The Communist Party of Vietnam: Embarking on a New Journey through Inheritance and Adherence to Principles

2020 was the year before the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and also a year marking multiple major events: the 45th anniversary of Vietnam’s victory in the war against the United States and the reunification of the country’s north and south, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976), the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, and the 130th anniversary of the birth of Ho Chi Minh. The Vietnamese Party and state had to both busy themselves with numerous celebratory activities and guard against various unforeseen risks. Against this backdrop, the struggle in Vietnam’s ideological sphere was especially severe. The CPV Central Committee systematically and orderly arranged these commemorative activities together with events such as the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth and the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth. On the one hand, it strengthened positive propaganda for Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, publicizing the historical contributions and important position of the CPV; on the other hand, it forcefully refuted various erroneous ideological trends, exposed the infiltration and “peaceful evolution” [n1] by hostile forces, thereby enhancing the people’s confidence in the Communist Party and the socialist cause. Furthermore, in 2020, facing the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPV leveraged the institutional advantages of centralized unified leadership and the superiority of the socialist system to successfully curb the spread of the epidemic. For the entire year, there were 1,548 confirmed cases and only 35 deaths, making Vietnam one of the countries with the lowest infection and mortality rates in the world. At the same time, Vietnam’s annual economic growth reached 2.91%, making it one of the countries with the highest economic growth rates in the world. These achievements greatly enhanced the confidence of the Vietnamese Party and people, consolidated the CPV’s ruling position, and laid a solid social foundation for smoothly welcoming the convening of the 13th National Congress of the CPV and outlining Vietnam’s medium- and long-term grand development blueprint.

2020年是越共十三大召开的前一年，也是越南抗美战争胜利实现国家南北统一45周年、越南民主共和国（1976年改名为越南社会主义共和国）成立75周年、越南共产党成立90周年、胡志明诞辰130周年等多个重大事件的纪念年份，越南党和国家既要忙于多项庆祝活动，又要防止各种不测风险。在这样的背景下，越南意识形态领域的斗争尤其严峻。越共中央将上述纪念活动和纪念列宁诞辰150周年、恩格斯诞辰200周年等活动一并进行了系统而有序的安排，一方面加强正面宣传马列主义、胡志明思想，宣传越南共产党的历史贡献和重要地位；另一方面针对各种错误思潮进行有力的批驳，对敌对势力的渗透和“和平演变”进行揭露，从而增强人民对共产党和社会主义事业的信心。此外，2020年，面对新冠肺炎疫情的肆虐，越南共产党发挥了集中统一领导的制度优势和社会主义制度的优越性，成功阻止疫情蔓延，全年感染病例1548例，只有35个死亡病例，是世界上感染率和病亡率最低的国家之一；与此同时，越南全年经济增长达到2.91%，成为世界上经济增长率最高的国家之一。这些成绩，极大地增强了越南党和人民的自信心，巩固了越南共产党的执政地位，为顺利迎接越共十三大的召开、描绘越南中长期宏伟发展蓝图奠定了坚实的社会基础。

I. Holding Major Commemorative Activities, Inheriting and Adhering to the Party’s Ideological Foundation, and Striking at Erroneous Ideological Trends

一、举办重大纪念活动，传承守正党的思想基础，打击错误思潮

To coordinate and arrange Vietnam’s multiple important commemorative activities in 2020, the CPV Central Committee made a unified plan. On October 29, 2019, the Office of the CPV Central Committee issued the “Directive on Important Commemorative Days and Major Events in 2020.” Subsequently, on January 8, 2020, the CPV Central Committee’s Propaganda and Education Commission issued the “Guiding Opinions on Propaganda and Commemoration of Important Commemorative Days and Major Historical Events in 2020,” which provided a detailed classification of all commemorative activities for the year, clearly stipulating the purpose, requirements, organizing units, scale, propaganda content, slogans, etc., for each activity. The document divided the commemorative activities to be held in 2020 into five major categories: the first category comprised large-scale national commemorative activities; the second category comprised commemorative activities for the birth anniversaries of important Party and state leaders; the third category comprised anniversary commemorations of major historical events; the fourth category comprised commemorative activities of provinces, centrally governed municipalities, or central ministries and commissions; and the fifth category comprised commemorative activities of an international nature. Among these, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPV and the 130th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh’s birth were listed as large-scale national commemorative activities, with celebrations organized separately by the Party Central Committee and provinces and cities. The 45th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification, and the 75th anniversary of the victory of the “August Revolution” [n2] and the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, were assigned to provinces and centrally governed municipalities for celebrations. The 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth and the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth were listed as international commemorative activities, with propaganda and theoretical research units organizing various academic seminars and conducting extensive publicity through the media. Following the guiding spirit of the Party Central Committee, relevant Vietnamese departments carried out a series of celebrations and commemorative activities in an orderly manner.

为协调安排2020年越南党和国家的多项重要纪念活动，越共中央进行了统一布局。2019年10月29日，越共中央办公厅颁发《关于2020年各项重要纪念日和重大事件的指示》。接着越共中央宣教部于2020年1月8日颁布了《关于2020年宣传和纪念各项重要纪念日和重大历史事件的指导意见》，对本年度所有纪念活动进行了详细的分类，明确规定了每项活动的目的、要求、组织单位、规模、宣传内容、标语口号等。文件将2020年度举办的各项纪念活动分为五大类：第一类为国家级大型纪念活动；第二类为党和国家重要领导人诞辰纪念活动；第三类为重大历史事件的周年纪念活动；第四类是各省直辖市或中央各部委的纪念活动；第五类是国际性质的纪念活动。其中，越南共产党成立90周年、胡志明诞辰130周年被列为国家级大型纪念活动，由党中央和各省市分别组织庆祝活动；南方解放和南北统一45周年、“八月革命”胜利和越南民主共和国成立75周年则交由各省直辖市举行庆祝活动；列宁诞辰150周年、恩格斯诞辰200周年被列为国际性质的纪念活动，由宣传和理论研究单位组织各种学术研讨会并通过媒体进行广泛宣传。按照党中央指示精神，越南相关部门有序开展系列庆祝和纪念活动。

(1) Grandly Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam

（一）隆重庆祝越南共产党成立90周年

February 3, 2020, was the 90th anniversary of the founding of the CPV. The CPV Central Committee held a grand celebration in Hanoi. CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivered a speech at the celebration, reviewing the glorious 90-year journey of the CPV and summarizing its important position and role in Vietnam’s revolutionary history. The founding of the CPV ended the long-standing crisis in the organization and path of the Vietnamese revolution. The rich and vivid practice of the 90 years of the Vietnamese revolution proves that the correct and wise leadership of the Party is the decisive factor for all victories of the Vietnamese revolution. Trong emphasized: “In Vietnam, apart from the Communist Party of Vietnam, no political force possesses sufficient capability, wisdom, experience, prestige, and power to lead Vietnam in overcoming various difficulties and challenges and achieving victory after victory in the revolutionary cause of the Vietnamese nation.” This proves that the CPV’s seizure of power and its becoming the sole ruling party in Vietnam is an inevitable choice of history.

2020年2月3日是越南共产党成立90周年的日子，越共中央在河内举行隆重的庆祝大会。越共中央总书记阮富仲在大会上发表了讲话，回顾了越共成立90年的光辉历程，总结了越南共产党在越南革命历史上的重要地位和作用。越南共产党的成立，结束了长期以来越南革命在组织上、道路上的危机状态；越南革命90年来丰富而生动的实践证明，党的正确英明领导是越南革命取得一切胜利的决定性因素。阮富仲强调：“在越南，除了越南共产党，没有哪个政治力量能有足够的本领、智慧、经验、威望和能力来领导越南战胜各种困难和挑战，并取得越南民族革命事业一次又一次的胜利。”由此证明，越南共产党掌握政权并成为越南唯一的执政党，是历史的必然选择。

Trong also emphasized the need to “vigorously maintain and promote the valuable experience and glorious traditions accumulated by the CPV over its 90-year glorious journey,” namely: “Maintaining boundless loyalty to the interests of the nation and the class; firmly adhering to the goal and ideal of national independence and socialism on the basis of upholding Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; grasping and creatively applying and developing Marxism-Leninism, adhering to an independent and self-reliant line while referencing and learning from international experience, formulating correct lines and effectively completing various revolutionary tasks; maintaining the flesh-and-blood bond between the Party and the masses, always taking serving the people as the purpose and goal of struggle; on the basis of the principles of democratic centralism, criticism and self-criticism, and caring for comrades, maintaining unity and solidarity, and strict organizational discipline; on the basis of adhering to principles and lofty goals, always maintaining international solidarity.” Trong also summarized in his speech the most important experience of the 35 years of successful reform and opening up (Doi Moi) [n3]: that is, the CPV has always firmly grasped and creatively applied the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism, the methodology of dialectical materialism, and Ho Chi Minh Thought to Vietnam’s reform practice. In the new period, it is necessary to continue to inherit the reform spirit, uphold the leadership of the CPV, continue to adhere to the creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in reform practice, continuously push forward the reform cause in the new era, continuously consolidate, adjust, and perfect the path of socialist development with Vietnamese characteristics, and ultimately achieve the goal of a prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization.

阮富仲还强调，要“大力维护和弘扬越南共产党在90年来的光辉历程中所积累的宝贵经验和光荣传统”，那就是：“保持对民族和阶级利益的无限忠诚；在坚持马列主义和胡志明思想的基础上坚定民族独立和社会主义目标理想；掌握并创造性地运用和发展马列主义，坚持独立自主的路线同时参考借鉴国际经验，制定正确的路线并有效完成各项革命任务；保持党与人民群众的血肉联系，始终把为人民服务作为宗旨和奋斗目标；在民主集中制、批评与自我批评、关爱同志等原则基础上，维护团结统一，严明组织纪律；在坚持原则、坚持崇高目标的基础上，始终坚持国际团结。”阮富仲还在讲话中总结了35年革新取得成功的最重要经验，那就是：越南共产党始终牢牢把握并创造性地运用马列主义的基本原理、辩证唯物主义的方法论和胡志明思想于越南的革新实践中。在新的时期，必须继续传承革新精神，坚持越南共产党的领导，在革新实践中继续坚持创造性地运用和发展马列主义和胡志明思想，不断把新时代的革新事业推向前进，不断巩固、调整和完善越南特色社会主义发展道路，最终实现民富、国强、民主、公平、文明的目标。

Major Vietnamese academic institutions also held thematic seminars commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Party’s founding. On January 16, 2020, the CPV Central Committee’s Propaganda and Education Commission, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and the CPV Central Committee’s Theoretical Council jointly held a national-level academic seminar with the theme “The Communist Party of Vietnam: Wisdom, Capability, Reform – For Independence, Freedom, and Socialism.” Tran Quoc Vuong, Standing Member of the CPV Central Committee’s Secretariat, delivered a speech at the seminar, emphasizing that the correct leadership of the CPV is the decisive factor for all victories of the Vietnamese revolution. Participants unanimously agreed that the founding of the CPV was an inevitable result of historical development, aligning with the Vietnamese nation’s aspiration for independence and national development. On June 26, the Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, held a national-level seminar titled “The Communist Party of Vietnam: A Work of History, Shouldering the Heavy Responsibility of History.” The seminar discussed the CPV’s position, role, and the achievements of the revolutionary cause it led from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The meeting fully affirmed the revolutionary achievements of the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the CPV over its 90 years since its founding. It was precisely under the guidance of the CPV’s correct line that Vietnam embarked on the correct reform path of developing a socialist-oriented market economy, ensuring Vietnam’s sustained economic growth and social stability. Major Vietnamese theorists also published articles. Some affirmed the historical merits of the CPV, clearly stating that the Party’s leadership is the decisive factor for the victory of the Vietnamese revolution. Others criticized and refuted various erroneous ideological trends that deny the CPV’s leadership position, exposing the plots of hostile forces to deny the Party’s leadership.

