Affirming the role of the business community
21 years ago, on September 20, 2004, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai signed Decision No. 990/QD-TTg to designate October 13 every year as "Vietnam Entrepreneurs' Day". The Prime Minister's decision to designate October 13 as Vietnam Entrepreneurs' Day has profound historical significance because it is the day President Ho Chi Minh sent a letter to the Vietnamese business community (October 13, 1945).
In every revolutionary stage, the Party and State always attach importance to building and promoting the business community. The 11th Politburo issued Resolution No. 09-NQ/TW on building and promoting the role of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the period of accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration. More than 10 years later, the 13th Politburo continued to issue Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW (October 10, 2023) on building and promoting the role of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the new era, affirming that entrepreneurs are one of the " core" forces in the cause of national development.
Along with that, our Party has also implemented important policies in building and developing the private economy (PDI) to become an important driving force such as Resolution 10-NQ/TW of the 5th Central Conference, 12th tenure. Notably, on May 4, 2025, General Secretary To Lam signed and issued Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of the SPP, positioning the SPP as the most important driving force of the national economy.
Those policies have created conditions for Vietnamese entrepreneurs to grow increasingly, develop both in quantity and quality, demonstrate their mettle in the face of difficulties, natural disasters, epidemics, and at the same time maintain social responsibility.
Currently, the IT sector alone has about more than 940,000 enterprises and more than 5 million operating business households, contributing about 51% of GDP, more than 30% of total state budget revenue and employing about 82% of total labor. This is an important force promoting innovation, improving productivity, increasing national competitiveness, contributing to poverty reduction and social stability. Many private enterprises have developed strongly, affirmed their brands and reached regional and world markets.
According to economist Dr. Nguyen Minh Phong, recent resolutions such as Resolution 41-NQ/TW and Resolution 68-NQ/TW of the 13th Politburo have increasingly affirmed the role of the business community as well as the State budget. This is an important step in the Party's theoretical thinking, inheriting and adding many new points to affirm the role of the Vietnamese business community.
Resolution 41-NQ/TW has stated the view that the business community is one of the " core" forces contributing to promoting industrialization, modernization and international integration. Or as Resolution 68 has shown a big step forward in theoretical thinking and practical direction of our Party: "In a socialist-oriented market economy, the KTTN is the most important driving force of the national economy". These are very new and very important points.
National Assembly delegate Nguyen Van Than - Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises - expressed his joy that the position and role of the business community is increasingly appreciated in the cause of building and developing the country. This is a great joy for businesses and entrepreneurs, he said.
The "warriors" on the economic front
Resolution 68-NQ/TW emphasizes: In a socialist-oriented market economy, the KTTN is the most important driving force of the national economy. This is not only a raising awareness, but also a political order, placing the private sector in parallel with the state and collective economy, creating a solid "three-legged neighborhood" for an independent, self-reliant and successfully integrated economy.
Speaking at the National Conference on disseminating Resolution 66-NQ/TW and Resolution 68-NQ/TW of the Politburo in May 2025, General Secretary To Lam pointed out that in the process of building a socialist-oriented market economy, arousing and promoting all resources in society has become an urgent requirement for rapid development.
General Secretary To Lam stated that Resolution 68-NQ/TW sets out strong reform requirements, including: Institutional improvement: Protecting property rights, freedom of conduct, creating a fair, transparent and stable investment - business environment. Unblock resources: Expand access to land, credit, markets, and technology for the private sector; remove institutional and policy bottlenecks. Promote innovation: Strongly develop the creative startup ecosystem; support private enterprises to invest in research and development, participate deeply in the global innovation network and value chain. Build a team of modern entrepreneurs: Not only good at business but also have political courage, intelligence, professional ethics, national spirit and aspiration to contribute to the country and reach the world.
The Resolution affirms that Vietnamese entrepreneurs are Soldiers on the economic front in the new era. They not only contribute to enriching themselves but also carry out the noble mission, which is to build a strong and prosperous country. It can be said that Resolution 68 is the foundation for a comprehensive change in the policy of developing the ICP: from "recognizing" to "protecting, encouraging, promoting", from "supporting" to "ledging development". This is the right and urgent strategic choice, with a long-term vision, to realize the aspiration to develop a strong country in the mid-X100th century - General Secretary To Lam affirmed.
Previously, at a meeting with the Central Policy and Strategy Committee in February 2025, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: In the coming time, both in the short term and in the long term, the first and consistent requirement is to mobilize all economic sectors, all businesses and people to participate in socio-economic development, actively work in production, create material wealth to contribute to the growth and development of the country. All institutions, mechanisms and policies must aim for and achieve this requirement.
In the context of globalization, as Vietnam sets a goal of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045, the business community and entrepreneurs are increasingly affirming their pioneering role.They not only create wealth and jobs but also carry the mission of affirming Vietnamese bravery and intelligence in the international arena.The growth of businesses and entrepreneurs is a vivid testament to the national strength, the aspiration for a strong and prosperous Vietnam.
"Recent resolutions such as Resolution 41-NQ/TW and Resolution 68-NQ/TW of the 13th Politburo have increasingly affirmed the role of the business community as well as the private economy. This is an important step in the Party's theoretical thinking, inheriting and adding many new points to affirm the role of the Vietnamese business community" - Dr. Nguyen Minh Phong
