A leading and overarching task

The 14th National Party Congress concluded successfully, not only marking the end of a term with many significant achievements, but also opening a new era of national development. This is a period guided by long-term strategic vision, strong aspirations for advancement, and firm determination to enhance national governance capacity as well as Vietnam’s image and standing in the new era.

A key highlight of the Congress is the establishment of a long-term development vision that closely links the goals of the 2026 - 2030 period with the outlook to 2045. The Congress stressed the need to build a new growth model, shifting decisively from extensive growth to intensive development, and from reliance on natural resources and low-skilled labour to a development path driven by knowledge, technology, productivity, quality and efficiency.

One of the major breakthroughs and long-term visions affirmed at the 14th National Party Congress lies in external affairs and international economic integration. At an international press conference announcing the outcomes of the Congress, Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised that foreign affairs had been elevated to a new position to promote openness and deeper integration.

“Vietnam will build a new growth model with international integration at its core, alongside political, security and defence integration, thereby enhancing national standing. Integration in science and technology, innovation and digital transformation is a top priority. At the same time, international integration must address bottlenecks and place people at the centre,” the General Secretary stressed.

Thoroughly grasping these directions and translating the Resolution and documents of the 14th National Party Congress into concrete actions in foreign affairs and integration, Vietnam’s Trade Office system overseas regards the Resolution as an important foundation for improving operational effectiveness, contributing to the country’s industrialization and modernization.

In an interview with the Newspaper of Industry and Trade, Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Counsellor and head of the Vietnam Trade Office in the US, said that in 2026 and throughout the 2026 - 2030 period, the Trade Office system in the US (including four offices) would identify the study, communication and implementation of the Congress Resolution as a central task. Dissemination efforts will be comprehensively renewed, focusing on “deep understanding, firm grasp and thorough implementation,” with rapid transition from awareness to action.

To help bring the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress into real life and support and protect the legitimate interests of domestic enterprises, Do Ngoc Hung noted that in the first quarter of 2026, the Trade Office would prioritise advisory work, reporting and forecasting US trade policies for 2026, as well as preparing essential content and programs to serve negotiations on reciprocal tariffs between Vietnam and the US.

“This is an extremely important issue with significant impact on bilateral trade relations in the coming period,” he said, adding that the Trade Office would continue trade promotion activities and efforts to boost the consumption of key Vietnamese products with strong export potential to the US market.

Elevating the role of trade offices, advancing integration

Trade Counsellor Le Phu Cuong observed that in previous Party Congresses, foreign affairs and international economic integration had not been positioned as prominently as at the 14th National Party Congress. From this Congress onward, the role and standing of Vietnam’s foreign affairs in addressing global issues have been significantly elevated.

“This represents a major breakthrough and long-term vision of the Party and State leadership, marking an important development in strategic thinking. Foreign affairs and international integration have become a key method and a regular, continuous task in national construction, development and defence,” Le Phu Cuong said.

Highlighting the role of the Trade Office system in international economic integration and overseas market development, he noted that in recent years, Vietnams Trade Offices abroad have continued to affirm their role as the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s “extended arm” in foreign markets. They have directly implemented state management tasks in market development, trade promotion and enterprise support amid increasingly intense competition.

Beyond representing the Ministry of Industry and Trade in host markets, the Trade Office system has played a growing role in linking domestic policy formulation with international market realities, ensuring that the Party’s and State’s guidelines on market development and international economic integration are implemented in a timely, practical and effective manner.

Proposing solutions to further elevate foreign affairs and international integration in the new period, the Vietnam Trade Office in the Philippines recommended continued effective implementation of the Party’s and State’s viewpoints, guidelines and policies on foreign affairs, international economic integration and overseas market development. The focus should be on implementing the quartet of pillar resolutions and the Resolution and documents of the 14th National Party Congress, thereby creating new growth drivers for the economy and enhancing the resilience of Vietnamese enterprises to external shocks.

Attention should also be paid to human resource development, with particular emphasis on recruitment, training, planning and rotation, especially the training and nurturing of young cadres who are directly involved in deep integration in the new phase.

In addition, it is necessary to effectively implement the project on promoting Vietnamese enterprises’ direct participation in foreign distribution systems by 2030; organise international supply chain connectivity events; and carry out Vietnam Week programs in key and potential markets.

Finally, greater emphasis should be placed on market information work, ensuring timely updates to industry associations on developments in export markets so that enterprises can adjust production plans accordingly and proactively seek orders from suitable markets.

According to Le Phu Cuong, amid increasingly competitive markets with higher requirements for quality, standards and sustainability, the support role of Trade Offices should go beyond simple “connections” to accompanying enterprises more closely. This includes providing market orientation, advising on suitable industries and segments, and supporting enterprises in adapting to new requirements on the environment, labour, traceability and digital transformation in trade.

Held in Hanoi from January 19 to 23, 2026, the 14th National Party Congress concluded successfully, leaving a strong imprint as a Congress of “Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Breakthrough - Development,” with a spirit of strategic autonomy, self-reliance and confidence to move firmly into a new era, for a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilized and happy Vietnam, steadily advancing towards socialism.