越南主要学术机构也举行纪念建党90周年的专题研讨会。2020年1月16日，越共中央宣教部、越南胡志明国家政治学院、越共中央理论委员会联合举办了主题为“越南共产党：智慧、本领、革新——为了独立自由和社会主义”的国家级学术研讨会。越共中央书记处常务书记陈国旺在会上发表讲话，强调：越南共产党的正确领导是越南革命一切胜利的决定性因素。与会者一致认为，越南共产党的成立是历史发展的必然结果，契合了越南民族争取独立和国家发展的愿望。6月26日，胡志明市国家大学举行了题为“越南共产党：历史的作品、扛起了历史的重任”的国家级研讨会。研讨会从理论和实践两个方面对越南共产党的地位、作用及其领导的越南革命事业所取得的成就进行了研讨。会议充分肯定了越南共产党成立90年来领导越南人民取得的革命成果，正是在越南共产党正确路线指引下，越南走上发展社会主义定向市场经济的正确革新路线，才保证了越南经济的持续增长和社会的稳定。越南主要理论家也纷纷发表文章，有的对越南共产党的历史功绩进行肯定，明确党的领导是越南革命胜利的决定性因素；有的对各种否定越南共产党领导地位的错误思潮进行批判和驳斥，揭露敌对势力否定党的领导地位的阴谋。

(2) Further Recognizing and Affirming Ho Chi Minh’s Immense Contributions

（二）进一步认识和肯定胡志明的丰功伟绩

May 19, 2020, marked the 130th anniversary of the birth of Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the founder of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. On May 18, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam held a grand commemorative meeting at the National Convention Center, with over 2,000 participants. Nguyen Phu Trong delivered a speech at the commemorative meeting, highly evaluating Ho Chi Minh’s life and his great achievements. Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: President Ho Chi Minh left a precious spiritual legacy for the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people. Every victory and every step of the Vietnamese revolution is inseparable from the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh and the illumination and guidance of Ho Chi Minh Thought. President Ho Chi Minh’s life embodied the loftiest patriotism and revolutionary heroism, and was the crystallization of the morality, wisdom, spirit, and conscience of the Vietnamese nation and the era. President Ho Chi Minh dedicated his entire life to the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese nation, the Vietnamese people, and the glorious international revolutionary cause; his name and his cause will last forever. Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that Ho Chi Minh is a model of revolutionary morality, leaving for the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people a mirror of morality, style, and lifestyle for generations, as well as an incomparably precious ideological legacy. Ho Chi Minh Thought is a comprehensive and profound series of viewpoints on the fundamental issues of the Vietnamese revolution. It is the result of the application and creative development of Marxism-Leninism under the specific conditions of Vietnam. It inherits and develops the value of the fine traditions of the Vietnamese nation, absorbs the essence of human civilization. It is an incomparably great and precious spiritual asset of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese nation, forever guiding the revolutionary cause of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese nation to continuous victory, and contributing to the common cause of peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress for the peoples of the world. Nguyen Phu Trong pointed out: Ho Chi Minh Thought and Ho Chi Minh’s incomparably rich and great revolutionary cause are not only the priceless treasure of the Vietnamese nation, the ideological foundation and guide of the Vietnamese revolution, but also contribute to the revolutionary cause of the oppressed peoples of the world and the development of human civilization and ideological essence; President Ho Chi Minh creatively combined Marxism-Leninism with Vietnamese practice, opening up a revolutionary path in line with Vietnamese reality, namely: adhering to the combination of national independence and socialism, and adhering to the combination of national liberation with class liberation and the liberation of the masses.

2020年5月19日是越南共产党的创始人、越南民主共和国的缔造者胡志明诞辰130周年纪念日。5月18日，越共中央在国家会议中心举行了隆重的纪念大会，共2000余人参加。阮富仲在纪念大会上发表讲话，高度评价了胡志明的一生及其丰功伟绩。阮富仲指出：胡志明主席给越南共产党和越南人民留下了宝贵精神财富。越南革命的每一个胜利和每一步都离不开胡志明主席的伟大功绩，离不开胡志明思想的照耀和指引。胡志明主席的一生，体现了最崇高的爱国主义和革命英雄主义精神，是越南民族和时代的道德、智慧、气概和良知的结晶。胡志明主席一生都奉献给了越南共产党、越南民族、越南人民和光荣的国际革命事业，他的英名和事业永世长存。阮富仲强调，胡志明是革命道德的典范，给越南共产党、越南人民留下了一面世世代代的道德、风格和生活作风的明镜和无比宝贵的思想遗产。胡志明思想是关于越南革命基本问题的全面深刻的系列观点，是马列主义在越南具体条件下的运用和创造性发展的结果，它继承和发展了越南民族的优良传统的价值，吸收了人类文明的精华，它是越南共产党和越南民族无比巨大和宝贵的精神财富，永远指引越南共产党和越南民族革命事业不断走向胜利，为世界各民族争取和平、民族独立、民主和社会进步的共同事业做出贡献。阮富仲指出：胡志明思想和胡志明无比丰富和伟大的革命事业，不仅是越南民族的无价之宝、越南革命的思想基础和指南，而且还为世界被压迫民族的革命事业、为人类文明和思想精华的发展做出贡献；胡志明主席创造性地将马克思列宁主义与越南实践相结合，开创了符合越南实际的革命道路，即：坚持民族独立与坚持社会主义相结合，坚持民族解放与阶级解放、人民群众的解放相结合的道路。

On May 5, 2020, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam hosted a national-level academic seminar with the theme “President Ho Chi Minh and the Cause of Renovation, Development, and Defense of the Fatherland.” The main contents and viewpoints of this seminar are as follows: First, it affirmed Ho Chi Minh’s lofty life and his revolutionary cause, affirming Ho Chi Minh’s great contributions to the Vietnamese revolution, the international communist movement, and the liberation movement of oppressed peoples worldwide; second, it explained Ho Chi Minh’s creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism in the practice of the Vietnamese revolution; third, it clarified the contemporary significance of Ho Chi Minh Thought in the cause of renovation, development, and defense of the fatherland; fourth, it emphasized Ho Chi Minh’s glorious image; fifth, it stated that the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people will always adhere to and creatively apply and develop Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought in the practice of the Vietnamese revolution, taking this as a requirement and principled demand in the current cause of national renovation, development, and defense. Tran Quoc Vuong, then Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, pointed out at the seminar: Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of peace, friendship, and national liberation for the peoples of the world. Ho Chi Minh’s lofty revolutionary cause, his life, and his thought are the source of the development and victory of the Vietnamese revolution. President Ho Chi Minh’s great revolutionary cause, thought, morality, and style will forever be a torch guiding the revolutionary cause of Vietnam in the process of renovation, development, and defense of the fatherland.

2020年5月5日，越共中央主办了主题为“胡志明主席与革新、发展和保卫祖国事业”国家级学术研讨会。本次研讨会的主要内容和观点如下：一是肯定了胡志明崇高的一生及其革命事业，肯定胡志明对越南革命、对国际共产主义运动和全世界被压迫民族解放运动的伟大贡献；二是阐释了胡志明在越南革命实践中对马列主义的创造性运用和发展；三是阐明了胡志明思想在革新、发展和保家卫国事业中的现实意义；四是强调胡志明的光辉形象；五是表示越南共产党和越南人民在越南革命实践中，将始终坚持并创造性运用和发展马列主义和胡志明思想，将之作为当前国家革新、发展和保卫事业中的需求和原则性要求。时任越共中央书记处常务书记陈国旺在会上指出：胡志明是世界各民族和平、友好和民族解放的象征，胡志明崇高的革命事业、他的一生及其思想是越南革命发展和胜利的源泉，胡志明主席伟大的革命事业、思想、道德和风格永远是一束火炬，在革新、发展和保卫祖国的过程中指引着越南的革命事业。

Nguyen Xuan Thang, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam, wrote an article pointing out: Ho Chi Minh is a hero of Vietnamese national liberation, an outstanding cultural figure, and a vanguard fighter of the international communist movement and the workers’ movement; Ho Chi Minh’s life and his revolutionary cause are a heroic epic of dedicating himself wholeheartedly to national independence, freedom, and the happiness of the people, and to human peace, development, and progress; Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality, and style are an incomparably precious asset of the entire Party, the entire army, and the entire people, forever the pride and great inspiration of generations of Vietnamese people, a light illuminating the path of the Vietnamese revolution, leading the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people to great victories in the cause of national construction and defense.

越共中央委员、越南胡志明国家政治学院院长、越共中央理论委员会主任阮春胜撰文指出：胡志明是越南民族解放的英雄，是杰出的文化名人，是国际共产主义运动和工人运动的先锋模范战士；胡志明的一生及其革命事业是一部为了国家独立自由和人民幸福，为了人类和平、发展与进步而鞠躬尽瘁的英雄史诗；胡志明的思想、道德和风格是全党、全军和全国人民无比宝贵的财富，永远是世世代代越南人的骄傲和巨大的鼓舞，是照亮越南革命道路的光芒，引领越南共产党和越南人民在国家建设和保卫事业中取得伟大胜利。

(III) Highly Affirming the Great Significance of Leninism for Vietnamese Socialism

（三）高度肯定列宁主义对越南社会主义的重大意义

For the development path of Vietnamese socialism, Lenin holds a particularly important position. In the early 20th century, while searching for the truth to save the nation in various countries around the world, it was precisely after reading Lenin’s “Preliminary Draft Theses on the National and the Colonial Questions” that President Ho Chi Minh concluded: To save the country and liberate the nation, it is necessary to take the path of the proletarian revolution! From then on, Ho Chi Minh believed in Marxism-Leninism. From the 1920s, Marxism-Leninism was introduced into Vietnam. Under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Vietnam achieved great victories in national liberation, the socialist revolution, and the cause of renovation. Therefore, for Vietnam, Lenin’s thought is of extremely great significance to Vietnamese socialism.

