The year 2024 can be encapsulated in these words: Change, Stability, Development. Despite changes in high-ranking personnel of the Party and the State and key personnel in various localities, and the departure of former Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, amid numerous external and internal challenges, the nation has remained united, determined and steadfast, fostering stability and development.

A pivotal factor in maintaining stability and development is the Party Chief’s firm determination and new, robust directives based on steadfast adherence to the legacy and views of predecessors.

These efforts have fostered consolidation and unity while inspiring new momentum and determination of the Party and the entire political system. This has greatly encouraged and instilled confidence among officials, Party members, and the people who eagerly anticipate new achievements and transformations.

The most crucial message is ushering the nation into a new era, the era of resurgence and national prosperity, includes two key tasks: accelerating to reach targets set by the 13th Party Congress and successfully organizing Party congresses at all levels and the 14th Party Congress.

This requires addressing weak links and bottlenecks hindering development and focusing on key and urgent tasks to unlock resources and unleash productivity capacity.

First of all, it is necessary to renovate the thinking about institutional regime development. Lam has repeatedly emphasized the need to remove the ‘if you can’t manage it, then ban it’ thinking, and to enhance autonomy, so that local authorities can make decisions, act and take responsibility for their work.

Next, it is necessary to carry out organizational streamlining, so as to create a foundation for restructuring personnel, and selecting the most competent and dedicated individuals for the apparatus.

At the same time, it is necessary to launch a ‘digital learning movement’ to accelerate comprehensive digital transformation, turn Vietnam into a digital technology center of the world, which can make up at least 50 percent of GDP.

Fourth, combating corruption and wastefulness. This process needs to be implemented with rigorous, resolute, and persistent efforts, with no exceptions. Corruption prevention must be integrated with the prevention of wastefulness, both considered critically important.

Preventing and combating corruption, wastefulness and negative things must be carried out from the grassroots level and Party cells, under the supervision of people, to best serve the task of socio-economic development, protect the interests of the nation and the Party, and to protect innovation, creativity, and the ‘dare to think and dare to do’ spirit for the common good.

Now, with the political system moving at a new speed and with new dynamics, focusing solely on action rather than stagnation, new results have been achieved.

Now the entire political system is running at a new speed and new movement, under the spirit of "no retreat, just action", and has created new effects.

GDP growth has been 7 percent on average, making Vietnam among the few nations with high growth rates in the region and the world. All economic and social indicators meet or exceed planned targets, with many international rankings showing improvements (15-place increase in e-Government Development Index, an 11-place increase in the Happiness Index, an 8-place increase in cybersecurity, and a 1-place increase in the Sustainable Development Index).

Many strategic tasks, such as the North-South high-speed railway and Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, have been launched, setting a foundation for growth.

Organizations have rapidly implemented the task of reviewing and proposing the rearrangement and streamlining of the apparatus. Despite reservations and mixed feelings, the streamlining has been going with strong determination. Many officers have sacrificed personal interest for the common good.

New breakthroughs have been made in combating corruption and inefficiency. The government and ministries have quickly checked large projects and identified projects with signs of significant waste and loss. In Hanoi alone, 800 such projects have been found, which indicates the severity and urgency of addressing such inefficiencies.

Investigation bodies have initiated legal proceedings for several waste-related cases to issue common warnings. Disciplinary actions have been taken against some former high-ranking leaders for violations in their duties, including fighting corruption and waste efforts.

2025 is an important year as it is the time to lay down the premise for the country to enter a new era. With new directives and strategies from General Secretary To Lam, alongside newfound enthusiasm and resolve from the political system and society, Vietnam has every reason to set the high goal of a two-digit growth rate in the next period.

Le Van Hanh (The Central Internal Affairs Committee)