(VOVworld) – Vietnam’s renewal process has seen remarkable achievements over the past 30 years. The 6^th National Party Congress in 1986 delivered a strong message of economic reform. Party General Secretary Truong Chinh was the one who laid the foundation for the renewal process in Vietnam.

Party General Secretary Truong Chinh in December, 1986 (Photo: VNA)

Truong Chinh served as Party General Secretary during two special periods of Vietnam’s revolution. The first time was in the 1940s when Vietnam was preparing for a national liberation movement. The second time was in July, 1986, when Party leader Le Duan passed away 5 months before the 6^th National Party Congress. Truong Chinh became known as the Party General Secretary of Renewal.

30 years ago, Party leader Truong Chinh realized the urgent need for Vietnam to renovate itself, so he gathered a group of intellectuals and scientists to do theoretical and practical research on renewal. Party leader Truong Chinh was aware of the need to renovate theoretical thoughts and economic policy to eliminate red-tape, build financial independence, and create a multi-sector commodity-based economy under government management. Economist Vo Dai Luoc was asked by Party leader Truong Chinh to write a paper on applying Lenin’s economic policy to Vietnam and a paper on “external economic policy in the new period. Luoc said: “Party leader Truong Chinh read my thesis many times. At that time, we applied Lenin’s economic policy to Vietnam, which eliminated red-tape, developed the commodity- money relationship, and applied State Capitalism to the economy. Lenin’s economic policy was a good choice at that time”.

Carrying out the renewal process was difficult because of objective and subjective differences between Party members. Dr. Prof. Le Quoc Ly, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, said Party leader Truong Chinh was an example of criticism and self-criticism who improved himself in order to renovate the Party: “Party General Secretary Truong Chinh was consistent to his ideology of economic reform and renovating Communist Party theory. He unswervingly defended his policy against criticism”.

Members of the Party Central Committee discussed preparation for the 6th National Party Congress in November, 1986.

Because of his strong determination, Party leader Truong Chinh’s renewal viewpoints drew attention at the 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th plenary meetings of the Party Central Committee. Truong Chinh’s argument reflected the aspiration and thoughts of the people and many Party members.

Party General Secretary Truong Chinh laid the first brick to build Vietnam’s renewal cause.