This is a pivotal stage in enhancing the quality of the documents, contributing to the consolidation of shared understanding, strengthening confidence, and inspiring determination and action throughout the entire Party, the people and the armed forces to successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.

Pham Tat Thang, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, and Standing Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee tasked with monitoring public opinion and social sentiment related to Party congresses at all levels, as well as organizing the collection and synthesis of feedback from officials, Party members and the public on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress, spoke with the press to clarify the most notable results and new features of this work.

Could you explain the spirit and requirements under which the collection of public feedback on the draft documents for the 14th National Party Congress has been carried out, so as to fully mobilize collective wisdom while closely reflecting realities on the ground and the aspirations of the people?

Pham Tat Thang: The documents submitted to the 14th National Party Congress do not merely review the country’s development over the past five years or outline orientations, goals, tasks and major solutions for the coming term. More importantly, they shape strategic thinking, long-term vision and development directions for the country toward the middle of the 21st century. In light of these requirements, the collection and incorporation of feedback from officials, Party members and people from all walks of life constitute a task of paramount political importance, one to which the Politburo has devoted close attention and direct guidance.

In line with directives and conclusions of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization established the Central Steering Committee and a Task Force to monitor public opinion and social sentiment regarding Party congresses at all levels, and to organize the collection and synthesis of feedback from officials, Party members and the public on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress. At the same time, a series of guiding, supervisory and implementation documents were issued to ensure effectiveness and to widely disseminate the spirit of democracy, thereby mobilizing the intellect and dedication of officials, Party members and the public in contributing to the draft documents.

The collection of public feedback on the draft documents was conducted in a spirit of promoting democracy, respecting the opinions of the people, and mobilizing the wisdom of the entire Party, people and armed forces, ensuring that the documents accurately reflect the aspirations, expectations and proposals of the public. The overarching requirement throughout the process was to capture fully and objectively the concerns, hopes and commitment of the people regarding the country’s development orientation.

In implementation, the Steering Committee organized the feedback process across all agencies, organizations and localities, adopting many new and innovative approaches to broaden outreach and mobilize the intelligence and commitment of people both at home and abroad. Notably, the Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization implemented a nationwide online platform for collecting feedback on the draft documents. To attract the attention and active participation of younger generations, QR codes and access links were provided at Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Phu Bai and Cam Ranh airports, as well as at 1.200 locations within the Highlands Coffee chain nationwide. Nhan Dan Newspaper, in coordination with Vietnam Post Corporation, also launched a program to deliver the draft documents to 7.461 cultural post offices at the commune level.

In addition, drawing on experience and effective practices from previous terms, the Central Commission, particularly the Steering Committee, mobilized substantive feedback on the draft documents from overseas Vietnamese communities through embassies, representative offices, associations and mass organizations. This was carried out through a variety of channels, including online seminars, roundtable discussions, consultation sessions at embassies, social media platforms and email. As a result, many thoughtful and responsible contributions from overseas Vietnamese were received, reflecting their deep attachment to the cause of national construction and development.

In your view, what are the most prominent highlights of this round of feedback collection that demonstrate the spirit of promoting democracy and harnessing the wisdom of the entire Party and the people, compared with previous Party Congresses?

Pham Tat Thang: Compared with previous terms, this round of collecting public feedback on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress marks a significant advance in terms of format, methodology, scale and quality. Nearly five million officials, Party members and citizens contributed close to 14 million substantive and responsible opinions on the draft documents.

Preparation of the draft documents began very early, with a rigorous and systematic drafting process that was continuously updated over nearly the final two years of the term. The Documents Subcommittee mobilized and brought together thousands of scientists and experts from universities, research institutes and mass organizations, organizing numerous seminars and forums to discuss specific issues in depth. This provided a solid foundation for distilling experience and lessons learned, and for effectively implementing the broad-based consultation and feedback process on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress.

The reception and incorporation of feedback from officials, Party members and the public were carried out seriously, in a spirit of openness and attentive listening. This was particularly important given the very large volume of input received, including many incisive and insightful opinions that demonstrated genuine public concern and a strong sense of responsibility toward the Party’s and the nation’s major affairs. A key highlight was the positioning of humility, attentiveness and respect for public opinion at the very center of the process. All opinions whether convergent or divergent were respected, received and analyzed thoroughly, on a scientific and objective basis and with a high sense of responsibility toward national and ethnic interests. The feedback integration process was organized in a methodical, rigorous and scientific manner, with particular emphasis on ensuring feasibility and effectiveness in implementation.

A new feature of this process, compared with previous Congresses, was the application of technology and, more importantly, a systematic and scientific approach to classifying and filtering feedback. Early on, the Central Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization issued Guidance No. 18-HD/BTGDVTW-BCD dated July 3, 2025, on organizing the collection and synthesis of feedback from officials, Party members and the public on the draft documents of the 14th National Party Congress. Emphasizing the need for comprehensive, accurate and objective synthesis, the Steering Committee issued a standardized reporting template with clear structure and detailed sections, accompanied by annexes summarizing discussion content and specific comments. In addition, the Steering Committee assigned the Department of Research and Public Opinion as a focal point to provide consultation and information support via telephone calls, text messages and email.

Thanks to these coordinated and scientific measures, many high-quality opinions on the draft Political Report, particularly those assessing the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the country’s position after 40 years of renewal, and the 13 development orientations for the 2026 - 2030 period were carefully reviewed, reported to the Politburo and forwarded to the Documents Subcommittee for further study, selection and refinement. All feedback was fully compiled, scientifically categorized and objectively synthesized by document and by major thematic groups, and reported in a timely manner for the Documents Subcommittee to consider and incorporate under the guiding principle that opinions grounded in sound theory and practice, and aligned with national and ethnic interests, would be adopted to the greatest extent possible. Divergent views were thoroughly analyzed, clarified and addressed with due seriousness.

The incorporation of feedback went beyond textual refinement alone; it contributed to sharpening development thinking, refining substance, and elevating both aspiration and strategic vision within the documents. Through this process, the documents have become more people-centered, more closely aligned with practical realities, and more readily implementable.

It can be affirmed that this round of feedback collection and integration has genuinely promoted democracy and mobilized the wisdom of the entire population. The documents submitted to the 14th National Party Congress are the crystallization of the will, aspirations and confidence of the entire Party, the people and the armed forces. They represent a new advance in theoretical thinking, political stature and practical value, serving as a guiding compass and a solid foundation for the country’s rapid and sustainable development in the new period.