Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Overcoming the wind, creating a foundation, breaking through to enter a new era

On the occasion of the New Year 2026, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh answered an interview with VNA on the results of socio-economic development in 2025, the 2021-2025 term and the tasks of 2026 - the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.

Dear Prime Minister, in the past 5 years and in 2025, the domestic and international situation has encountered many unprecedented difficulties and challenges, but under the strong direction and management of the Government and the Prime Minister, we have overcome "the upside winds", achieved many important achievements in socio-economic development, and enhanced the country's potential and position. Can the Prime Minister share about the outstanding achievements?

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Since the beginning of the term, the world situation has changed very quickly, becoming complicated and unpredictable, many new issues, unprecedented, exceeding forecasts, especially the COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged consequences, strategic competition between major countries, conflicts, political instability in many places, non-traditional security factors, natural disasters, and climate change are increasingly severe.

The growth trend decreased, inflation increased, and public debt of most countries exceeded the safe threshold. In the country, we are "dual-affected" by negative external factors, both having to deal with internal limitations and shortcomings that have lasted for many years; in general, difficulties and challenges are more than opportunities and advantages.

In that context, under the leadership of the Party and the Government, the Prime Minister has focused on leadership, direction, and management with the motto " proactive, flexible, creative, drastic, and effective", with the spirit of "only discussing work, not retreating", creating a breakthrough in institutions, mechanisms, and policies of the nature of "turning the situation around" and "transforming the state". We have quickly adapted and overcome the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, "going behind to the front", being one of the 5 countries with the highest vaccine coverage rate in the world, a mortality rate of 0.37% compared to the total number of infections, much lower than the world average of 1%, as a basis for the early transition from "zero COVID" to "safe, flexible adaptation to COVID", building a recovery program to promote socio-economic development ( KTXH). Promote institutional improvement, focus on removing difficulties for production and business, unblocking, mobilizing and effectively using all resources, creating breakthroughs in development in all fields.

Prioritize promoting growth associated with maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major balances of the economy. Focus on developing cultural, social and environmental fields; strengthening national defense, security, and foreign affairs; preserving a peaceful, stable environment and favorable conditions for national development.

The work of building and perfecting institutions and the revolution in streamlining the apparatus and organizing local governments at both levels is a highlight in the direction and operation of 2025.

The Government has directed the development, coordination, and consultation of the Politburo to issue 10 breakthrough resolutions in key areas (of which 07 resolutions have been issued and 03 resolutions are being prepared for issuance)[1], and at the same time submitted to the National Assembly Resolutions to institutionalize these Resolutions. Develop and submit to the National Assembly for approval the largest number of laws, decrees, resolutions and promulgation of decrees in a single term ever[2].

At the same time, focus on implementing the revolution in streamlining the apparatus and organizing local governments at both levels in conjunction with promoting decentralization and delegation of power. The number of state administrative staff decreased by 145,000 people; regular expenditures decreased by 39 trillion VND/year. Up to now, the activities of local governments at both levels have basically become more disciplined; changing the state from administrative management to serving the people and creating development. Accelerate the review and reduction of administrative procedures and business conditions, creating all conveniences for people and businesses[3].

In a very difficult context, thanks to the efforts of the entire political system, the People and the business community under the leadership of the Party, the socio-economic situation of our country continues to change positively with the trend of being better month after month, better year after year, this term is better than the previous term in most areas; achieving and exceeding all 15 main targets of 20254, contributing to the successful implementation of the goals, tasks and solutions of the entire 2021-2025 term.

In particular, some outstanding results are: GDP growth in 2025 will reach 8.02%, among the high-growth countries in the region and the world[5], especially while we maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation at 3.31%, ensure major balances of the economy; the state budget deficit, public debt, government debt, and national foreign debt are much lower than the prescribed limits[6]. State budget revenue reached a record, by December 31, 2025, it reached about VND 2.65 trillion, exceeding the estimate by 34.7% and increasing by about 30% over the same period in 2024[7].

Total FDI capital attracted in 2025 will reach 38.4 billion USD, realized capital will reach 27.62 billion USD, the highest since FDI capital, bringing the total FDI capital attracted for the entire term to over 184 billion USD, among the 15 developing countries attracting the largest FDI in the world.

The scale of international trade will reach a record of more than 930 billion USD in 2025 (of which agricultural exports will exceed 70 billion USD for the first time), belonging to the group of 15 leading countries in the world. GDP size reached more than 514 billion USD. GDP per capita reached more than 5,000 USD, more than 1.4 times higher than in 2020, putting Vietnam in the group of countries with high average incomes.

