P rofessor Doctor Phung Huu Phu,  Deputy Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council  (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

Professor Doctor Phung Huu Phu,  Deputy Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council says the aspiration to build a prosperous and happy country is based on a strong belief in Vietnam’s potential and prestige after 35 years of successful renewal and the experience that the Vietnamese Party and people have accumulated."

"Aspiration for national development shows our nation’s internal strength. We have to decide what the development aspiration will be. The draft documents emphasize the happiness of the people. The COVID-19 epidemic has shown us that a peaceful, happy life is more important than high income and high growth." said Phu.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien (Photo: VNA)

Aspiration for national development, prosperity and happiness is not just a dream but an aspiration based on a scientific foundation with a specific roadmap and aim.  The draft documents of the 13^th National Party Congress set out specific goals to make Vietnam a developed, high-income country by 2045. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien said happiness, culture and intellectualism are what the people need in addition to resources.                   

"President Ho Chi Minh set the goal of making Vietnam a country of independence, freedom and happiness. I agree that it’s important to build a happy, strong, and rich country with happy people. This is the first time “happiness” has been mentioned as a criterion in a document of a provincial Party Congress. People’s satisfaction and people’s health are also criteria," said Hien.

The goal of ensuring sustainable growth to build and defend the country needs to be achieved through effective social management that ensures that everyone is free, equal and has opportunities to grow. Social equality need to be integrated into political and social policies and economic growth needs to be tied to improvements in people’s living conditions. Deputy Head of the Committee for Social Affairs of the National Assembly Bui Sy Loi said: "Ensuring social security means ensuring a minimum living standard for everyone – the social security floor. The nature of our state is ensuring social security. Our wish is that no one in Vietnam lives below the social security floor. This is also the aim of the Party. We have to continue to increase social support and preferences for national contributors. The better our social security policy, the narrower the gap between the rich and the poor."

The aspiration for national prosperity and happiness must be associated with the creation and promotion of national values, cultural values, and the strength of the Vietnamese people. It’s also crucial to promote socialist democracy, national unity, and the combined strength of the political system, a skilled workforce, technology, and innovation.