A Historic Transformation

(DTO) The successful 14th National Party Congress marks a historic turning point for Vietnam. If the 6th Congress in 1986 ignited the 'Doi Moi' spirit to elevate Vietnam’s global standing, this 14th Congress serves as a springboard into a new era of national prosperity and strength.

The 14th National Congress took place amidst a nationwide consensus on the spirit of innovation—not only in institutions but also in mindset and action.

This is reflected not only in strategic decisions but also in concrete actions.
With the motto “Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Breakthrough - Development,” the 14th National Congress bears the historic responsibility of establishing “launchpad” decisions to successfully realize the country’s two strategic 100-year goals.

The Congress firmly believes that, inheriting the glorious tradition under the Party’s banner; with the unity and joint efforts of the entire Party, people, and armed forces; with the spirit of self-reliance and the aspiration to rise of the nation; and with the strategic vision and breakthrough policies set out in the documents submitted to the 14th Congress, Vietnam will certainly create a strong and substantive transformation, leading the country to breakthrough development.

Joining the strong current of national renewal and development, Dong Thap — a gentle land known as the “Pink Lotus Land” and the “Kingdom of Fruits,” where riverine nature harmonizes with people, revolutionary tradition, historical culture, a strong spirit of learning, and deep affection — regards these as endogenous resources, motivation, and a regulatory force to achieve the goal of building a locality that is “Green - Smart - Innovative - Rich in Cultural Identity,” as clearly defined in the Resolution of the 1st Provincial Party Congress.

In its development strategy, Dong Thap consistently focuses on building culture and people, identifying the promotion of cultural value systems as an internal strength to build and promote the local image, a driving force for innovation, and a catalyst for breakthroughs in thinking and action throughout the political system and among the people.

Dong Thap’s local image has been successfully shaped with highly representative and symbolic values, bearing a strong imprint of the distinctive riverine culture of the Mekong Delta and its people with fundamental standards: “Patriotism, solidarity, honesty, self-reliance, diligence, cooperation, compassion, dynamism, creativity.”

Looking back over history, throughout the 40-year journey of renewal, cultural strength deeply accumulated in the hands, minds, and character of the people of Dong Thap has played an important role in creating powerful changes.

From a starting point full of difficulties and challenges — backward agriculture, fragmented and small-scale production, uncultivated and acid sulfate soils, handicraft production lacking materials and equipment; limited infrastructure and transportation; underdeveloped education; inadequate medical facilities; unemployment and complex social issues — through bold decisions and the contributions of the people, the province achieved remarkable feats in the renewal process.

The people’s strength was maximized in the reclamation of the Plain of Reeds, the Agricultural Restructuring Program, the Go Cong Salinity Control Project, and the New Rural Development Program.

That strength is the strength of courageous and resilient people; of solidarity, diligence, and creativity; of the aspiration to change their lives and refusal to accept poverty and backwardness.

That strength has transformed Dong Thap today from a deeply flooded, acid sulfate, and barren land into a prosperous locality and a key agricultural production center of the country.

The shift in mindset from agricultural production to an agricultural economic approach has achieved remarkable results, creating strong changes in socio-economic development.

With the achievements gained over 40 years of renewal, Dong Thap has drawn a valuable lesson: economic development is truly sustainable only when based on cultural foundations, ethics, and social responsibility.

Economic development must go hand in hand with cultural development, always placing people at the center in planning and policymaking.

Dong Thap has succeeded by taking the people as the center and the main actors of every development program, from clean agriculture and innovative start-ups to digital transformation and community tourism.

Unlocking cultural values and spiritual strength among the people is a foundational factor and has yielded a major lesson in mobilizing public strength on all fronts and throughout the process of building and developing the homeland.

Entering a new stage with new requirements, Dong Thap places special emphasis on cultural development, ensuring social progress and equity, and deepening the values and standards of the new generation of citizens.

The spirit of “compassion, dynamism, creativity” has been, is, and will continue to spread strongly across all areas of life, becoming a valuable endogenous resource that enables Dong Thap to confidently rise in the process of integration, affirm its position in the Mekong Delta region and nationwide, and strive toward the goal of becoming a livable place where people enjoy a happy and prosperous life.

By PV
Translated by X.QUANG