对越南社会主义发展道路来说，列宁具有特别重要的地位。20世纪初，胡志明主席在世界各国寻找救国真理的道路上，正是阅读了列宁的《民族和殖民地问题提纲初稿》后得出结论：要拯救国家、解放民族，就必须走无产阶级革命的道路！从此，胡志明信仰了马克思列宁主义。从20世纪20年代开始，马克思列宁主义传入越南。在马列主义的指引下，越南取得了民族解放、社会主义革命和革新事业的伟大胜利。因此，对越南而言，列宁的思想对越南社会主义具有极其重大的意义。

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth, Vietnamese state leaders laid flowers at the Lenin statue; held national-level academic seminars and commemorative activities; Party and state leaders and theorists published articles, highly evaluating Lenin and the great historical value and contemporary significance of his thought. On April 22, 2020, Vietnam held a national-level academic seminar with the theme “Lenin’s Legacy: Theoretical and Practical Value.” This seminar discussed and clarified the following themes: Lenin creatively developed the Marxist theory on the possibility of the victory of the proletarian revolution in the imperialist stage, successfully led the Russian October Revolution, and opened a period of transition from capitalism to socialism; Lenin creatively developed the Marxist theory on socialism and the path to socialism; Lenin is a model of defending and creatively developing Marxism; Lenin’s theory on the national and colonial questions is a precious guide for oppressed peoples to strive for national independence; Lenin’s legacy illuminated the path of the Vietnamese revolution in the Ho Chi Minh era; the Communist Party of Vietnam will adhere to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, leading the Vietnamese people to success in building and defending the cause of Vietnamese socialism. In his opening speech at the seminar, Vo Van Thuong, Head of the Propaganda and Education Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, reviewed Lenin’s great achievements and pointed out that commemorating the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth against the backdrop of globalization, deep and broad international integration, and the rapid development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution shows that we once again affirm Lenin’s great contribution to the revolutionary cause of promoting human progress; Vietnam should continue to develop and creatively apply Lenin’s basic ideas and Marxism, combining them with the achievements of the world revolution and modern science and technology.

在列宁诞辰150周年之际，越南国家领导人到列宁塑像前敬献了鲜花；举行了国家级的学术研讨会和纪念活动；党和国家领导人、理论家发表文章，高度评价列宁及其思想的重大历史价值与现实意义。2020年4月22日，越南举行了主题为“列宁的遗产：理论与实践价值”的国家级学术研讨会。本次会议围绕以下主题进行研讨并明确：列宁创造性发展了马克思主义关于帝国主义阶段无产阶级革命取得胜利的可能性的理论，成功领导了俄国十月革命，开辟了从资本主义向社会主义过渡的时期；列宁创造性地发展了马克思主义关于社会主义和社会主义道路的理论；列宁是维护、创造性发展马克思主义的典范；列宁关于民族和殖民地的理论是被压迫民族争取民族独立的宝贵指南；列宁的遗产照亮了胡志明时代越南革命的道路；越南共产党将坚持马列主义、胡志明思想，领导越南人民取得建设和保卫越南社会主义事业的成功。在研讨会开幕式讲话中，越共中央宣教部部长武文赏回顾了列宁的丰功伟绩，并指出，在全球化和深广融入国际、第四次工业革命迅猛发展的背景之下纪念列宁诞辰150周年，表明我们再次肯定列宁在促进人类进步的革命斗争事业中的伟大贡献；越南应结合世界革命和现代科学技术的成就，继续发展和创造性运用列宁的基本思想和马克思主义。

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth, the Vietnamese newspaper *Nhan Dan* published an editorial titled “The Light of Lenin’s Thought Illuminates the Path of the Vietnamese Revolution.” The article stated that Lenin’s thought and image have left a deep imprint on the revolutionary journey led by the Communist Party of Vietnam. Lenin remains a good example for communists around the world to learn from and practice; his thought and theory are eternal. Vietnamese media such as *Quan Doi Nhan Dan*, *Vietnam News Agency Information Newspaper*, and *Sai Gon Giai Phong* all set up columns titled “150th Anniversary of Lenin’s Birth.” Vietnamese theorists published a large number of works, explaining the value of Lenin’s thought and its contemporary significance in the construction of Vietnamese socialism and the practice of renovation from multiple perspectives, including the great historical significance of Lenin’s thought, the relationship between Leninism and Marxism, the relationship between Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought and the Vietnamese revolution, Lenin’s thought on Party building, and Vietnam’s innovation and development of Leninism during the renovation period.

为纪念列宁诞辰150周年，越南《人民报》发表社论《列宁思想之光照亮越南革命道路》，文章称，列宁的思想及形象已经在由越南共产党领导的革命征程中留下深刻烙印，列宁仍是世界上共产主义者学习与实践的好榜样，其思想及理论与世长存。越南《人民军队报》《越通社信息报》《西贡解放报》等媒体均设立了“列宁诞辰150周年”专栏，越南理论家发表了数量众多的作品，从列宁思想的重大历史意义、列宁主义与马克思主义的关系、列宁主义与胡志明思想和越南革命的关系、列宁关于党的建设的思想以及革新时期越南对列宁主义的创新和发展等众多视角阐释了列宁思想的价值及其在越南社会主义建设和革新实践中的现实意义。

Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam, published an article in *Communist Review* titled “The Practical and Theoretical Value of Lenin’s Legacy for the World and the Vietnamese Revolution.” He argued that Lenin creatively developed Marx’s theory on the possibility of a proletarian revolution achieving victory in the era of imperialism, led the October Revolution to victory, and opened a new epoch of transition from capitalism to socialism. Lenin supplemented, developed, and innovated Marxist theory on socialism and the socialist path. Lenin’s theory on nations and colonies provided valuable ideological guidance for oppressed nations in their struggles for national independence. The legacy of Leninism illuminated the revolutionary path of Vietnam in the Ho Chi Minh era. Professor Vu Quang Vinh of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, in his article “Leninism and the Vietnamese Revolution,” pointed out that Lenin’s inheritance and development of Marxism are mainly reflected in the following three aspects: first, the position of the ruling party in the cause of socialist construction; second, the issue of building a socialist rule-of-law state; third, uniting the masses to build a new socialist system. Nguyen Cong Dung, in his article “Lenin’s Doctrine on a New-Type Political Party of the Working Class,” summarized Lenin’s basic principles on a new-type party of the working class and pointed out that Lenin’s doctrine on this subject is of great significance to the Communist Party of Vietnam, especially in Party building. The Communist Party of Vietnam must conduct Party building in accordance with the principles of a new-type proletarian party, maintain close ties with the masses, act as the leader and servant of the Vietnamese people, and attach importance to Party building and rectification. Pham Thai Viet of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, in his article “Lenin’s Proletarian Internationalism,” pointed out that Lenin’s proletarian internationalism is a powerful driving force for the national liberation movements of countries oppressed by imperialism, helping the proletariat achieve the goal of escaping capitalist oppression and exploitation and realizing the liberation of all humanity. In the current context of globalization, Lenin’s theory of proletarian internationalism still holds great value. Scholar Nguyen Chi Hieu of the editorial department of *Communist Review* argued that Lenin’s ideas on the New Economic Policy serve as the theoretical basis for the Communist Party of Vietnam’s development of a socialist-oriented market economy; in building a socialist rule-of-law state, the Communist Party of Vietnam must be guided by Lenin’s thought in handling the relationship among the Party’s leadership, state management, and the people’s role as masters.

越共中央理论委员会主任阮春胜在《共产主义杂志》上发文《列宁的遗产对世界及越南革命的实践和理论价值》，认为列宁创造性地发展了马克思关于无产阶级革命可能在帝国主义时期取得胜利的理论，领导十月革命取得胜利，开辟了资本主义向社会主义过渡的新纪元，列宁对马克思主义关于社会主义和社会主义道路的理论进行了补充、发展和创新，列宁的民族和殖民地理论为被压迫民族开展民族独立斗争提供了宝贵的思想指导，列宁主义的遗产照亮了胡志明时代越南的革命道路。胡志明国家政治学院武光荣教授在《列宁主义与越南革命》一文中指出，列宁对马克思主义的继承和发展主要体现在以下三个方面：一是关于社会主义建设事业中执政党的地位；二是关于建设社会主义法权国家问题；三是关于团结人民群众以建设社会主义新制度。阮功勇在《列宁关于工人阶级新型政党的学说》一文中总结了列宁关于工人阶级新型政党的基本原则，并指出列宁关于工人阶级新型政党的学说对越南共产党特别是党的建设而言具有重大意义，越南共产党必须按照无产阶级新型政党的原则来进行党的建设，要密切联系群众，党是越南人民的领导者和公仆，要重视党的建设和整顿。外交学院范泰越在《列宁的无产阶级国际主义》一文中指出，列宁的无产阶级国际主义是被帝国主义压迫的各国民族解放运动的强大动力，帮助无产阶级实现摆脱资本主义压迫和剥削、获得全人类解放的目标。在当前全球化的背景下，列宁的无产阶级国际主义理论仍然具有很大价值。《共产主义杂志》编辑部学者阮志校认为，列宁的新经济政策思想是越南共产党发展社会主义定向的市场经济的理论依据；越南共产党在社会主义法权国家建设中，要以列宁思想为指导来处理党的领导、国家管理和人民当家做主之间的关系。

(IV) Affirming Engels’ Contribution to Marxism and the International Communist Movement

（四）肯定恩格斯对马克思主义和国际共产主义运动的贡献

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth, on November 27, 2020, the Central Propaganda and Education Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences jointly hosted a national symposium titled “Engels’ Legacy: Value of the Times and Vitality.” Experts discussed the following topics: first, Engels’ immense contribution to the founding of Marxism; second, Engels’ great contributions as a great leader and polymath of the international communist movement; third, the connection between the lives and work of Engels and Marx. The symposium concluded that Engels’ ideological and theoretical legacy illuminates the path of struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, and socialism worldwide, affirmed Engels’ important contributions in the formation and development of Marxism, and affirmed the value of Marxism-Leninism for the times and its vitality for the world revolution and the Vietnamese revolution.

为纪念恩格斯诞辰200周年，2020年11月27日，越共中央宣教部、越南胡志明国家政治学院、越共中央理论委员会、越南社会科学翰林院联合主办“恩格斯遗产：时代价值与生命力”国家级研讨会。与会专家主要就以下议题进行了讨论：第一，恩格斯为创立马克思主义所做出的巨大贡献；第二，恩格斯作为国际共产主义运动伟大领袖和博学家所做的伟大贡献；第三，恩格斯和马克思的生活和事业的联系。会议认为恩格斯的思想和理论遗产照亮了全世界和平、民族独立、民主和社会主义斗争的道路，肯定了恩格斯在马克思主义形成和发展的过程中所做出的重要贡献，肯定马列主义对世界革命和越南革命的时代价值和生命力。

In 2020, Vietnamese academic circles published many research results on Engels’ theoretical contributions. Issue No. 11, 2020, of *Political Theory*, the journal of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of Vietnam, specially opened a column commemorating the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth, publishing articles such as “Engels’ Struggle against Dühring, Vigorously Defending the Marxist Materialist Dialectic,” “Engels’ Theoretical Contributions to the Construction of the Communist Party,” “Engels as the Greatest Teacher and Polymath of the Modern Proletariat in World Civilization,” “Engels’ Defense and Development of Scientific Socialism from 1883 to 1895,” and “Engels’ Contribution to the Materialist Dialectic.”

