14th National Party Congress ushers in Vietnam’s new era of development

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In a special discussion with the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 14th National Party Congress, 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 Congress's overarching vision, its assessment of past achievements, and the strategic breakthroughs expected to shape Vietnam’s future trajectory.

The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam on January 22 announced the list of the 200 members of the new 14th-tenure Central Committee, including 180 official members and 20 alternate ones.

Vietnam’s diplomacy in 2025 has provided a solid foundation for national development, fostering equal, cooperative, and mutually beneficial partnerships with countries around the world, while helping safeguard national interests amid an increasingly complex and volatile regional and global landscape.

Vietnam has completed preparations for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, scheduled to take place in Hanoi from January 19 to 25, with the participation of 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million Party members nationwide.

Police in the northern province of Hung Yen have dismantled a large-scale fraud and online gambling network that investigators say processed transactions totaling 9.3 trillion VND (equivalent to 354 million USD).

As 2025 draws to a close, it leaves behind a series of notable milestones in the leadership and governance of Vietnam. From economic growth and macroeconomic stability to institutional reform, digital transformation and social welfare, the year’s achievements reflect a spirit of decisive, flexible and practical governance. Notably, 2025 has been identified as a pivotal year, laying important foundations for the country to move into a new phase of development that is stronger and more sustainable.

The 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress took place in Hanoi on December 26-27, following the theme “Emulation for innovation, acceleration, and breakthrough to usher the nation into an era of strength, civilisation, and prosperity.”

Semiconductors are no longer the exclusive domain of technological powerhouses; instead, every country is racing to research and produce them to secure their place in the global value chain. For Vietnam, this journey is inextricably linked to the goal of building an independent and self-reliant economy in the context of international integration.

In today’s modern world, countless major technological breakthroughs begin with silicon fragments smaller than a grain of rice called semiconductor. As these chips have become strategic assets, intense geopolitical competition among major powers has triggered an unprecedented shift in global semiconductor supply chains. Against this backdrop, domestic and international analysts see Vietnam as a strong contender in global semiconductor companies’ de-risking strategy.

The 15th plenum of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam was held in Hanoi this week, focusing on preparations for the Party’s 14th National Congress. Key discussions covered personnel plans for the 14th Central Committee, draft documents to be submitted to the Congress, and organisational and logistical arrangements.

Two years after the Prime Minister approved Decision 150 on the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy for the 2021–2030 period, in 2023, Vietnam issued a National Action Plan to transform food systems in a transparent, responsible and sustainable manner through 2030. This marked a breakthrough step, demonstrating Vietnam’s responsibility to the international community following the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021.

A nationwide ceremony marking the simultaneous inauguration or ground-breaking of large-scale, strategically significant projects will take place at 79 locations across the country on December 19, coinciding with the 79th anniversary of the National Resistance Day (December 19, 1946 - 2025) and in celebration of the upcoming 14th National Party Congress.

In the context of intense competition and shifts in global supply chains, semiconductor chips in particular, and the semiconductor industry in general, are likened to “rice grains,” as they sustain all other sectors in the technology era, and serve as a key enabler of future digital technologies. Following the Government’s issuance of the Strategy for the Development of Vietnam’s Semiconductor Industry to 2030, with a Vision to 2050, Vietnam is gradually emerging as a new bright spot on the global semiconductor map.

The Dong Ho folk painting craft has been added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

On November 25, 2025, the Government issued Resolution 380 with a series of urgent measures to overcome disaster consequences and revive production. The Resolution reflects the Government’s strong commitment to “leave no one behind,” through a large-scale package of financial assistance, social security support and infrastructure restoration.

Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam and Laos’ top leader Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired a high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in Vientiane on December 2. This cooperation mechanism holds special significance in enhancing friendship, solidarity and partnership between Vietnam and Laos, ensuring practical benefits for both peoples and contributing to peace, security and prosperity in the region and the world.

The Autumn Economic Forum 2025 took place in Ho Chi Minh City on November 24 to 30, under the theme “Green Transition in the Digital Era.” Addressing the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam stands ready to work closely with all international partners on the basis of “harmonised interests and shared risks.”

In December 2015, the ritual and game of tug-of-war, practiced in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines, was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Over a decade later, this tradition continues to thrive, being passed down and revitalised in modern life. In this podcast, we delve into Vietnam’s unique tug-of-war game, a cultural heritage celebrated both nationally and internationally.

Vietnam has marked a major diplomatic milestone with Kuwait and Algeria, upgrading relations with both nations during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s official visits, signalling its broader push to deepen political trust and expand cooperation across the Middle East and Africa.