Speech by General Secretary To Lam at the Opening of the First Session of the 16th National Assembly

Today the 16th National Assembly opened the First Session, an especially important milestone marking the start of a new term for Vietnam’s People’s Representatives and the country’s highest state body. The session focuses on instituting and consolidating the state apparatus in line with the Constitution, while also institutionalizing the resolutions of the XIV National Congress to create a solid legal framework, institutional foundations, and policy momentum for a new development phase—rapid and sustainable growth with strong national identity, grounded in science and technology, innovation, and the people’s aspirations.

On behalf of the Party Central Committee, the speaker congratulated the results of the election of the 16th National Assembly and the People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, and extended congratulations to the delegates elected by voters nationwide, emphasizing the heavy responsibility before the Party, the people, and the country’s future.

The speaker noted the important contributions of the XV National Assembly and People’s Councils, saying that during that term, Parliament and local People’s Councils renewed organization and methods, improved legislative quality, oversight, and decisions on major issues, helped remove institutional bottlenecks, supported the restoration and development of the economy and society, strengthened national defense and security, and elevated Vietnam’s international standing. These results, together with Vietnam’s 80-year parliamentary tradition, were described as a foundation for the XVI National Assembly to inherit, develop, and advance further.

Context and reform needs

The speaker said the world is changing rapidly and profoundly, with intensifying strategic competition among major powers and increasing challenges to the global order and international law. Global supply chains, capital flows, technology, and markets are being restructured, while traditional and non-traditional security challenges increasingly affect each country’s development environment. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, big data, digital technology, and advances in science and technology, the speaker added, are fundamentally altering production methods, growth models, governance, and social life.

While Vietnam has achieved major accomplishments over 96 years under the Party’s leadership and 40 years of renewal, the speaker said the demands of a new development phase require higher, faster, and more decisive reforms in institutions, growth models, national governance capacity, policy responsiveness, and living standards. The XIV Party Congress set development targets to 2030 and a vision to 2045, stressing reform of growth thinking, unlocking resources, and maximizing the strength of national unity. The speaker said Parliament must reform more strongly, more substantively, and more effectively to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities.

Four major tasks for the XVI National Assembly

1) Radical reform of legislation

The speaker proposed that the XVI National Assembly focus first on radical reform of legislation to build a modern, unified, stable, feasible, and development-oriented legal system. Parliament, the speaker said, must strengthen the capacity to translate Party resolutions into policies and laws and establish a robust legal framework to implement the 2026–2031 development tasks and beyond.

The legal system should serve as a real institutional foundation for development—protecting human rights and civil rights, driving innovation, liberating production forces, and opening new development spaces. The speaker said that although the legal system has improved, overlaps, inconsistencies, and lack of coherence persist, and some provisions remain unclear, unstable, or not well-suited to reality, increasing compliance costs and hindering development for people and businesses.

Parliament was urged to conduct a comprehensive review, restructure the national legal framework, decisively address “over-rig” laws and overlaps, and prevent shifting responsibility to lower-level laws. Laws should be practically implementable and understandable by citizens and businesses. The speaker emphasized a shift in legal thinking toward constructive development: laws should not only regulate what exists, but also create the future—opening paths and, when needed, repairing them. For new issues and new production forces, the speaker said flexible, trialed approaches with controls should be adopted to allow space for innovation and enhance competitiveness.

The speaker also called for lawmaking to be scientific, democratic, and transparent, incorporating input from experts, scientists, international experience, businesses, and the people. Each law should arise from national interest and the people’s legitimate interests, with resolute prevention of cronyism and distortion of policy by local interests. The speaker concluded that the effectiveness of enforcement and public satisfaction should be the highest measure of legislative quality.

2) Strengthen substantive, sharp, outcome-oriented oversight

The second task is to strengthen Parliament’s supreme oversight in a substantive, sharp, and outcome-oriented manner. The speaker said oversight should go beyond identifying shortcomings and instead enhance governance—correcting where needed, removing bottlenecks, providing early warnings of risk, and prompting timely action.

The speaker urged oversight to focus on major issues, key sectors, bottlenecks in development, public grievances, and the implementation of major Party guidelines, the enforcement of laws, the use of national resources, management of public assets, efficiency, and accountability of state agencies. Each oversight item should link to specific responsibilities, deadlines, deliverables, and measurable results, and should be data-driven and evidence-based, comparing targets with outcomes.

3) Elevate resolve and vision in important national decisions

The third task is to elevate resolve and vision when deciding on important national matters, ensuring decisions are correct, timely, and aligned with the long-term interests of the nation. The speaker said that as Vietnam enters a historic turning point, Parliament must decide not only correctly but also accurately and promptly, because delays can cause missed strategic opportunities.

The speaker said economic and social policies, state budgets, public investment, national target programs, and major national projects require comprehensive, scientific, cautious, yet timely consideration. With limited resources, Parliament should improve policy analysis, strategic forecasting, and impact assessment; prioritize major tasks, critical breakthroughs, key projects, and strategic sectors; and avoid dispersion and “mounds of small projects.”

Investments should generate not only immediate growth but also new growth momentum, enhanced competitiveness, and expanded development space for decades. The speaker said each decision should be framed within a national development strategy and the global context, while ensuring independence, sovereignty, security, and sustainable development—making decisions for the present while bearing responsibility to the future.

4) Modernize Parliament’s organization and operation

The fourth task is to continue reforming Parliament’s organization and operation toward modernization, professionalism, close-to-the-people engagement, practicality, and faster policy response. The speaker said Parliament cannot operate on old rhythms or methods and must adapt quickly, respond to policy needs more rapidly, and decide with speed but with rigor.

The speaker suggested considering an increase in the number of sessions, diversifying and flexibly using parliamentary formats, and applying digital technology, online formats, and a digital ecosystem to improve timeliness, initiative, and effectiveness in policy review and decision-making.

Parliament was also urged to improve the quality and effectiveness of each deputy, especially full-time specialists, and strengthen the role of parliamentary groups as a bridge between Parliament and voters. The speaker emphasized that deputies should have political resolve, professional expertise, critical thinking, and the ability to faithfully convey the people’s voice to the chamber.

The speaker called for expanding channels to listen to citizens, the business community, and scholars, increasing transparency across all activities, and building a digital, modern, intelligent Parliament that remains people-centered and acts for the people’s benefit. When public sentiment is heard and reflected and policy choices reflect real life, the speaker said Parliament will be stronger, the State more stable, and social trust higher.

Closing remarks

The speaker said the term of the XVI National Assembly began with heavy responsibility and expressed confidence that every delegate will continually strengthen political resolve, raise capacity and responsibility, serve the people, understand the people, listen to the people, faithfully reflect their will, and place national interest above all else.

In conclusion, the speaker urged Parliament to address “cramped laws” and raise the feasibility of the legal system.