Party General Secretary and State President To Lam has called for a fundamental shift in mindset and vision in marine development in the new period, stressing the need for a broader vision that views the sea not merely as an economic resource but as a strategic national development space.
He made the request while chairing a meeting in Hanoi on June 8 with the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Policies and Strategies and relevant agencies on the review of Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, issued by the Party Central Committee on October 22, 2018, on Vietnam’s sustainable marine economy development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.
The Party and State leader stressed the need for a prompt and thorough assessment of the implementation of Resolution 36, including achievements, shortcomings, bottlenecks and emerging challenges, to provide a solid basis for drafting a new resolution with a higher level of strategic vision.
The leader affirmed that Resolution 36 was a major strategic policy that has produced important results over the past eight years. Public awareness of the sea’s role has improved, institutional frameworks and policies have gradually been refined, marine industries developed, coastal infrastructure strengthened, living standards in coastal areas improved, and significant progress made in maritime sovereignty safeguarding, national defence, security and foreign affairs.
However, he acknowledged that the marine economy has yet to develop on par with the country’s potential, advantages and development requirements.
According to General Secretary and President Lam, the new resolution must not only inherit and build on previous achievements but also create a breakthrough in thinking, institutions and marine development models.
He stressed the need to move beyond a traditional “marine economy” mindset towards a broader concept of a strong national maritime development space.
The sea should not be viewed solely as an area for resource exploitation or sectoral economic development. It must be recognised as a strategic national development space where economic growth, national defence, security, science and technology, and international integration converge, he said.
The new resolution, he noted, should answer a broader question: how Vietnam can effectively manage, utilise and maximise the value of its entire maritime space to serve national development over the coming decades. It should also define the characteristics of a strong maritime nation in the 21st century and clarify the role of the sea in the realisation of the strategic goals for 2030, 2045 and beyond.
The Party and State leader suggested that the sea must be positioned as one of the country’s key strategic growth drivers in implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress. He urged further research to identify breakthrough development areas while adopting approaches grounded in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.
He also suggested incorporating new priorities into the strategy, including national marine data systems, digital ocean mapping and the application of artificial intelligence in maritime governance.
General Secretary and President Lam emphasised the need to closely integrate marine development with the task of safeguarding the nation from an early stage and from afar. Every marine economic project, he added, should contribute to both national development and defence.
The leader also highlighted the importance of establishing a modern national marine governance model, saying the new resolution should include orientations for studying and proposing a modern, integrated, and consistent governance framework based on data and national marine spatial planning.
He stressed that the accompanying action plan must clearly identify priority tasks, national programmes, key projects, measurable targets and the responsibilities of each relevant agency, sector, locality and administrative level.
He assigned the Commission for Policies and Strategies to work closely with the Government Party Committee, the Party Central Committee Office and relevant agencies to finalise the draft resolution and action plan for submission to the Politburo and the Party Central Committee.
The General Secretary and President underscored that the ultimate goal is to develop a new resolution with long-term strategic vision, breakthrough thinking and strong actionability, enabling the sea to become a genuine strategic development space and a new driver of fast and sustainable growth, contributing to the successful implementation of the 14th National Party Congress Resolution and Vietnam’s aspiration to become a high-income developed country by 2045./.