In 2025, 297,500 newly established and returning to operation enterprises will be 1,300 times more than the number of enterprises withdrawing from the market; the estimate to date is that the whole country has over 1 million operating enterprises, an increase of over 20% compared to 2020, affirming the role of the private economy as the most important driving force of the national economy, in accordance with the spirit of Resolution 68 of the Politburo. As a developing country, the economy is in the process of transformation, with high openness and modest scale, but the results achieved have affirmed the resilience of our country's economy to external shocks.

Not only in terms of quantity, growth quality has been increasingly improved; the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to economic growth reached about 47% (exceeding the target of 45%); Vietnam's global innovation index in 2025 ranked 44/139 countries and territories.

The economic structure continues to shift towards industrialization and modernization; the proportion of industrial and construction sectors and service sectors in GDP increased from 78.6% in 2020 to 80.4% in 2025; the agricultural sector decreased from 12.7% to 11.6%. Many projects that have been backlogged and weak for a long time have been resolutely handled, contributing to fighting waste, freeing up resources, and promoting growth[8].

The strategic infrastructure system has a breakthrough development; many projects in transportation, energy, logistics, services, healthcare, education, digital infrastructure, large-scale, synchronous, modern urban infrastructure are focused on being built, completed, highly connected, and spread, creating new development space, increasing the added value of the land, contributing to improving competitiveness, increasing investment attraction, creating a solid foundation to make Vietnam a connecting center of the region and the whole world. In the 2021-2025 term, the total public investment capital will reach about VND3.4 million billion, an increase of nearly 55% compared to the previous term, and will be arranged centrally, overcoming scattered and segmented areas; with the total number of projects using the central budget decreasing from about 11,000 to about 4,600 projects (a decrease of nearly 60%).

By the end of 2025, the whole country has completed and put into operation about 3,345 km of expressway (including access routes and intersections, which is 3,803 km, exceeding the target) and more than 1,711 km of coastal road, exceeding the target set by the 13th National Congress. In particular, 2025 marks 3 general starts and inaugurations, with 564 important, large-scale infrastructure projects, with a total investment of more than 5.14 million billion VND, of which nearly 75% is private capital, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of mobilizing social resources for development investment.

Science and technology, innovation and digital transformation have been vigorously implemented, achieving important initial results. Implementing Resolution 57 of the Politburo, within 1 year, the Government submitted to the National Assembly 10 draft Laws directly regulating Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, and 19 Decrees guiding the Law were issued.

Vietnam has risen to 2nd place in ASEAN in AI investment, 6th/40th in the country in AI Index and 44/139th in the Global Innovation Index. The three pillars of "Digital Government - Digital Society - Digital Citizen" are clearly formed on the foundation of modern digital infrastructure. The 5G network has reached coverage of over 90% of the population, the National Data Center has come into operation, putting Vietnam in the first group of 5 countries to completely dominate the 5G ecosystem. Connecting infrastructure also marks a strategic milestone with a 3,900 km long international on-land fiber optic cable line through 5 ASEAN countries, owned by Vietnam, helping to reduce dependence on marine cables, increase network stability and ensure national data security.

Cultural and social fields are focused on, social security is ensured, and people's lives are improved. In the period of 2021 - 2025, over 1.1 million billion VND has been spent on social security (accounting for about 17% of total state budget expenditure). The average income of workers increased from 5.5 million VND/month in 2020 to 8.4 million VND/month in 2025. The multidimensional poverty rate will decrease from 4.4% in 2021 to 1.3% in 2025.

Basically complete the goal of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses 5 years and 4 months earlier, with over 334 thousand houses. In 2025, the whole country completed over 102.6 thousand social housing units, reaching 102% of the annual plan; the National Housing Fund was established. Support about 8.8 trillion VND from the central budget reserve in 2025 and over 42.1 thousand tons of rice to localities to overcome the consequences of natural disasters[9]. simulcast construction of 100 primary and secondary schools in border communes, completed before the opening date of the new school year 2026-2027. According to the United Nations, Vietnam's happiness index in 2025 is ranked 46th, up 37 places compared to 2020.

National defense and security potential has been consolidated and enhanced; priority has been given to allocating the largest investment resources for national defense and security ever; political security, social order and safety have been maintained, ensuring security, safety and people's safety; the crime situation has been controlled and significantly reduced, with a decrease of 24.23% compared to 2024.

Foreign affairs and international integration is a bright spot; in which, the relationship with 17 countries has been upgraded, bringing the total number of countries with a comprehensive partner framework or more to 42 countries, including the comprehensive strategic partnership with all 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council; the prestige and position of the country continues to be enhanced.

2025 continues to witness strong innovations in the direction and administration of the Government and the Prime Minister in a practical, effective direction, close to the grassroots, close to the people and for the people, building a government of creativity, action and humanity. Can the Prime Minister share your wishes and passion for this issue?

