(VOVWORLD) - The 13th Party Central Committee officially convened its 11th plenum in Hanoi on Thursday. The meeting focused on discussing major breakthrough policies to advance national development. General Secretary To Lam said that, in light of the current urgent context, breakthroughs, decisiveness, determination, solidarity, and unity in building and implementing policies are needed.
 General Secretary To Lam delivers the opening speech at the 11th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee. (Photo: VNA) |
The 11th plenum was convened one month earlier than originally scheduled. It will focus on restructuring the political system, administrative units, and two-tier local governments. Preparations for the 14th National Party Congress and elections for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term are also on the agenda.
Resolute in merging provinces, eliminating district administrations
In his opening remarks, General Secretary Lam said that, over the past two months, the Politburo and the Secretariat have directed the restructuring of the Party, Government, National Assembly, and Fatherland Front agencies at the central level.
However, a comprehensive assessment revealed that the restructuring of the political system is incomplete, especially at the local level, where an intermediate tier still exists. Many provincial-level administrative units are too small and have no space to foster development. Most commune-level agencies are inadequate in terms of size, staff, and development capacity, while the functions, responsibilities, authority, and operational mechanisms of decentralized local government bodies are inconsistent and uncoordinated.
The General Secretary said that, to continue the organizational restructuring, the Politburo and Secretariat have agreed to present to the Party Central Committee a Project to restructure administrative units at all levels and develop a two-tier local government model. There are related projects on local Party organizations, reorganizing and streamlining the Fatherland Front and other socio-political organizations, reforms of the Court and Procuracy systems, and proposed amendments to the Constitution, laws, and Party regulations, including regulations on Party inspection and oversight to ensure consistent implementation.
Mr. Lam said the ultimate goal of building a two-tier local government is to bring governance closer to the people, to better serve the people and to lay a strong foundation for national development with a long-term vision spanning at least the next 100 years.
The Party leader said: "The Politburo called on members of the Party Central Committee to approach the discussion with a radical and revolutionary mindset on national development that is for the people. We need feedback on key issues outlined in the draft projects, particularly on bold proposals to reduce the number of provincial-level administrative units to 34, eliminate district-level administrations, cut 50% of commune-level units, and strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority. The overarching aim is to make local governments—especially at the commune level after restructuring—more responsive, accessible, and capable of better serving the people."
 At the 11th Plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee |
Steadfast commitment to the path of socialism
During preparations for the 14th National Party Congress and the elections of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, General Secretary Lam said that, since the 10th Plenum of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo has provided direction on updating and supplementing new and critical matters, particularly revolutionary policies essential for national development. The content and structure of the preparatory documents have been greatly improved to ensure that they are practical and feasible. Mr. Lam said the overarching spirit of these documents reflects an unwavering commitment to socialism, addresses the dialectical relationship between stability and development, aligns with the core goal of better serving the people and Vietnam’s two centennial goals.
"The Politburo and the Secretariat really want to receive suggestions and solutions that will help Vietnam attain a GDP growth rate of 8% or higher in 2025 and double-digit growth in the years ahead, as Vietnam is carrying out a revolution of administrative rearrangement at all levels amid complex global trade developments. Leaders in all localities, ministries, and sectors need to identify actions, starting at the grassroots level, to achieve these ambitious growth targets," said Mr. Lam.
According to the Party leader, human resources are the "key of all keys" in realizing the vision and objectives of the 14th National Party Congress, which will require higher quality personnel, particularly in strategic leadership.
Cadre affairs work will continue to be refined and enhanced in the lead-up to the Congress. The Politburo has directed a comprehensive review and update of the draft orientation for the personnel structure of the 14th Party Central Committee, that is aligned with the new organizational model. The Party Central Committee is required to supplement strategic-level cadre planning and begin drafting amendments to Politburo Directive No. 35 on organizing Party congresses at all levels, including amendments related to re-election age, structural composition, and delegate numbers. These are crucial strategic matters for Vietnam’s future development. All these efforts are aimed at the successful organization of Party congresses at all levels and, ultimately, the 14th National Party Congress, which is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.