20 countries.

Việt Nam has actively participated in and successfully assumed many international responsibilities; many proposals and initiatives have been recognised in multilateral frameworks, especially the United Nations, ASEAN, and partners. Moving from ‘active participation’ to ‘constructive contribution and shaping the rules,’ Việt Nam has gradually elevated its participation to promote multilateral processes and institutions based on common goals of peace, stability, security, and development cooperation, grounded in international law and principles of equality and mutual benefit among relevant parties.

Economic diplomacy has been strengthened, with Việt Nam expanding economic and trade relations with over 230 countries and territories, signing 16 free trade agreements with over 60 countries, including many major economies.

Culture, society and environment

Cultural, social, and environmental fields are prioritised, ensuring harmony with economic development and achieving important results. The role of culture as the spiritual foundation, internal resource, and breakthrough driver for national development is strongly promoted, especially after the National Cultural Conference in 2021 with Comrade Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s strategic keynote address. He emphasised President Hồ Chí Minh’s teaching, ‘Culture lights the way for the nation,’ and ‘As long as culture remains, the nation remains,’ ‘Culture is the soul and essence of the nation.’

The quality of healthcare and people's healthcare is continuously improved; the healthcare network is widely developed, successfully responding to many dangerous epidemics. Especially in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Việt Nam has ‘gone behind but returned first’ with the efforts of the entire political system, the entire people, and effective support from international friends through the ‘vaccine diplomacy strategy.’

Social security is ensured, and the material and spiritual life of the people is continuously improved with the spirit of ‘no one is left behind.’ Policies for people with meritorious services to the revolution, social protection, ensuring social security, and sustainable poverty reduction are given special attention; the poverty rate in 2023 decreased to 2.93 per cent compared to over 58 per cent in 1993.

The work of caring for and protecting children, educating youth, promoting the role of the elderly, gender equality and advancing women has made significant progress; the average life expectancy of Việt Nam has increased by nine years over the past 30 years, from 65.5 years in 1993 to 74.5 years in 2023. Việt Nam's Human Development Index (HDI) has significantly improved, much higher than countries with the same income level.

Party building

"Comrade Nguyễn Phú Trọng affirmed: ‘Building and rectifying the Party is always a particularly important task, vital to our Party and regime.’ We have implemented many synchronous solutions to build a clean, strong political system, enhancing the leadership capacity and combat strength of Party organisations and members," PM Chính wrote.

The fight against corruption and negativity is conducted strongly, resolutely, persistently, and comprehensively, without prohibited zones or exceptions. It achieves many important results, contributes to building a democratic, disciplined, and integrity society, and maintains political stability. Publicity, transparency, and accountability in state administrative agencies and society are strengthened.

The country's great achievements over nearly four decades affirm the correctness of the renewal, integration, and development path under the Party's leadership, the decisive factor for all victories of the Vietnamese revolution, associated with the significant contributions of generations of pioneering leaders, including the outstanding role of Comrade Nguyễn Phú Trọng, the PM emphasised.

"He left a shining example of revolutionary morality, devoting all his efforts to the Party’s revolutionary cause for today’s and future generations. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people and hundreds of international delegations came to pay their respects; thousands of foreign delegations and millions of Vietnamese people expressed their boundless sorrow over Comrade Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s passing. These images reflect the deep respect and close attachment of the people, soldiers across the country, overseas Vietnamese, and international friends towards a particularly outstanding leader of our Party, State, and people. They also demonstrate the steadfast trust of the people in the glorious Communist Party of Việt Nam, the civilised and heroic Việt Nam," Chính wrote.