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Performing tasks and powers according to the provisions of the Constitution, law and Working Regulations; with the motto of action "discipline and responsibility; proactively and promptly; streamline and effectively; accelerate and break through", the Government, the Prime Minister, and each member of the Government must promote a high level of proactiveness, creativity, closeness, and determination in leadership, direction, and management in all areas; promote the role and collective intelligence associated with personal responsibility; with the motto "The Party has directed, the Government is unified, the National Assembly is agreed, the People are supportive, the Fatherland is waiting, international friends help, then only discuss and do, not retreat"; closely following reality, taking the practice as a measure; identifying people, businesses as the core, the core and driving force of development.

With the mindset of "seeing far, looking wide, thinking deeply, doing big things", "respecting time, intelligence and decisiveness at the right time"; with the working spirit of "not managing day and night", "working day and night, working extra days off", the Government and members of the Government have made every effort, innovated thinking, working methods, and implementation methods; always proactive, flexible, creative and have appropriate policies and solutions, promptly handling important issues arising, unexpected, major, urgent tasks with the motto "come is come, discuss is clear, decide is done, what has been done must have results, be balanced, measured, and qualified".

In 2025 and since the beginning of the term, one of the highlights in the leadership, direction and management of the Government, the Prime Minister, all levels, sectors and localities is to focus on grasping the situation, closely following reality, and responding proactively, promptly, flexibly and effectively to policies. The Government and the Prime Minister regularly organize flexible in-person and online meetings, exchanges and dialogues to propose appropriate, timely and effective solutions.

Government leaders have conducted 239 working trips to localities, directly to areas, construction sites, and projects to inspect, urge, direct, resolve, and remove difficulties and obstacles right at the grassroots level, with the motto "where the people need, the people are in need, there is the Government", especially during times when people are facing difficulties, natural disasters, storms and floods such as in 26 northern provinces in 2024 and the South Central provinces in October-November 2025.

It can be affirmed that the Government for the 2021-2025 term has continued and promoted the tradition of the Government for 80 years through the terms, always making every effort, acting decisively, practically, constantly innovating, improving the quality of all aspects of work with the spirit of serving the Fatherland and serving the People, just as General Secretary To Lam summarized on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Government: "courage - discipline - solidarity - integrity - action - creativity - efficiency - for the people".

The double-digit growth target, to continue the country's rapid and sustainable development, has been clearly stated in the Resolution of the First Government Party Congress, as well as the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress. To successfully implement these strategic goals and orientations, which key groups of tasks and solutions will the Government focus on, Mr. Prime Minister?

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: 2026 is the first year of the term of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, the first year of implementing the 5-year plan for 2026-2030, aiming to successfully achieve the two 100-year strategic goals, bringing the country firmly into a new era of strong, prosperous, civilized and happy development.

To achieve the goal of striving for double-digit growth, rapid and sustainable national development according to the Resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government, the Prime Minister focused on directing all levels, sectors, and localities to thoroughly grasp and implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress in all fields; resolutely, synchronously, and effectively implement the goal of promoting growth associated with maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation and ensuring major balances of the economy, well performing the tasks of developing culture, society, environment, national defense, security, and foreign affairs. In which, some key tasks and solutions are:

First, focus on perfecting institutions and laws to ensure transparency, synchronization, fairness, focusing on laws on investment and business to unleash productive power, mobilize all resources and create new momentum for development, turning institutions from "bottlenecks of bottlenecks" into national competitive advantages. Improve the efficiency of all types of markets; promote administrative procedure reform, improve the business environment.

Second, continue to focus on perfecting the organizational apparatus; focus on improving the quality and efficiency of the operation of local government organizations at both levels in conjunction with promoting decentralization, delegation of power, allocation of resources and improving the implementation capacity of subordinates; especially upholding the spirit of "locality decides, locality does, locality is responsible".

Third, continue to prioritize promoting growth but must maintain macroeconomic stability, control inflation and ensure major balances. Closely coordinate, flexibly and effectively the reasonable expansionary fiscal policy, with focus, key points, proactive monetary policy, flexibility, timeliness, efficiency and other macro policies; promote and renew traditional growth drivers, develop new growth drivers. Strongly develop the domestic market; stimulate domestic consumption; diversify export markets.

Fourth, establish a new growth model, restructure the economy, promote industrialization, modernization, take science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as the main driving force. Develop a Program to develop foundational industries, spearhead industries, and emerging industries. Focus on completely removing obstacles for long-standing projects. Promoting the effectiveness of international financial centers and free trade zones in some localities.

Fifth, ensure the progress of strategic and key infrastructure projects; focus resources on investing in tasks and projects with breakthrough characteristics in socio-economic development. In particular, focusing on implementing the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line, completing the survey and design of railway lines connecting with China, the North - South high-speed railway, developing energy infrastructure to meet economic growth requirements, ensuring energy security, developing nuclear energy; investing in the construction of a number of national-level cultural, sports, educational and medical works of regional and international stature...

