The central message in Party General Secretary and President To Lam’s opening remarks was that sound policies must go along with effective implementation that turns decisions into tangible results and practical benefits for the people.
Strengthening implementation
He said the ongoing Plenum must address immediate issues while laying theoretical, organizational, and human-resource foundations for Vietnam’s long-term development.
He said: "The overarching requirement is to strengthen the Party’s leadership capacity and rally national solidarity to achieve development goals. Issues related to Party organization, Party building, leadership and governance methods, personnel, resources, and socio-economic development are interconnected. The Party set the right direction; the political system and administrative apparatus operate effectively; people’s potential and capabilities are fully developed; and the people benefit from the fruits of development. Immediate tasks must be aligned with the goals for 2030 and 2045, as well as our longer-term vision."
Party leader and President Lam called for focusing on strengthening the Party’s capacity for self-renewal, self-ratification, and strategic development; reforming leadership and governance methods to improve the effectiveness of the political system; renewing personnel policies and making better use of talent; and setting the right priorities and effectively mobilizing resources for rapid, sustainable development.
He said Party building and rectification must be more substantive, with greater emphasis on the responsibility of Party organizations, cadres, and Party members, and, above all, on the public’s participation. Public satisfaction and trust should be the principal measures of performance.
As the apparatus changes, leadership methods must also evolve, with powers and responsibilities clearly defined and greater initiative given to each level.
Mr. Lam said personnel assessments must be based on performance, particularly in tackling difficult tasks. He called for greater efforts to attract high-quality human resources from the non-state sector, overseas Vietnamese, and experts, especially in science, technology and innovation.
"The draft National Strategy on attracting, using, and developing talent in key sectors to support rapid, sustainable national development must be based on Vietnam’s strategic priorities and areas where capabilities are lacking. How can we best attract, train, and connect talent to master technologies, boost productivity, and strengthen self-reliance? Making the most effective use of talent is the key, and developing a pool of talent is a fundamental, long-term task," said Mr. Lam.
Party leader and President Lam said Vietnam must set priorities wisely, use resources efficiently, and remove institutional bottlenecks to achieve the goal of GDP growth of at least 10%.
Science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation must become the key drivers of productivity growth, and foreign direct investment should be linked to technology transfer and greater domestic value creation.
Turning sound policies into tangible results
Building on the priorities outlined at the Plenum, Mr. Lam said: "Major policies and strategic orientations must be fully and consistently institutionalized and effectively implemented. Responsibility must be linked to the process, results, and quality of implementation. We must ensure authority, human resources, and other resources for every decision. Every decision must have a mechanism for measuring, and making adjustments based on results. What problems have been solved? What resources have been unlocked? What benefits have the people gained? Every outcome must be measured by its effectiveness."
As Vietnam enters a new stage of development with higher ambitions and greater demands, this approach is essential.
The 4th Plenum is expected to turn policies into decisive action, with clear responsibilities, clear tasks, adequate resources, and measurable results.
