Building a clean and strong Party: A responsibility to the Party, the nation and the people
The approaching Lunar New Year 2026 brings renewed vitality as the 14th National Party Congress convenes – a political event of immense stature, a historic milestone for the nation in the Ho Chi Minh era. With strategic thinking and vision, the 14th Congress establishes a “golden opportunity” for the Party to write new and resplendent chapters, advancing towards the two centenary goals already set.
The year 2025 – the final year of the 13th Party Congress term – has successfully forged a revolutionary transition, achieving comprehensive accomplishments across political and socio-economic life, laying the groundwork for a promising new beginning.
The results of Party building and rectification, together with the strengthening of the political system, have contributed to a Congress term marked by numerous highlights, including unprecedented undertakings, amid a world and region undergoing constant, multidimensional shifts affecting the domestic situation.
This period has also seen the country confront severe trials from pandemics, natural disasters, storms, floods and climate change, causing losses beyond mere statistics. Yet it is precisely in adversity that the inner strength of the people has shone ever more clearly, further affirming the Party’s leadership, intellect, mettle and vanguard revolutionary character.
Last year’s achievements reflect the spirit of unity, steadfastness, self-reliance and creativity, coupled with the exceptional resolve and efforts of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat, particularly the role of the General Secretary in providing direction, impetus and inspiration, truly acting as the chief architect of the revolution.
The Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat demonstrated collective solidarity, new thinking, great determination and unified action in leading the people nationwide to fulfil the objectives, targets, requirements, programmes and plans set by the 13th Party Congress.
The results of the entire term have created a vivid revolutionary reality, with compelling evidence enhancing the Party’s position, prestige and governing capacity, forming an important basis and premise for a new era of development.
While simultaneously undertaking numerous weighty and historic tasks, the Party has promulgated, directed and effectively implemented a series of strategic guidelines, policies and decisions in a timely manner. This has ensured the reorganisation of the political system’s apparatus, the operation of the two-tier local government model, the successful organisation of Party congresses at all levels, and the completion of term objectives.
Notably, immediately following the historic milestone on July 1, 2025 – mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on the performance of the political system and the two-tier local governments were regularly implemented and synthesised daily, weekly and monthly by advisory bodies. Close coordination and multidimensional information flows have enabled the Politburo and the Secretariat to grasp developments promptly, directing the swift removal of institutional and policy bottlenecks in the spirit of focusing strongly on the grassroots level, supporting localities, staying close to the people and serving them more effectively.
The outstanding results achieved in reorganising and streamlining the political system’s apparatus have affirmed a breakthrough in both thinking and action in leadership, direction and implementation – truly a revolution in “rearranging the national landscape”, shaping a new strategic and long-term development model.
The slogan “no delay in serving the people because of consolidation” has become a call to action. The greatest success of this revolution lies in the people’s consensus. With a streamlined apparatus, officials must become more versatile and personal responsibility clearer. Completing the organisational restructuring five years ahead of schedule is the result of tremendous effort, demonstrating the Party’s mettle and practical capability under new conditions.
The outcomes of this reorganisation have created “new development spaces”. Following consolidation and merger, localities are no longer confined by narrow administrative boundaries; instead, they are planned within an inter-regional and inter-sectoral vision, maximising comparative advantages. This provides fresh momentum to promote national growth and development in the coming era.
Spreading political determination and unified action, during working sessions with Party committees, ministries, sectors and localities, and in meetings with voters, Party and State leaders have consistently devoted time to listening to aspirations, proposals and recommendations, promptly directing relevant bodies to remove obstacles so that the apparatus operates continuously and smoothly. The strong message conveyed from the central to local levels is clear: consolidation and merger must not cause delays in serving the people.
To meet urgent and strategic requirements and establish a foundational legal framework, the Party has swiftly promulgated a system of regulations on the functions, tasks and organisational structure of Party organisations following consolidation and merger, and under the two-tier local government model; model working regulations for Party committees, especially at commune, ward and special-zone levels, have come into effect. This ensures that Party bodies and leadership at all levels, from the Centre to the grassroots, operate without interruption or delay.
With the concerted efforts of the entire political system and the people’s support, in a short time the revolution of “rearranging the national landscape” has been implemented comprehensively and synchronously on an unprecedented scale and scope. Initial achievements have fundamentally transformed governance thinking and methods, generating new potential, fresh impetus and expanded development space for the country.
To ensure that the streamlined apparatus operates with genuine efficiency, greater speed and timeliness, the Secretariat issued Conclusion No. 226-KL/TW dated December 11, 2025 on rectifying working practices and enhancing the effectiveness of the political system, reducing paperwork and meetings, promoting digitalisation and shaping a professional, modern civil service linked to performance outcomes and clear accountability, thereby fostering innovation.
Conclusion No. 226-KL/TW reflects the determination to bring about profound changes in political culture, standards of conduct and personal responsibility within the Party, the State, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations; shifting governance thinking from process-based management to results and substantive effectiveness in serving society and the people.
With the spirit of the Party Centre Committee setting the example and acting first, the substance of Conclusion No. 226-KL/TW has been thoroughly implemented at conferences on Party building and at meetings of the Central Committee. Participants are encouraged to focus directly on issues, progress, obstacles requiring resolution and necessary solutions, rather than listing achievements. Many other important conclusions and directives have also been issued.
Central agencies, especially Party bodies, must take the lead in implementation. If Party agencies, officials and members fail to make substantive changes and seriously rectify their working style, they will not keep pace with societal development, hindering the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, as well as other strategic decisions and policies of the Central Committee.
The vivid practice of Party building and rectification during the 13th Congress term, especially in 2025, offers valuable lessons. Having passed through a term marked by unprecedented upheavals, our Party has not only matured in revolutionary mettle but also distilled valuable, law-governed experiences for Party building in the new stage.
Foremost is the lesson of upholding the Party’s leadership principles, unifying awareness and ensuring that all guidelines and decisions ultimately aim to improve the people’s quality of life. Equally vital is maintaining unity within the Party and political system, fostering public consensus and harnessing collective strength to overcome difficulties and fulfil national development goals.
Each field, task and position demands innovative thinking and flexible, effective approaches to problem-solving; harnessing collective intellect, encouraging responsible and heartfelt contributions, and addressing practical issues arising in Party building. In all circumstances, strict discipline and order within the Party must be upheld; building a contingent of officials at all levels, especially at the strategic level, with sufficient qualities, competence and prestige; attracting talented and virtuous individuals to serve the Party and the nation; strengthening political, ideological and ethical education; and firmly safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation.
Building on achievements and valuable practical lessons, with the spirit of “within the Party first, the Centre first, localities after”, emphasising exemplary responsibility and linking theory with practice, we continue to mobilise all efforts to successfully implement the three strategic breakthroughs and six key tasks for the new revolutionary stage, as agreed at the recent 15th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee. In light of new requirements and tasks, Party committees, organisations and every official and Party member must regard building a clean and strong Party as a responsibility before the Party, the nation and the people.
The country’s new era of development awaits our collective endeavour. With renewed confidence, fresh momentum and new drivers, the entire Party, people and armed forces are determined to build a Viet Nam that is peaceful, independent, unified, democratic and prosperous. This is the command of history, the aspiration of the people and the Party’s highest political resolve.