Vietnam aims to become high-income, developed socialist country by 2045: Party chief

Party General Secretary To Lam highlighted Vietnam's goals of achieving developing country status with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and becoming a high-income, developed socialist nation by 2045 at a global green growth summit on Wednesday.

The Vietnamese Party chief delivered a keynote policy address at the fourth Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in Hanoi.

In his speech, Party chief Lam also underlined Vietnam’s commitment to a socialist society with a wealthy population, a strong nation, democracy, equity, civilization, and happiness, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The event, the first multilateral high-level meeting on green growth ever hosted by Vietnam, attracted over 1,000 delegates from more than 40 countries and international organizations.

Reflecting on four decades of Doi moi (Reform), Lam highlighted Vietnam’s development strategy based on sustainability, inclusiveness, and harmony.

He stressed that rapid growth must align with sustainability, balancing economic progress with cultural preservation, social equity, environmental protection, and climate adaptation.

National development, Lam noted, must contribute to global peace, stability, and prosperity, with people at the core of all policies as both drivers and beneficiaries.

The top leader identified sci-techy, innovation, and digital transformation as critical drivers of progress. Describing data as “the air and light” of the new era, he underscored its role as a vital resource and production tool. Digital transformation, he said, reinvents production and business models, while innovation serves as a “magic wand” for sustainable prosperity.

Vietnam stands as an ASEAN leader in renewable energy, supplying two-thirds of the bloc’s wind and solar power capacity. The country has also emerged as a model for sustainable green agriculture, notably one-million-hectare quality, low-emission rice cultivation project drawing attention and interest from international partners and organizations, he added.

The Party chief said Vietnam is an active and responsible member of all major multilateral mechanisms and global initiatives on green growth and energy transition. The country has essentially established the necessary frameworks and mechanisms to support green growth, including national and energy master plans, sectoral development strategies, lists of key projects, and other documents to remove related obstacles.

He stressed that, as a developing nation with a transitioning economy, Vietnam faces significant challenges in financial resources, technology, human capital, climate resilience, and navigating global geopolitical changes.

The country is accelerating strategic breakthroughs and making the best preparations for a development path that is rapid, green, inclusive, and sustainable, the leader noted.

He underscored that Vietnam’s development cannot be separated from global trends and human progress. The nation will continue with openness as well as proactive, comprehensive, and effective international integration.

Hosting the 4th P4G Summit reinforces the country’s role as a good friend, reliable partner, and responsible member of the international community and the P4G initiative, he stated. It also reaffirms Vietnam's commitment to sustainable development, energy transition, and its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target.

The summit serves to raise awareness of international cooperation and amplify the voice of developing countries in promoting green growth and sustainability.

The leader expressed confidence that the summit will generate fresh momentum to boost cooperation between P4G and its partners, foster collaboration between the Global North and Global South and between the public and private sectors in advancing green transition and green finance.