Below is the full text of General Secretary To Lam's speech:
Dear leaders and former leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front,
Dear revolutionary veterans, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, Heroes of Labor, leaders and former leaders of Hung Yen province.
Dear representative of the family of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh and the people of Nguyen Van Linh commune.
Dear comrades,
Today, in a sacred, solemn and proud atmosphere, we are here to solemnly organize the Ceremony to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the birth of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh (July 1, 1945 - July 1, 2025) - a loyal communist, a talented leader, a shining example of revolutionary bravery and especially the one who initiated and led the country's renovation.
This is an opportunity for us to review the life and glorious career of Comrade Nguyen Van Linh together, expressing our deep gratitude for the great contributions and historic decisions that he made in the turning points of the country. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for us to reflect and draw valuable lessons from his ideology, thinking, bravery, and leadership methods - lessons that have profound significance for the current revolutionary cause.
Comrade Nguyen Van Linh, birth name Nguyen Van Cuc, nicknamed Muoi Cuc Revolution, is a typical son not only of his hometown Hung Yen but also a typical son of the country, the young son of Vietnam. His life and career are closely linked to the Cach Mang movement from the 1930s in the North and many years in the South before becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986.
His revolutionary life is a long series of days of steadfast and indomitable struggle, overcoming all hardships, he always maintains the spirit of communism, not submitting, not waver. Even in prison, he still found ways to communicate, organize secret activities, and contribute to keeping the revolution burning.
From 1940 to 1975, comrade Nguyen Van Linh held many important responsibilities in the Party and in the revolutionary movement in the South, especially in his position as Secretary of the Southern Central Committee and Secretary of the Saigon - Gia Dinh City Party Committee. Under his leadership, the urban movement developed strongly, providing an important support for the armed forces to liberate and attack the enemy on major fronts, especially the General Offensive and Uprising of Mau Than 1968 and the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975.
After the country's reunification, he continued to take on great responsibilities: Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, especially the General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from 1986 to 1991, in the context of the country falling into a serious socio-economic crisis and needing a major decision to escape.
At the 6th National Congress of the Party in 1986, faced with countless difficulties in the centralized planned economy, faced with prolonged stagnation and backlog, comrade Nguyen Van Linh showed a rare courage. He affirmed: We cannot continue to do things in the old way. Without innovation, the country will not be able to develop, and the people will not be able to be warm and content.
As General Secretary of the Party, he initiated strong reform policies, removed mechanism barriers, liberated productive power, expanded autonomy for the grassroots, piloted and then consolidated non-state economic sectors, established a market mechanism under state management, expanded foreign affairs, and proactively integrated into the international community.
One of his special marks is the series of articles "What to do immediately" in Nhan Dan newspaper since 1987, with the pen name "NVL". This is the frank, brave and responsible voice of the Party leader, demonstrating the spirit of fighting negativity, resolutely handling corruption, bureaucracy, waste - the diseases that erode the prestige of the Party and the trust of the people.
From his strategic and drastic instructions, the renovation process has brought about profound changes in all fields: from agricultural production moving from concentrated to household contracts, from subsidy to the market, from closure to integration, from command management to operation according to the law of supply and demand. Thanks to that, Vietnam's economy has gradually overcome the crisis, people's lives have improved significantly, and the country's international position has been increasingly enhanced.
The life, career and innovative ideology of Comrade Nguyen Van Linh leave us with many profound lessons of sustainable value in every stage of the country's development, especially in the current process of innovation, integration and development.
First, the lesson in innovative thinking, daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility.
Comrade Nguyen Van Linh once affirmed: Innovation does not mean denying the past, but is to continue to develop from practice, daring to look directly at the truth to act. That spirit is the guideline for today's generation of cadres - when the country is facing many challenges: the traditional growth model has difficulties, environmental issues, population aging, and fierce geopolitical competition.
Only by innovating thinking, innovating approaches and daring to do unprecedented things can we be able to take the country further. Leaders, especially leaders, must be brave to take responsibility, ready to face new things, ready to overcome conservatism and stagnation.
Second, the lesson of closely belonging to the people comes from the benefits of the people.
Comrade Nguyen Van Linh often goes to the grassroots, listens to the reflections of the masses, and comes into contact with real life. His innovative decisions do not originate from books, but originate from the desire and survival needs of people, businesses, cooperatives, and small enterprises.
Today, in the context of the 4.0 industrial revolution, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, etc., leaders at all levels need to be close to the people, understand the people, and know what the people need to guide instead of pure administrative orders. That is the foundation of a modern, effective and highly consistent governance.
Third, the lesson on fighting individualism, maintaining revolutionary ethics, and rectifying the Party from within.
In the series of articles "Things that need to be done immediately", he did not hesitate to frankly criticize the manifestations of corruption, group interests, and abuse of power. He believes: Innovation is not only about the economy, but also about innovating ethics, guidelines and discipline in the Party.
This lesson is especially urgent in the current context, when we are strongly implementing the work of building and rectifying the Party, strictly handling signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle. Without a strong and clean Party, there cannot be a strong country.
Fourth, the lesson of independent thinking, promoting inner strength, and rising from within oneself.
In the renovation period, comrade Nguyen Van Linh always emphasized: Vietnam's renovation does not follow anyone's orders, does not create an external model, but comes from its own practice, for the benefit of the nation. That is an in-depth vision, suitable even in today's context of globalization.
Vietnam needs to learn from international studies and cooperate extensively, but more importantly, develop internal culture: science and technology, flexible institutions, high-quality human resources and resilient national spirit.
Dear comrades,
At a time when the whole nation is working together to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; the whole country begins to operate the two-level administrative unit model with a new development space, we need to continue to arouse the spirit of Nguyen Van Linh - the spirit of innovation, determination, science, closer to the people and honesty. We must train and select cadres who are both virtuous and talented, dare to break through, dare to take responsibility, do not accept conservative cadres, push them away, avoid responsibility, only care about their own safety.
We need to firmly follow the socialist-oriented market economy development guidelines, but at the same time, be flexible and adapt quickly to technology trends, green finance, digital transformation, digital economy, and circular economy. It is necessary to continue institutional reform, promote the business environment, protect the legitimate rights of businesses and people; we must bring Vietnam more deeply into world politics, the international economy and human civilization, to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world powers.
Today, July 1, 2025, our country in all 34 provinces and cities with 3,321 wards, communes and special zones enters the first working day of the two-level administrative unit model. This is a turning point in the history of the nation. Basically, all work has been carefully prepared, with the highest, best and most effective spirit of serving the people. But at first, there were certainly certain difficulties that could not avoid, but I believe that with the great political determination of the cadres, party members, civil servants, public employees and the support of the people, we will overcome all difficulties to achieve the set goals and requirements.
We learn the spirit and ideology of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, we act according to the teachings of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh, we will definitely succeed.
Dear comrades,
Comrade Nguyen Van Linh's life is a song about ideals, the bravery of communists, a journey to serve the people tirelessly. Those values are invaluable spiritual heritages, the luggage for today's and future generations to continue building a rich, strong, democratic, fair and civilized Vietnamese socialist country.
The spirit of Nguyen Van Linh always shines in the era of national growth.
We wish you all, comrades and all delegates and people good health and happiness.