Sixth, develop high-quality human resources according to international standards, especially key industries in science and technology, priority and emerging fields, focusing on 11 strategic technology groups. Create clear changes in the quality of education and training at all levels of education.

Seventh, focus on comprehensive and synchronous development of cultural and social fields, improving people's lives, and ensuring social security. Effectively implement national target programs on education and training, health, culture, poverty reduction, etc. Promote the development of cultural and entertainment industries. Improving the quality of medical services. Promote labor restructuring and increase social labor productivity.

Eighth, improve the capacity to manage and effectively use resources to serve socio-economic development. Proactively respond to climate change, prevent natural disasters. Focus on solving traffic congestion, water and air pollution, especially in large cities.

Fourth, consolidate and strengthen national defense and security, maintain social order and safety, create a peaceful and stable environment for national development. Promote the synchronous, effective and comprehensive implementation of foreign affairs and international integration; promote economic diplomacy, focusing on technology diplomacy.

Ten is, carry out information and propaganda work, especially policy communication, "using beauty to eliminate ugliness", "using actively to repel negativity", contributing to creating motivation, inspiring, promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc, striving to successfully implement the goals and tasks of socio-economic development set out.

On the occasion of the New Year 2026, could I ask the Prime Minister to share with compatriots, comrades, and soldiers nationwide?

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: The important and comprehensive results achieved in 2025 and the entire 2021-2025 term are the results of the correct leadership of the Party, the drastic participation of the entire political system, the great efforts of the people of the whole country and the business community, the help of the international community, especially the proactive, flexible, drastic, timely and effective management of the Government, the Prime Minister, all levels, sectors and localities.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Government, I would like to express my sincere thanks and hope to continue to receive special attention, close leadership and direction from the Central Executive Committee, which is regularly and directly led by the Politburo and the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary To Lam; the companionship, sharing and proactive participation of the National Assembly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, agencies in the political system; the trust, support and active participation of compatriots, soldiers nationwide, and overseas Vietnamese; support and assistance from international friends; especially the great efforts, drastic actions and high responsibility of ministries, branches and localities.

Entering the new year 2026, starting a new development period of the country, together with the whole country with the will, belief and aspiration to rise up, the Government as a whole and each member of the Government will continue to be exemplary pioneers, strive to do their best, use all their capacity, intelligence and responsibility to fulfill the assigned duties and tasks according to their authority, together with the whole country firmly enter a new era of wealth, prosperity, civilization, happiness, and steadily move towards socialism.

Sincerely thank Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh!

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[1] The issued Resolutions (Resolutions 57, 59, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72 of the Politburo) on science, technology, innovation, national digital transformation; international integration; law making and enforcement; private economic development; national energy security; education and training; health; are preparing to issue Resolutions on cultural development, state economy and FDI sector.

[2] In 2025, the National Assembly will pass 99 draft laws and resolutions, issue 377 Decrees, the most ever, and 06 Resolutions to handle difficulties and problems in legal regulations. During this term, the Government has directed the development and submission to the National Assembly for approval of over 178 laws, decrees and resolutions; issued 936 decrees under its authority.

[3] The Prime Minister and ministries and ministerial-level agencies under their authority have approved plans to cut and simplify the expected 3,085/4,888 administrative procedures related to production and business activities (reaching 63.1%); cut 2,371/6,974 business conditions in the investment and business sectors with conditions (reaching 33.9%); the time to resolve administrative procedures is expected to be cut by 29,308 days/89,721 days (32.7%) and cut the cost of compliance with administrative procedures by about 48.6/120 trillion VND/year (40.5%).

[4] In the whole term, we achieved and exceeded 22/26 main socio-economic targets, approximately reaching 02/26 targets, not reaching 02/26 targets, of which all targets on society and social security were exceeded; in 2024 - 2025, we achieved and exceeded all 15/15 socio-economic targets.

[5] In the whole term: in 2021 due to the heavy impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, GDP growth will only reach 2.55%; in the 4 years of 2022-2025, the average economic growth will reach 7.13%/year (exceeding the target of 6.57% set in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress).

[6] Public debt decreased from 44.3% of GDP in 2020 to about 3536% of GDP in 2025, creating fiscal space for management to promote socio-economic growth and development.

[7] In the entire 2021-2025 term, budget revenue is estimated at about 9.6 million billion VND, 1.36 times higher than the previous term; while still exempting, reducing, and extending taxes and fees by about 1.1 million billion VND, and saving about 1.57 million billion VND.

[8] Focus has been on reviewing, classifying, and resolutely removing obstacles for nearly 3,000 backlog projects with a total capital of millions of billions of VND.

[9] At the same time, focus on implementing the "Quang Trung Campaign" to quickly repair and rebuild more than 41,000 houses that were severely damaged and lost in the recent storm and flood (of which 1,597 houses had to be completely rebuilt).

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