2020年，越南学界发表了不少关于恩格斯的理论贡献的研究成果。越共中央党校主管的《政治理论》杂志2020年第11期专门开设了恩格斯诞辰200周年纪念专栏，刊发了《恩格斯与杜林作斗争，极力捍卫了马克思主义的唯物辩证法》《恩格斯关于共产党的建设的理论贡献》《恩格斯是全世界文明中现代无产阶级最伟大的导师和博学者》《1883～1895年期间恩格斯对科学社会主义的捍卫和发展》《恩格斯对唯物辩证法的贡献》等多篇文章。

Scholar Tran Hau Tan argued that Engels’ contribution to Marxism-Leninism is mainly reflected in the works he co-authored with Marx; at the same time, Engels was the first to apply the materialist dialectic to understand the laws of nature, explaining and summarizing the latest achievements of natural science and criticizing mystical, mechanical, and idealist viewpoints. General Ha Duc Long of the Political Academy of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam argued that Engels, together with Marx throughout his life, constantly struggled against erroneous trends such as reformism and dogmatism in order to achieve unity in understanding and action within the Communist International. The author proposed that, based on Engels’ spirit of struggle, erroneous and hostile viewpoints should be refuted, the subjects of erroneous, reactionary, and hostile viewpoints should be clearly identified, and targeted struggle and criticism should be carried out.

学者陈厚新认为，恩格斯对马列主义的贡献主要体现在其与马克思共同撰写的著作中；与此同时，恩格斯是运用唯物辩证法来认识自然规律的第一人，解释和概括了自然科学的最新成就，批判了神秘的机械的唯心主义观点。越南国防部政治学院何德龙上将认为，恩格斯在生前和马克思始终与改良主义、教条主义等错误思潮进行斗争，以达成共产国际在认识上和行动上的统一。作者提出，要根据恩格斯的斗争精神批驳错误和敌对观点，认清错误、反动和敌对观点的主体，有针对性地进行斗争和批判。

(V) Combining Commemorative Activities with the Struggle against Hostile Forces and Erroneous Trends

（五）结合纪念活动开展与敌对势力和错误思潮的斗争

Regarding the commemorative activities on the above themes, in addition to conducting positive propaganda, the Communist Party of Vietnam, from the central level to various departments and provinces and cities, simultaneously carried out activities to prevent hostile and erroneous trends and to counter “peaceful evolution.” [5]5 “Peaceful evolution” (和平演变) is a term used by socialist states to describe the strategy of Western countries, particularly the United States, to subvert socialist regimes through non-military means such as ideological infiltration, economic pressure, and cultural influence, rather than through direct armed intervention. The forms of these activities included holding special seminars, writing refutational articles, and conducting extensive propaganda in the media, exposing the various sabotage activities carried out by hostile forces taking advantage of the upcoming congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The main targets of attack by hostile forces included Vietnam’s socialist path, the socialist-oriented market economy, the Party’s leadership, high-level personnel arrangements, Marxism, and Ho Chi Minh Thought. By spreading various erroneous statements, hostile forces sought to negate and distort the guiding ideology, line, and policies of the Communist Party of Vietnam, attempting to influence major decisions such as the personnel arrangements of the new Party congress and the future direction of development, ultimately aiming to subvert the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In response, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam launched an ideological and public opinion struggle nationwide. On the one hand, it conducted education in the military and schools and carried out positive propaganda and education through the media; on the other hand, it organized theoretical workers nationwide to write articles refuting various erroneous statements and trends. In 2020 alone, the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam established 34 research topics specifically responsible for refuting hostile and erroneous ideas, organized 5 special seminars, and compiled the book *Firmly Defending the Party’s Ideological Foundation under the New Situation*.

对于上述主题纪念活动，除了从正面开展宣传以外，越南共产党从中央到各部门和各省市还同时开展了防止敌对和错误思潮以及“反和平演变”的活动，活动形式包括召开专题研讨会、撰写批驳性文章、在媒体上广泛宣传等，揭露敌对势力利用越南共产党即将召开大会之机进行的各种破坏活动。敌对势力主要攻击的目标包括越南的社会主义道路、社会主义定向的市场经济、党的领导、高层人事安排、马克思主义和胡志明思想等。敌对势力通过散布各种错误言论，否定和歪曲越南共产党的指导思想和路线方针，企图左右新一届党代会的人事安排和未来的发展方向等重大决断，最终颠覆越南共产党的领导。对此，越共中央在全国范围内开展思想舆论斗争，一方面在军队、学校进行教育并借助媒体进行正面宣传和教育，另一方面组织全国理论工作者撰文反驳各种错误言论和思潮。仅越共中央理论委员会，2020年就设立了34项专门负责批驳敌对和错误思想的研究课题，组织了5次专题研讨会，编写了《在新的形势下牢固捍卫党的思想基础》一书。

In summary, the commemorative activities held in 2020 under the guidance of the documents and directives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam expressed the Party’s upholding of orthodoxy and inheritance of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. Upholding orthodoxy is the foundation of inheritance; inheritance is for the purpose of upholding orthodoxy. For the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the 13th National Congress imminent, various ideological trends surging domestically, and the political scheme of Western “peaceful evolution” intensifying, Vietnam, by organizing various large-scale celebration activities to awaken collective memory and spread mainstream values, aimed to affirm the leadership position, prestige, and governing capacity of the Communist Party of Vietnam, affirm that the Communist Party of Vietnam has always been loyal to the interests of the nation and the people, and adhere to the goals and ideals of national independence and socialism based on Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. This was intended to enhance the sense of identity of cadres, Party members, and the masses with the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, evoke people’s confidence in the cause of renovation [6]6 “Renovation” (革新, *Doi Moi*) refers to the comprehensive economic and political reform program initiated by the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986, analogous to China’s reform and opening up, which transitioned Vietnam from a centrally planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy. and national pride, and lay the ideological and public opinion foundation for the smooth convening of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

综上，2020年在越共中央文件指示精神下举办的各项纪念活动，表达了越南共产党对马列主义和胡志明思想的守正与传承。守正是传承之本，传承是为了守正。对越南共产党而言，在十三大召开在即，国内各种思潮暗流涌动、西方“和平演变”的政治图谋愈演愈烈的形势下，越南通过举办各种大型庆典活动唤醒集体记忆、传播主流价值，旨在肯定越南共产党的领导地位、威望和执政能力，肯定越南共产党始终忠诚于国家和民族利益，坚持以马列主义和胡志明思想为基础的民族独立和社会主义的目标与理想，以增强广大干部、党员和人民群众对越南共产党和越南社会主义共和国的认同感，唤起人们对革新事业的信心和民族自豪感，为越共十三大的顺利召开奠定思想和舆论基础。

II. Orderly Advancing the Rotation of Leading Bodies at All Levels

二、有序推进各级领导班子的换届工作

The year 2020 was the year before the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam was to be held. One of the most important tasks of the year was to convene Party congresses at all levels nationwide, complete the rotation of leading cadres at all levels, and recommend candidates to the Central Committee for the 13th Central Committee. The Communist Party of Vietnam provided comprehensive guidance mainly in terms of guiding ideology, the electoral system, and specific operational procedures, and all work proceeded step by step.

2020年是越共十三大即将举行的前一年，年内最重要的任务之一就是要在全国范围内召开党的各级代表大会，完成各级领导干部的轮换，并向中央推选十三届中央委员。越共主要从指导思想、选举制度和具体操作流程方面进行了全面的指导，各项工作按部就班推进。

(I) Determining the Guiding Ideology and Relevant Institutional Regulations for Personnel Work

（一）确定人事工作的指导思想和相关制度规定

1. In terms of guiding ideology, selecting cadres with both moral integrity and professional competence is regarded as the primary task.

1.在指导思想上，将选拔德才兼备的干部作为首要工作

Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, paid special attention to the personnel selection work for the 13th National Congress, emphasizing the importance of cadre work at multiple meetings. On April 27, 2020, he published a signed article, “Several Issues Requiring Particular Attention in the Personnel Preparation Work for the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam,” comprehensively explaining the role, significance, importance, and requirements of the personnel preparation work for the 13th Congress, as well as its content, methods, and implementation approach. Nguyen Phu Trong once again emphasized the role of cadres, pointing out that in any revolutionary stage, cadres always play a decisive role; cadre work is not only the key to Party building but also an important link in all Party activities, and even a factor determining the success or failure of the revolution. Regarding the guiding ideology, policy, and working methods for the personnel preparation work for the 13th Congress, Nguyen Phu Trong stressed that the personnel preparation work for the 13th Congress is an especially important task, a “key of keys” task, concerning the survival or extinction of the Party, the fate of the socialist system, and the development direction of the country. The construction of the 13th Central Committee must meet the following requirements. First, the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam must be a collective that is united, pure, and strong, with highly unified action and will, firm political determination, pure moral character, and adherence to the goals of national independence and socialism; possessing strategic vision, wisdom, and creative and innovative thinking; representing the combativeness and discipline of the entire Party; closely connecting with the masses, capable of凝聚 the unity and unification of the entire Party and the whole people; and having sufficient prestige and ability to lead the country into a new stage of development. Second, on the basis of ensuring that standards are met, the 13th Central Committee must have a reasonable number and structure to ensure comprehensive leadership, strengthen the number of Central Committee members in important work positions, regions, and fields, and ensure inheritance, stability, innovation, and sustained development. Third, the recommendation of personnel must be based on planning, adhere to principles and regulations, and promote responsibility, democracy, openness, transparency, and an objective spirit in the evaluation, recommendation, and selection of personnel. Nguyen Phu Trong proposed that members of the 13th Central Committee should become models for Party cadres and members in political capability, moral character, and work ability, possessing both virtue and talent, “taking virtue as the foundation.” [7]7 “Taking virtue as the foundation” (以德为本) is a Confucian-influenced principle emphasizing moral integrity as the primary criterion for leadership selection, reflecting the CPV’s integration of traditional values with socialist cadre standards. In a speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam held in May 2020, Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that in personnel preparation work, the banner of responsibility must be held high, the Party’s organization and regulations must be strictly followed, the cause of the Party and the nation must be placed first, and actions such as individualism, opportunism, factionalism, and seeking office and promotion must be resolutely prevented.

