14th Party Central Committee convenes fourth plenum

The fourth plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee opened in Hanoi on October 5, with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam delivering the opening remarks.

Politburo Member and President of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man presided over the opening session on behalf of the Politburo.

Before the opening session, delegates laid wreaths and offered incense in tribute to heroes and martyrs at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs on Bac Son street in Hanoi.

In his opening remarks, General Secretary and President Lam said that the 14th National Party Congress set out major orientations and strategic goals, while the second and third plenums adopted important policies on Party building, personnel, development and national defence. The fourth plenum must focus on creating conditions for effective implementation while preparing the theoretical, organisational and human resources foundations for the country’s long-term development.

The overarching requirement, he said, is to strengthen the Party’s leadership and ruling capacity and promote the strength of the great national unity to realise development goals. Issues related to Party building, leadership methods, personnel and socio-economic development must be addressed in an interconnected manner, linking immediate tasks with the goals for 2030 and 2045 and a longer-term vision.

The General Secretary and President called for a comprehensive review of 15 years of implementing resolutions and conclusions on Party building and rectification, with attention to both achievements and persistent shortcomings. The Party Central Committee was requested to frankly identify why some weaknesses have remained unresolved and why violations have recurred despite earlier warnings. New resolutions must address root causes and clearly define responsibilities.

He stressed that Party building must genuinely rely on the people. Public trust should be strengthened by listening to people’s opinions, addressing legitimate interests and rectifying shortcomings among officials and Party members. The role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations should be promoted so that people can participate in policymaking, supervise implementation and benefit from development achievements.

Regarding the renewal of the Party’s leadership and ruling methods, the top leader said organisational restructuring must go hand in hand with changes in working methods. The Party should provide unified strategic orientations while clearly defining responsibilities and promoting the initiative of each level and agency. The mechanism under which the Party leads, the State manages and the people exercise mastery must operate effectively, avoiding both overreach and lax leadership.

Decentralisation and delegation of authority should create real capacity for action under the two-tier local administration model. Authority must be matched with responsibility and resources, while collective and individual responsibilities should be clearly distinguished.

On personnel work, General Secretary and President Lam called for a new approach to developing and utilising cadres, based on both current tasks and long-term national development. Cadre assessment should focus on actual capability, integrity, prestige and performance, particularly the ability to handle difficult tasks. Strategic-level officials should have vision and systems thinking, while grassroots officials must be capable of solving practical problems and serving the people.

He also called for stronger mechanisms to attract and utilise talent from the private sector, overseas Vietnamese communities and international sources; and create opportunities for young, female and ethnic minority officials and those with scientific and technological expertise.

Regarding socio-economic development, the General Secretary and President asked the Party Central Committee to comprehensively assess the implementation of 2026 targets, focusing not only on growth but also on productivity, business performance, incomes and people’s living standards.

He stressed that 2027 must be a year of acceleration and breakthroughs, with efforts focused on removing institutional bottlenecks, improving capital absorption, ensuring infrastructure, energy and human resources, and mobilising private and foreign investment.

He also called for more effective State budget management, with resources concentrated on key priorities and spending assessed through actual results. Regulations on Party members’ participation in investment and business activities should clearly define rights and limits and prevent conflicts of interest.

General Secretary and President Lam urged delegates to focus discussions on major choices and outstanding problems, clearly distinguish policy shortcomings from weaknesses in implementation, and link responsibility with the quality and progress of institutionalisation and enforcement.

He stressed that every policy must have clear objectives, resources, responsibilities and mechanisms for evaluating and adjusting results. Immediate tasks should be linked with the 2027 plan and budget, while long-term initiatives should have clear outputs and timelines.

The top leader called on Party Central Committee members to engage in democratic and frank discussions and place national interests and the legitimate rights and interests of the people above all else.

The fourth plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee is scheduled to run through October 8./.