越共中央总书记阮富仲特别重视十三届人事选举工作，在多个会议上强调干部工作的重要性。2020年4月27日，他发表署名文章《越共十三大人事筹备工作要特别注意的若干问题》，全面阐释了十三大人事准备工作的作用、意义、重要性和要求，以及十三大人事准备工作的内容、方法和开展方式。阮富仲再次强调了干部的作用，他指出，在任何革命阶段，干部始终起到决定性的作用；干部工作不仅是党建工作中的关键，而且是党的一切活动的重要环节，更是决定革命成败的因素。关于十三大人事准备工作的指导思想、方针和工作方法，阮富仲强调，十三大人事准备工作是特别重要的任务，是“关键的关键”任务，关系到党的生死存亡、社会主义制度的命运以及国家的发展走向。十三届中央委员会的建设要满足以下要求。第一，越共十三届中央委员会必须是这样一个集体：团结、纯洁、强大，行动和意志高度统一，政治定力坚定、道德品质纯粹，坚持民族独立和社会主义的目标；具有战略眼光、有智慧和创造性革新思维；是全党战斗性和纪律性的代表；密切联系群众，能够凝聚全党全民团结统一；有足够的威望和能力带领国家进入新发展阶段。第二，在保证达到标准的基础上，十三届中央委员会必须要有合理的数量和结构，以确保全面领导，加强各重要工作岗位、地区和领域中央委员的数量，确保继承性、稳定性、革新和持续发展。第三，人事的推荐要建立在规划的基础上，坚持原则和规定，在人事评价、推荐和选拔工作中发扬责任、民主、公开、透明和客观精神。阮富仲提出，十三届中央委员应在政治本领、道德品质和工作能力上成为党员干部的模范，德才兼备，“以德为本”。阮富仲在2020年5月召开的越共十二届十二中全会开幕式上讲话强调，在人事准备工作中，必须高举责任大旗，严格遵守党的组织、规定，将党和民族的事业摆在首位，坚决防止个人主义、机会主义、宗派主义、跑官要官等行为。

2. Formulating and Improving Position Standards and Assessment Systems for Leading Cadres

2.制定和完善领导干部岗位标准和考核体系

In August 2017, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam promulgated Regulation No. 90, “On Position Standards and Assessment Indicator Systems for Leading Cadres Managed by the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat,” and Regulation No. 89, “On Position Standards and Assessment Indicator Systems for Leading Management Positions at All Levels.” These two documents clearly stipulated specific standards and assessment indicators from major leading positions in the central and state organs to leading positions at all local levels. On January 2, 2020, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam promulgated Regulation No. 214, “On Position Standards and Assessment Indicator Systems for Cadres Managed by the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat,” replacing Regulation No. 90. Regulation No. 214 further clarified the specific conditions for each leading position.

2017年8月，越共中央颁布了《关于由中央执行委员会、政治局、书记处管理的领导干部的岗位标准和考核指标体系》第90号规定，以及《关于各级领导的管理岗位标准和考核指标体系》第89号规定，这两个文件明确规定了从中央和国家机关主要领导岗位到地方各级领导岗位的具体标准和考核指标。2020年1月2日，越共中央颁布了《关于中央执行委员会、政治局和书记处管理的干部岗位标准和考核指标体系》第214号规定，以此代替第90号规定，第214号规定进一步明确了每一个领导岗位的具体条件。

Regulation No. 214 stipulates the general position standards for members of the Central Committee, members of the Politburo, and secretaries of the Secretariat, as well as specific position standards for all centrally managed cadres, including the General Secretary of the Party, the Standing Secretary of the Secretariat, the Director and Deputy Director of the Central Inspection Committee, the President and Vice President of the State, the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, as well as ministers and deputy ministers of various ministries and commissions, secretaries and deputy secretaries of provinces and centrally governed municipalities, governors and deputy governors, and chairpersons and vice chairpersons of provincial people’s councils. The position standards applicable to all centrally managed cadres include five items. First, in political ideology: absolute loyalty to the interests of the Party, the state, the nation, and the people; adherence to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, the goals of national independence and socialism, and the Party’s reform line. Second, in moral character and lifestyle: serving as a moral model; being diligent, thrifty, incorruptible, and impartial; having no ambition for power; playing a model role in all aspects; and being a center of unity. Third, in educational level: possessing a university degree or higher; having a political theory level at the undergraduate or advanced level; holding qualifications as a senior administrator of state management or equivalent diplomas; and possessing foreign language and computer skills appropriate to the position. Fourth, in ability and prestige: possessing innovative thinking and strategic vision, scientific working methods; being creative, daring to think, dare to act, and dare to take responsibility; playing a cohesive and core role in the political system; and gaining high trust from cadres, Party members, and the masses. Fifth, in health, age, and experience: being physically healthy and capable of performing the work; age conforming to relevant regulations; and having experience in serving as a major leading position in a directly subordinate unit.

第214号规定对中央委员、政治局委员、书记处书记的一般岗位标准，以及党的总书记、书记处常务书记、中央检查委员会主任和副主任、国家主席和副主席、国会主席和副主席、政府总理和副总理、祖国阵线中央主席和副主席，以及各部委的部长和副部长、各省直辖市的书记和副书记、省长和副省长、议会主席和副主席等所有中管干部的具体岗位标准做出了明确规定。适用于所有中管干部的岗位标准包括五条。一是在政治思想上：绝对忠诚于党、国家、民族和人民的利益，坚持马列主义和胡志明思想、坚持民族独立和社会主义目标以及党的革新路线等。二是在品德和生活作风方面：作为道德榜样；勤俭廉政、至公无私；没有权力野心，在各方面都发挥模范作用，是团结的中心。三是在文化程度方面：具有大学及以上学历；政治理论水平为本科或高级水平；具有国家管理高级专员资格或同等文凭；具备与岗位相符的外语和计算机技能。四是在能力和声望方面：具备革新思维和战略眼光、科学的工作方法；富有创造力，敢想、敢做、敢于担当；在政治系统中发挥凝聚力和核心作用；得到干部、党员和人民群众的高度信任。五是在健康、年龄和履历方面：身体健康，能胜任工作；年龄符合相关规定；有在直接下属单位担任过主要领导职务的履历。

On this basis, Regulation No. 214 also specifically clarifies the position standards and assessment standards for members of the Central Committee, members of the Politburo, and others. Among them, the standards for members of the Central Committee are raised on the basis of the general standards for centrally managed cadres, while the standards for members of the Politburo are further raised on the basis of the standards for members of the Central Committee. For example, members of the Politburo and members of the Secretariat must also meet the following standards: in political capability, moral character, wisdom and combat effectiveness, leadership and management ability, and organizational discipline, they can truly play a model and leading role for the Party Central Committee, and not be interfered with by external forces and interest groups; having a deep and broad understanding of the national, regional, and world situation, possessing political acumen, economic insight, and mastery of social conditions; formulating the country’s development lines, guidelines, and policies with a high sense of responsibility, being able to grasp problems in practice, and contributing to the decision-making of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat; having served as a member of the Central Committee for at least one full term; and having served as the head of a provincial or ministerial-level organ. In terms of assessment, the evaluation results for all positions must be above “good.”

在此基础上，第214号规定还特别明确了中央委员、政治局委员等的岗位标准和考核标准。其中，中央委员的标准在中管干部的一般标准基础上有所提高，而政治局委员的标准则在中央委员的标准基础上进一步提高。譬如，政治局委员和书记处成员还要达到以下标准：在政治本领、道德品质、智慧和战斗力、领导管理能力、组织纪律方面，能够真正发挥党中央的模范带头作用，不为外部力量和利益集团所干扰；对国家、地区和世界局势深入广泛了解，具有政治敏锐性、经济的洞察力、掌握社会情况；以高度的责任感来制定国家发展的路线和方针政策，能够把握实践中的问题，为党中央、政治局和书记处做出决策；担任中央委员至少一个完整任期；担任过省部级机关首长。在考核方面，所有岗位的考评成绩要在良好以上。

(2) Completing the Selection Work for Local and Central Leading Cadres Step by Step

（二）逐级完成地方和中央领导干部的推选工作

1. Orderly Promoting the Convening of Party Congresses at All Levels and Completing Personnel Changes at All Local Levels

1.有序推进各级党代会的召开，完成地方各级人事换届

In May 2019, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam promulgated Directive No. 35 for Party congresses at all levels for the 13th Congress, putting forward six requirements. (1) Party congresses at all levels must be held in accordance with the policy of inheritance, stability, innovation, creativity, and development; while promoting democracy, principles must be adhered to and discipline and discipline must be strictly observed. (2) Detailed, in-depth, and effective discussions must be conducted on the major viewpoints, goals, propositions, and orientations proposed in the draft documents of the 13th Congress and the higher-level Party congresses. (3) Personnel work for the 2020–2025 term must ensure the Party’s unified leadership over cadres and cadre management work, including the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and Party committees and standing committees at all levels. (4) Personnel preparation and election work must ensure compliance with the Party Constitution, various rules, regulations, and national laws, and ensure comprehensiveness, synchronization, coherence, democracy, thoroughness, objectivity, and transparency. (5) Delegates to higher-level Party congresses must be model representatives in quality, morality, and lifestyle, possessing wisdom and ability to make practical and effective contributions to the successful convening of the congress. (6) During the preparation and convening of the congress, the Party’s ideological foundation, political program, and line must be actively defended, while maintaining vigilance and alertness, proactively preventing, resolutely opposing, and effectively stopping the sabotage plots, means, and actions of hostile forces, political speculators, and discontented elements.

2019年5月，越共中央政治局颁布了针对十三大的各级党代会的第35号指示，提出了六点要求。（1）各级党代会必须按照继承、稳定、革新、创新和发展的方针举行；发扬民主的同时坚持原则、严守纪律纪纲。（2）就十三大文件草案和上级党代会提出的重大观点、目标、主张和定向进行细致、深入和有效的讨论。（3）2020～2025年任期的人事工作必须保证党对干部和干部管理工作的统一领导，其中包括中央委员会、政治局、书记处、各级党委和常委。（4）人事准备和选举工作要保证符合党章、各项规则、规定和国家法律，确保整体性、同步性、连贯性、民主、入心、客观和透明。（5）参加上级党代会代表团成员必须是在品质、道德、生活方式方面的模范代表，有智慧有能力为大会的成功召开做出切实有效的贡献。（6）在会议的筹备和召开过程中，要积极捍卫党的思想基础、政治纲领和路线，同时要保持清醒、警惕，主动预防、坚决反对和有效阻止敌对势力、政治投机和不满分子的破坏阴谋、手段和行动。

Instruction No. 35 stipulated the timing for holding Party congresses at all levels: grassroots Party meetings were to be held from April to June 30, 2020; district-level Party congresses were to be completed before August 31; and congresses of Party organs directly under the Central Committee were to be completed before October 31. By October 29, the Party congresses of 67 provinces, municipalities, and central organs and units nationwide had all been successfully convened and had fulfilled their tasks. All 63 provincial (municipal) Party secretaries for the 2020–2025 term had been confirmed, including 5 secretaries of centrally administered municipalities and 58 provincial Party secretaries. On November 19, the Politburo of the CPV Central Committee held a national cadre conference in Hanoi to summarize the organization of Party congresses at all levels for the 2020–2025 term. This was the first national summary conference on Party congresses at all levels in the history of the CPV.

第35号指示规定了各级党代会举行的时间：2020年4月至6月30日举行基层党组织会议；8月31日之前召开完县级党代会；10月31日之前召开完中央直属机关党代会。至10月29日，全国67个省市和中央直属机关及单位的党代会已全部顺利召开并完成各项任务，2020～2025年任期的63位省（直辖市）委书记人选已经全部确定，包括中央直辖市委书记5位、省委书记58位。11月19日，越共中央政治局在河内举行全国干部会议，对2020～2025年任期党的各级代表大会组织工作进行总结，这是越共历史上首次举行的各级代表大会全国总结会议。

2. Proceeding Step by Step to Elect the 13th Central Leadership Collective

2.按部就班推选十三届中央领导集体

The strategic cadre planning for the 13th Central Committee and Politburo of the CPV followed the principle of “advancing step by step in an orderly manner, consolidating layer by layer.” First, the Central Committee was planned, then the candidates for the Politburo and the Secretariat were planned, and only afterward were candidates for important positions such as the General Secretary, the President, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister put forward.

越共十三届中央委员会、政治局战略干部规划工作按照“步步有序推进，层层稳扎稳打”方针，先规划中央委员会，再规划政治局、书记处人选，最后才推出总书记、国家主席、国会主席、政府总理等重要职务人选。

The 12th Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee, held in May 2020, discussed the personnel plan for the 13th Central Committee, including the criteria for Central Committee members, the conditions, structure, number of seats, candidate recommendation process, selection methods, and several issues that needed to be led and implemented during the preparation and execution of the Central Committee’s personnel work. Based on the recommendations of the 13th Congress Personnel Group, the Politburo of the CPV Central Committee discussed and approved the number of seats and structure for the 13th Central Committee. According to the Politburo’s decision, the Personnel Work Group notified all localities and organs to organize personnel recommendations. Subsequently, meetings of the standing committees of various organs and localities, as well as meetings of leading cadres in provinces and municipalities, held votes to recommend candidates for the 13th Central Committee. By August 20, 116 localities and organs nationwide had recommended 119 full and alternate members of the 12th Central Committee to remain as members of the 13th Central Committee, and recommended 107 new full members and 44 new alternate members. The 13th Congress Personnel Group and the Politburo held multiple meetings to discuss the list of recommended candidates for the 13th Central Committee. During the 13th Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee, held in early October, the 12th Central Committee voted on nominations for members of the 13th Central Committee, members of the 13th Central Inspection Committee, and candidates for various ministerial positions. As planned, the 14th Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee, to be held in December, was to vote on the list of candidates for the next Politburo and Secretariat. However, the 14th Plenary Session could not be completed as planned, so it was decided to convene the 15th Plenary Session to make the final decision. At the 15th Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee, held on January 17–18, 2021, a “special circumstances” procedure was initiated, approving nominations for 10 candidates who exceeded the age limit to enter the Central Committee, and forming the list of candidates for the 13th Politburo and Secretariat, which was submitted to the 13th Congress for a vote.

2020年5月召开的越共十二届十二中全会讨论了越共十三届中央委员会人事工作方案，包括中央委员的标准和中央委员的条件、结构、名额、候选人推荐流程、选拔方式和中央委员会人事工作准备和开展过程中需要领导展开落实的若干问题。以十三大人事小组建议为基础，越共中央政治局经过讨论，批准了越共十三届中央委员的名额和结构。根据政治局的决定，人事工作小组通知各地各机关单位组织人事推荐工作。之后，各机关单位、地方常务委员会会议，各省市骨干干部会议进行了投票，推荐越共十三届中央委员会人选。至8月20日，全国116个地方和机关单位共推荐119名十二届中央正式委员和候补委员留任十三届中央委员，推荐107名新入中央的正式委员和44名候补委员。十三大人事小组和政治局召开了多次会议，讨论十三大中央委员候选人推荐名单。在10月初召开的十二届十三中全会期间，十二届中央委员会就越共第十三届中央委员会委员、第十三届中央检查委员会委员和各部长候选人提名进行投票表决。按计划，12月召开的十二届十四中全会表决通过下一届中央政治局、中央书记处的候选人名单。然而，十四中全会未能按计划完成，于是决定召开十五中全会再做定夺。在2021年1月17～18日召开的十二届十五中全会上，通过启动“特殊情况”程序，通过了对10名超过应选年龄的候选人进入中央的提名，并形成十三届政治局委员和书记处的候选人名单，提交十三届大会表决。

(3) Flexible Adaptation: Electing a New Central Leadership Collective with Continuity

（三）灵活变通，选举产生具有延续性的新一届中央领导集体

At the 13th National Congress of the CPV, held from January 15 to 21, 2021, the 13th Central Committee was elected, consisting of 180 full members and 20 alternate members. An 18-member Politburo was elected (including General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who remained in office beyond the age limit), and a 19-member Central Inspection Committee was elected. Nguyen Phu Trong was elected General Secretary for a third term. This outcome exceeded the predictions of many observers and also broke Article 17 of the current CPV Party Statute, which stipulates that the General Secretary cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.

在2021年1月15～21日召开的越共十三大上，选举产生了由180名中央正式委员、20名候补委员构成的第十三届越共中央委员会，产生了18名政治局委员（其中总书记阮富仲和总理阮春福超龄留任）和由19人构成的中央检查委员会，阮富仲第三次当选党的总书记。这一结果超出很多观察家的预判，也打破现行越共党章第十七条规定，即党的总书记不能连续担任两个以上任期。

Regarding why Nguyen Phu Trong was able to break the Party Statute and be re-elected General Secretary again, according to an explanation given by Pham Van Duc, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, at a video conference held at the School of Marxism of Guangxi University on February 5, 2021, the CPV Party Statute stipulates that the General Secretary cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. At the same time, the Party Statute also stipulates: the Party Congress is the highest authority of the Party and has the power to decide all matters. Before the convening of this Congress, the CPV Central Committee had already decided not to amend the Party Statute at this Congress. Therefore, at the 13th Congress, a special vote was held on the issue of “whether to agree to Nguyen Phu Trong serving as General Secretary for a third term without amending the Party Statute.” The majority voted “in favor.” Accordingly, Nguyen Phu Trong was able to serve as General Secretary for a third term through a special procedure of a Congress vote without amending the Party Statute.

对于阮富仲为何能打破党章规定再次连任党的总书记，据越南社会科学翰林院副院长范文德在2021年2月5日在广西大学马克思主义学院举行的视频会议上所做的解答，越共党章规定了党的总书记不能连续担任两个以上任期，与此同时，党章还规定：党的代表大会是党的最高权力机关，有权决定所有事项。在本次大会召开之前，越共中央就已经确定本次大会不修改党章，因此在十三大上，专门就是否同意“阮富仲第三次担任党的总书记而不修改党章”的议题进行了表决，结果为“同意”的占大多数。据此，阮富仲以大会表决而不修改党章的特殊方式得以第三次担任党的总书记。

It is understood that, in fact, Nguyen Phu Trong himself had no intention of continuing in office. Therefore, before the Congress convened, it was decided not to amend the Party Statute at this session. In July 2020, Nguyen Phu Trong sent a letter to the 12th Central Committee, suggesting that candidates meeting the criteria be recommended to replace him. However, when the CPV Central Committee conducted a vote of confidence among the members of the 12th Politburo who were qualified to serve as General Secretary, no one received more than half the votes; the highest approval rate was only about 40%. Therefore, the CPV Central Committee made a flexible arrangement, initiating a special procedure to nominate Nguyen Phu Trong to remain in office again. When meeting with reporters after the conclusion of the 13th Congress, Nguyen Phu Trong also stated that he himself had no intention of remaining in office due to his advanced age, but because the Politburo requested him to continue, as a Party member, he had to obey the Party’s arrangement and strive to fulfill his duties well.

据了解，实际上阮富仲本人无意继续留任，因此在大会召开前就已决定本次会议不修改党章。2020年7月，阮富仲向十二届中央委员会致函，建议推荐符合标准的人来接替他本人。然而，越共中央在对具备资格担任总书记的十二届政治局委员进行民意投票时，没有人得票超过半数，最高得票率仅为40%左右。因此，越共中央做出灵活安排，启动了特殊程序，推举阮富仲再次留任。在十三大结束后与记者见面时，阮富仲也表示他本人因年事已高无意留任，但因为政治局要求他继续留任，作为一名党员，只好服从党的安排并努力履行好职责。

Thus, it can be seen that although the personnel election for the 13th Central Committee of the CPV had very detailed regulations, the final result did not proceed step by step. However, against the backdrop of the current changes unseen in a century in the world and the need to further strengthen and deepen domestic anti-corruption work, such an arrangement will be conducive to the continuity of Vietnam’s development strategy since the 12th Congress of the CPV and the further implementation and deepening of Nguyen Phu Trong’s governance philosophy.

由此可见，越共十三届中央人事选举尽管作出很详细的规定，最终结果却并非按部就班。但在当前国际面临百年未有之大变局、国内反腐工作需要进一步加强和深化的背景下，这样的安排将有利于越共十二大以来越南发展战略的延续和阮富仲治国理政理念的进一步落实和深化。

3. Completing the Drafting of Documents for the 13th Congress and Determining Vietnam’s Medium- and Long-Term Development Strategic Plan

三、编制完成十三大文件起草工作，确定越南中长期发展战略规划

In 2020, the most important task for Vietnam’s theoretical circles was to complete the drafting of the report for the 13th Congress and various documents for the Congress. This mainly included summarizing the achievements and experience of reform and opening up [n8], planning Vietnam’s development strategy for the next five years, ten years, and up to the middle of the 21st century, and preparing for the new Party Congress to be held in early 2021.

2020年，越南理论界最重要的工作就是完成十三大报告和大会各项文件的起草工作，主要包括总结革新的成就与经验，规划越南未来五年、十年以及到21世纪中叶的发展战略，为2021年初召开的新一届党代会做好准备。

(1) Carefully Drafting Congress Documents and Soliciting Opinions from the Entire Population

（一）精心编制大会文件并面向全民征求意见

Beginning with the Eighth Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in October 2018, the CPV initiated preparations for the documents of the 13th National Congress. After more than two years of preparation, four draft documents were produced. (1) The *Report of the 12th Central Committee Submitted to the 13th National Congress of the Party*, i.e., the political report of the 13th Congress, covering: a summary of 35 years of *Đổi Mới* (Renovation) and the work of the 12th Central Committee; the implementation over 30 years of the *Platform for National Construction in the Period of Transition to Socialism* adopted in 1991 and over 10 years of its 2011 supplement; and strategic development goals for the next 5 years, 10 years, and toward 2045. (2) The *Summary Report on the Implementation of the 2011–2020 Ten-Year Socio-Economic Development Strategy and the Strategic Development Plan for the Next Ten Years*. (3) The *Summary Report on the Implementation of the 2016–2020 Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Strategy and the Strategic Development Plan for the Next Five Years*. (4) The *Summary Report on Party Building Work and the Implementation of the Party Constitution by the 12th Central Committee*. From February 2020 onward, the draft documents (summary versions) of the 13th Congress were distributed to Party organizations at all levels and the National Assembly for comments, and local organizations mobilized Party members, cadres, and the masses to participate in discussion. After 22 rounds of supplementation and revision, on October 22, 2020, the CPV Central Committee published the drafts of the above four documents, soliciting extensive opinions both domestically and internationally, and received millions of comments and suggestions. In his report at the opening ceremony of the Congress, Nguyễn Phú Trọng pointed out that the document teams had absorbed and organized the feedback, making multiple revisions; the political report alone was revised more than 30 times. The Congress documents, meticulously prepared, perfectly combined theory and practice, inheritance and development, and adherence and innovation. They crystallized the wisdom of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire armed forces, highly integrated the “will of the Party” and the “hearts of the people,” and gathered the determination and will of all Vietnamese people to build and defend the country.

自2018年10月越共十二届八中全会开始，越共就启动了十三大文件的准备工作。经过两年多的准备，形成了四个文件草案。（1）《第十二届中央委员会提呈第十三次全国党的代表大会的报告》即十三大政治报告，内容包括：总结革新35年和十二届中央工作的情况；执行1991年通过的《社会主义过渡时期国家建设纲领》30年及其2011年增补案10年的情况；未来5年、10年及面向2045年的发展战略目标。（2）《2011～2020年十年经济社会发展战略落实情况的总结报告和未来十年的发展战略规划》。（3）《2016～2020年5年经济社会发展战略落实情况的总结报告和未来5年的发展战略规划》。（4）《第十二届中央党建工作和党章落实情况的总结报告》。2020年2月起，越共十三大各项文件草案（概要版）下发到各级党组织和国会征求意见，各地组织党员干部和群众参与讨论。经过22次补充、修改后，2020年10月22日，越共中央公布了上述四个文件的草案，在海内外广泛征求意见，共收到数百万条意见和建议。阮富仲在大会开幕式报告中指出，各文件小组分别进行了吸收和整理，多次进行修改，其中仅大会的政治报告就修改超过30次。大会各项文件经过精心准备，完美地结合了理论与实践、继承与发展、坚持与创新的精神，它凝聚了全党、全民、全军的智慧，高度融合了“党意”和“民心”，汇集了全体越南人民建设国家和保卫国家的决心和意志。

(II) Summarizing the Achievements and Experience of *Đổi Mới*

（二）总结革新的成就与经验

Regarding the achievements of Vietnam’s *Đổi Mới* cause, Nguyễn Phú Trọng summed them up in one sentence: “Our country has never had the foundation, strength, international standing, and prestige it has today!” This summary can be supported by many data points.

对于越南革新事业所取得的成果，阮富仲用一句话来概括：“我国从未有过如今的基业、实力、国际地位和威望！”这一概括可以用很多数据来证明。

Before *Đổi Mới*, Vietnam was one of the least developed countries in the world, with a per capita GDP of less than US$100 in 1986. By 2020, Vietnam’s total economic output reached US$268.4 billion, and per capita GDP reached US$2,750. Especially in the past five years, Vietnam’s economy grew at an average annual rate of 5.9%, the quality of economic growth continuously improved, and labor productivity rose from 4.3% in the previous five-year period to 5.8% in 2020. People’s living standards improved markedly, with the proportion of poor households falling to 1.45%, and Vietnam was recognized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as one of the countries with the most outstanding achievements in poverty reduction.

革新前，越南是世界最不发达国家之一，1986年人均GDP不足100美元，2020年越南经济总量达到2684亿美元，人均GDP达到2750美元。尤其是过去五年，越南经济年均增长5.9%，经济增长质量不断提高，劳动生产率从上一个五年的4.3%上升到2020年的5.8%；人民生活明显改善，贫困家庭比例已降至1.45%，被联合国开发计划署（UNDP）认定为减贫成就最为突出的国家之一。

Political and social stability was maintained, significant results were achieved in Party building, positive changes occurred in Party members’ ideology, morality, organization, and cadre work, and the anti-corruption campaign was carried out comprehensively, deeply, and meticulously, winning the support of the entire people. In particular, against the backdrop of the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Vietnam’s economic growth rate reached 2.91%, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. It also achieved the dual goals of economic growth and pandemic control, demonstrating the superiority of the socialist system, and the confidence of the Vietnamese people in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese socialist system was strengthened.

政治社会稳定，党的建设取得重大成果，党员思想、道德、组织和干部工作方面取得积极转变，反腐败工作全面深入细致展开，得到全国人民的拥护。特别是，2020年在受到新冠肺炎疫情严重影响的背景下，越南经济增长率达到2.91%，成为世界经济增长最快的国家之一，并且实现了经济增长和疫情控制双重目标，彰显了社会主义制度的优越性，越南百姓对越南共产党的领导和越南社会主义制度的信心得到增强。

In diplomacy, the strategy of proactive and active international integration deepened continuously, and Vietnam’s international status and prestige steadily rose.

在外交方面，积极主动融入国际战略不断深化，越南的国际地位和威望不断提高。

Nguyễn Phú Trọng emphasized that the achievements of 35 years of *Đổi Mới* prove that the Party’s leadership and the path of socialist development are correct. Through summarizing the practice of *Đổi Mới* over 35 years, especially the past five years, the CPV drew the following five lessons.

阮富仲强调，35年的革新成就证明，越南党的领导和社会主义发展道路是正确的。通过对革新35年尤其是过去5年革新实践的总结，越共得出以下五条经验。

First, it is necessary to persistently and effectively uphold the work of Party building and rectification; persistently uphold the creative application of Marxism-Leninism and Hồ Chí Minh Thought; persistently uphold the anti-corruption struggle and prevent ideological degeneration among Party members and the “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” of Party cadres [9]9 “Self-evolution” (tự diễn biến) and “self-transformation” (tự chuyển hóa) are Vietnamese Party terms referring to the internal ideological and political degeneration of cadres, often linked to the influence of hostile forces or capitalist ideas.; and treat cadre work as the “key of keys.”

第一，必须长期有效地坚持党的建设和整顿工作；坚持创造性地运用马列主义和胡志明思想；坚持反腐败斗争，防止党内思想蜕化和党员干部的“自我演变”“自我转化”；将干部工作看成“关键的关键”。

Second, deeply implement the viewpoint of “putting the people first,” and persistently implement the guideline of “the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people check, the people supervise, the people enjoy”; take the people as the center of the *Đổi Mới* cause, strengthen the connection between the Party and the people, and consolidate the people’s confidence in the Party and the socialist system.

第二，深入贯彻“以民为本”的观点，坚持落实“民知、民议、民办、民检查、民监督、民享有”的方针；以人民为革新事业的中心，加强党和人民的联系，巩固人民对党和社会主义制度的信心。

Third, advance reform with high political determination, great effort, and resolute action; give full play to the superiority of the socialist system, attach importance to the coordination and cooperation of the political system, and enhance the sense of responsibility of leading cadres; attach importance to the work of summarizing practice and theoretical research, and maintain an innovative spirit.

第三，要以高度的政治决心、巨大的努力、坚决的行动推进改革；发挥社会主义制度的优越性，重视政治系统的协调配合，提高一把手的责任意识；重视实践总结和理论研究工作，具有创新精神。

Fourth, attach importance to solving development problems and coordinating various relationships in the development process; in the course of development, earnestly emphasize and bring into play human initiative, and give play to the role of culture, education, science, and technology.

第四，重视解决发展问题，协调好发展过程中的各种关系；在发展过程中，切实重视并发挥人的能动性、发挥文化教育和科学技术的作用。

Fifth, on the basis of accurately assessing the international situation, take national security as the center, adhere to independence and self-reliance, and proactively and actively conduct diplomatic work; especially attach importance to handling relations with major powers and neighboring countries.

第五，在准确判断国际局势的基础上，以国家安全为中心，坚持独立自主、积极主动开展外交工作；尤其重视处理好与大国和邻国的关系。

(III) Depicting a New Blueprint for Vietnam’s Development in the New Period

（三）描绘新时期越南发展新蓝图

Based on an assessment of the domestic and international situation, the political report of the 13th CPV Congress put forward Vietnam’s overall development goals for the next five years and beyond: enhance the Party’s leadership capacity, governing capacity, and combat effectiveness; comprehensively build a clean and resolute Party and political system, and consolidate the people’s confidence in the Party and the socialist system; inspire the people’s aspiration for national prosperity and happiness, fully unleash the will and strength of great national unity, and combine this with the strength of the times; comprehensively and coordinately advance the cause of *Đổi Mới*, industrialization, and modernization; build the country, resolutely defend the country, and maintain a peaceful and stable environment; and strive for Vietnam to become a developed country oriented toward socialism by the middle of the 21st century. The above content constitutes the theme of the report of the 13th CPV Congress.

越共十三大政治报告在对国内外形势进行评估的基础上，提出了越南未来五年和今后总体发展目标：提高党的领导能力、执政能力和战斗力；全面建设廉洁、坚定的党和政治系统，巩固人民对党和社会主义制度的信心；激发人民对国家实现繁荣幸福的渴望，全面发挥民族大团结的意志和力量，将之与时代的力量相结合；全面协调推进革新事业、工业化和现代化；建设祖国、坚决保卫祖国，维护和平稳定的环境；争取到21世纪中叶越南成为社会主义定向的发达国家。以上内容构成了越共十三大报告的主题。

The CPV divided the development goals up to the middle of the 21st century into three stages: by 2025, the 50th anniversary of the reunification of North and South Vietnam, to become a developing country with modern-oriented industry that has crossed the lower-middle income threshold; by 2030, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, to become an upper-middle-income developing country with modern industry; and by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), to become a high-income developed country.

越共将到21世纪中叶的发展目标分为三个阶段：到2025年即越南南北统一50周年时，成为拥有现代化方向工业的、跨越了中等偏低收入的发展中国家；到2030年即越共建党100周年时，成为拥有现代化工业的中等偏高收入的发展中国家；到2045年即越南民主共和国（现名为越南社会主义共和国）建立100周年时，成为高收入的发达国家。

Among these, the specific socio-economic development targets for 2021–2025 are: an average annual GDP growth rate of 6.5%–7%; per capita GDP reaching US$4,700–US$5,000; the contribution rate of total factor productivity to economic growth reaching 45% by 2025; average annual labor productivity growth of over 6.5%; an urbanization rate of approximately 45% by 2025; the share of manufacturing reaching over 25%; and the digital economy accounting for about 20% of GDP.

其中，2021～2025年越南经济社会发展的具体目标为：GDP年均增长率达到6.5%～7%；人均GDP达到4700～5000美元；2025年全要素生产率对经济增长的贡献率达到45%；劳动生产率年均增长6.5%以上；2025年城市化比例约45%；制造业占比达到25%以上，数字经济占GDP约20%。

The 13th National Congress report also set out the development strategy for the next decade (2021–2030), including twelve directional tasks, six key areas of work, and three strategic breakthroughs. The twelve directional tasks are: institutions and mechanisms for development; the economic system; human resources; national culture; social welfare; climate change; national security; international integration; social democracy; building a law-based state; Party building; and the ten relationships that need to be properly coordinated in the course of development. The six key areas of work are: first, vigorously advancing Party building and rectification, building a clean, solid socialist law-based state; second, accelerating the renewal of the economic growth model, restructuring the economy, and building and perfecting the institutions and mechanisms of a socialist-oriented market economy; third, arousing the will and determination for national prosperity and the people’s happiness, promoting the values of Vietnamese national culture and the humanistic spirit; fourth, adhering to an independent and self-reliant foreign policy line, raising the quality and effectiveness of international integration, strengthening national defense and security forces, safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and the unity and integrity of territory, sea and airspace, and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; fifth, bringing into play the strength of great national unity, enhancing socialist democracy and the people’s right to be masters of their own affairs, strengthening the legal system, and maintaining social order; sixth, strictly managing and rationally using land, water, mineral resources and other energy sources, improving the environment, and proactively responding to climate change. The three strategic breakthroughs are: first, perfecting the socialist market economy system, with the focus on resolving issues related to land; second, developing human resources, with the focus on training high-quality personnel; third, strengthening infrastructure construction, with the focus on information technology infrastructure. The ten relationships to be properly handled in the course of development include: the relationship between reform, stability and development; the relationship between economic reform and political reform; the relationship between observing the laws of the market and ensuring the socialist orientation; the relationship between developing the productive forces and building and gradually perfecting socialist relations of production; the relationship between the state, the market and society; the relationship between economic growth and cultural development, and the realization of social progress and social equity; the relationship between building the socialist fatherland and defending the socialist fatherland; the relationship between independence and self-reliance and international integration; the relationship between the leadership of the Party, the management of the state and the people being the masters; and the relationship between exercising democracy, strengthening the legal system and maintaining social order. Among these, the last relationship was newly added at this congress.

十三大报告还确定了未来十年（2021～2030年）发展战略，包括十二个方向性任务、六项重点工作以及三个战略突破点。十二个方向性任务包括：关于发展的体制机制、经济体制、人力资源、民族文化、社会民生、气候变化、国家安全、融入国际、社会民主、法权国家建设、党的建设以及在发展过程中需要协调好的十对关系。六项重点工作为：第一，大力推进党的建设和整顿，建设廉洁、牢固的社会主义法权国家；第二，加快经济增长模式革新，调整经济结构，建设和完善社会主义定向的市场经济体制机制；第三，激发国家繁荣发展、人民幸福的意志和决心，弘扬越南民族文化价值和人文精神；第四，坚持独立自主的外交路线，提高融入国际的质量和效果，增强国防安全力量，维护国家的独立、主权以及领土、领海、领空的统一和完整，维护和平、稳定的环境；第五，发挥民族大团结力量，增进社会主义民主和人民当家做主的权利，加强法制、维护社会秩序；第六，严格管理、合理使用土地、水、矿产资源和其他能源，改善环境，主动应对气候变化。三个战略突破点为：一是完善社会主义市场经济体制，重点是解决土地相关问题；二是发展人力资源，重点是培养高素质人才；三是加强基础设施建设，重点是信息技术基础设施。在发展过程中要处理好的十大关系包括：革新、稳定与发展的关系；经济革新与政治革新的关系；遵守市场规律与保证社会主义定向的关系；发展生产力与建设并逐步完善社会主义生产关系的关系；国家、市场与社会的关系；经济增长与文化发展、实现社会进步和社会公平的关系；建设社会主义祖国与保卫社会主义祖国的关系；独立自主与融入国际的关系；党的领导、国家管理和人民做主之间的关系；实行民主、加强法制与维护社会秩序之间的关系。其中，最后一对关系为本次大会所新增。

IV. Summary and Outlook

四、总结与展望

The year 2020 was a landmark year on Vietnam’s socialist path, and also a year full of challenges and uncertainties in the domestic and international environment. The Communist Party of Vietnam took the overall situation in hand: on the one hand, with the preparation for the 13th National Congress as the main line, it intensively arranged personnel and election transitions, and on the basis of extensively soliciting public opinion, completed the drafting of the documents for the 13th Congress; on the other hand, it calmly responded to various ideological challenges, severe domestic natural disasters, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and society, ultimately successfully convening the 13th National Congress, leading Vietnam onto a new development journey, and sounding the clarion call to march toward the “Two Centenary Goals” [10]10 The “Two Centenary Goals” (两个一百年奋斗目标) refer to the strategic objectives set by the Communist Party of Vietnam: by 2030 (the centenary of the Party’s founding), to become a modern industrial country; and by 2045 (the centenary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam), to become a high-income developed country.. In particular, in the face of the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, the Communist Party of Vietnam brought into play the institutional advantage of the Party’s centralized and unified leadership, put forward the dual goal of “both preventing the epidemic and restoring economic and social development to ensure the people’s livelihood,” steadily and orderly advanced various tasks, and ultimately achieved the dual goals of economic growth and successful epidemic prevention, fully demonstrating the superiority of the socialist system and strengthening the people’s confidence in the Vietnamese Party and the socialist system. In 2020, Vietnam’s economic growth rate reached 2.91%, making it one of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest economic growth rate, and the only country among 16 emerging economies to achieve positive growth, winning widespread international acclaim, and Vietnam’s international influence also rose to a new height. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the year-end national work conference in 2020 that 2020 was regarded as the most successful year for Vietnam in five years in overcoming difficulties and challenges, and the people’s trust in the Party and confidence in the country’s future were continuously consolidated and strengthened.

2020年是越南社会主义道路上具有标志性意义的一年，也是国内外环境充满挑战和不确定性的一年。越南共产党统揽全局，一手以筹备越共十三大为主线，紧锣密鼓布局人事换届选举，并在广泛征求民意基础上编制完成十三大文件草案；一手沉着应对各种意识形态的挑战、国内严重自然灾害和新冠肺炎疫情对经济社会的冲击，最终顺利完成越共十三大的召开，领导越南踏上了新的发展征程，吹响了向“两个一百年”奋斗目标进军的号角。尤其是，面对突如其来的新冠肺炎疫情，越南共产党发挥了党的集中统一领导的体制优势，提出“既要防止疫情，又要恢复经济社会发展，保障人民生活”的双重目标，稳定有序推进各项工作，最终实现经济增长和成功抗疫双重目标，充分彰显了社会主义制度的优越性，增强了人民对越南党和社会主义制度的信心。2020年，越南经济增长率达到2.91%，成为世界上经济增长率最高的前10名国家之一，也是16个新兴经济体中唯一实现正增长的国家，在国际上赢得了广泛赞誉，越南的国际影响力也上升到新的高度。越南政府总理阮春福在2020年年终全国工作会议上说，2020年被视为越南5年来在各种困难和挑战中迎难而上最成功的一年，人民对党的信任、对国家未来的信心不断得到巩固和加强。

Against this backdrop, Vietnam was filled with a sense of national pride. The 13th National Congress of the CPV formulated ambitious strategic goals for medium- and long-term development: in the next five years, to cross the middle-income trap; in the next ten years, to become a modern industrial country; and by the middle of the 21st century, to become a “high-income developed country.” However, according to data released by Vietnam, the per capita GDP in 2020 was only USD 2,750, while the expected economic growth rate for the next five years is 6%–7%, which clearly does not match the goal of crossing the middle-income trap; and becoming a high-income developed country in the next 25 years, according to current general standards, the minimum per capita GDP for a developed country is USD 12,000, generally reaching around USD 20,000, which is also clearly difficult to achieve.

在这样的背景下，越南全国洋溢着民族自豪感，越共十三大制定了雄心勃勃的未来中长期发展的战略目标：未来5年跨越中等收入陷阱，未来10年成为现代化的工业国，到21世纪中叶成为“高收入水平的发达国家”。然而，据越南公布的数据，2020年人均GDP只有2750美元，而未来5年预期经济增长率为6%～7%，这显然与跨越中等收入陷阱的目标不匹配；而未来25年成为高收入的发达国家，按现在的一般标准，发达国家人均GDP最低标准为1.2万美元，一般要达到2万美元左右，这显然也是难以实现的。

Looking ahead to 2021, this is the first year for implementing the resolutions of the 13th National Congress. In the first half of the year, elections for the 15th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels will be held, and the new national leaders will be formally appointed. It is expected that under the leadership of the new Party and state collective leadership, the entire Vietnamese political system will take a more proactive stance to make a good start on the new journey, striving to achieve more fruitful results than in previous years. At a video conference between the Vietnamese government and localities held on December 28, 2020, CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong proposed to “grasp both ends” in accordance with the spirit of the 13th National Congress resolutions, effectively implementing various annual plans for economic and social development while also taking into account the five-year plan and the ten-year development strategy. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stated: “Vietnam can completely be at the forefront in many fields!” Nguyen Xuan Phuc also proposed raising the GDP growth rate for 2021 from 6% to 6.5%. However, just as the 13th National Congress was being held at the end of January 2021, Vietnam experienced a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which quickly spread to most cities across the country. As of January 24, Vietnam had a total of 1,548 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 35 deaths, with no new locally transmitted cases for 54 days. However, the third wave of the pandemic returned with a vengeance. As of February 21, in less than a month, more than 800 new cases were added. By early May, the whole country was once again engaged in “fighting the epidemic,” most businesses had ceased operations, and tourism had basically stopped. Therefore, achieving a GDP growth rate of 6.5% for 2021 may be quite difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to continue to have a significant impact on the Vietnamese economy, bringing new tests to the new collective leadership of the Vietnamese Party and state.

展望2021年，这是越共十三大决议落实的第一年，上半年将举行第十五届国会和各级人民议会代表选举活动，正式任命新一届国家领导人。预计在新一届党和国家领导集体的带领下，越南整个政治系统将以更加积极主动的姿态为新征程开好局，力争取得比往年更加丰硕的成果。在2020年12月28日举行的越南政府与全国各地视频工作会上，越共总书记阮富仲提出，要按照越共十三大决议精神做到“两手抓”，既要有效落实经济社会发展各项年度计划，又要兼顾五年计划与十年发展战略。越南总理阮春福则表示：“越南在许多领域上完全可以走在前茅！”阮春福还提出将2021年GDP增长率从6%上调到6.5%。然而，就在2021年1月底召开越共十三大期间，越南暴发了第三波新冠疫情，之后迅速蔓延到全国大多数城市。而截至1月24日，越南新冠肺炎病例共计1548例，死亡35例，已54天无本土新增病例。然而，第三波新冠疫情卷土重来，而且来势汹汹。截至2月21日，在不到一个月的时间，新增800多例。截至5月初，越南全国再次投入“抗疫”中，大多数商业已经停止活动，旅游业也基本停止。因此，2021年度的GDP增长率达要到6.5%，或有较大难度。新冠疫情预计还将对越南经济产生较大影响，给新一届越南党和国家领导集体带来新考验。

(Authors: Pan Jin’e, Researcher and Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies, Institute of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Wei Lichun, Doctoral Candidate, Class of 2019, School of Marxism, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者：潘金娥，中国社会科学院马克思主义研究院国际共产主义运动研究部主任，研究员；韦丽春，中国社会科学院大学马克思主义学院2019级博士研究生）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心