Vietnamese cultural values: A “shield” for national security

The National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, held a national scientific conference at the National Assembly House on October 10,  under the theme “Making Vietnamese Cultural Values an Important Driver of National Development in the New Era.”, drawing more than 200 delegates.

Making Vietnamese cultural values an important driver of national development

In his opening remarks, Trieu The Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, emphasized that throughout the struggle for national liberation and the process of building and defending the Fatherland, the Party and State had always been deeply aware of culture’s position, role, significance and importance. Culture was regarded as the spiritual foundation of society, both a goal and a major driving force, as well as an endogenous strength for national development and the defense of the Fatherland. The Party and State had also paid special attention to building and developing Vietnamese culture and people.

On January 7, 2026, on behalf of the Politburo, Party General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee  To Lam signed and issued Politburo Resolution No. 80 on the development of Vietnamese culture. The resolution affirms the consistent view that cultural and human development form the foundation, driving force, pillar and regulatory mechanism for the country’s sustainable development. Culture must lead the way, permeating all areas of social life, from policymaking to implementation, and from everyday life to the digital space.

Trieu The Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, said the conference aimed to clarify new perspectives, objectives and directions for cultural development, with a focus on shaping new thinking on improving the cultural institutional framework and tightening implementation discipline to unlock endogenous resources in the country’s new era of development.

It also aimed to provide a scientific forum for dialogue between agencies responsible for policymaking and law enforcement and experts, scientists and practitioners. The discussions would identify bottlenecks in institutions, policies and laws, as well as difficulties and challenges in enforcing implementation discipline, and draw lessons to fully transform cultural values into an endogenous strength for national development.

This would help provide a scientific basis for proposing effective and feasible solutions to give effect to the Party’s resolutions and policies, improve the cultural institutional framework, and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of policy and law implementation in the cultural sector.

Speaking at the conference, Bui Hoai Son, Deputy Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s  Commission for Information and Education praised the initiative and close coordination between the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security in co-organizing the event.

He said: “The joint organization of this conference by a legislative and oversight body responsible for cultural affairs and a key agency tasked with protecting national security affirms an important strategic perspective: culture is an endogenous resource, embodying the finest values the nation has built up throughout its history of national construction and defense. Vietnamese cultural and human values are the very strength of the Vietnamese nation. Promoting these values therefore serves as a strong shield protecting national independence, sovereignty and security.”

Clarifying three key groups of issues

To ensure that culture truly becomes an important driver of national development in the new era, Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung, member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Public Security, called on scientists and  managers to discuss and clarify three key groups of issues.

First, identifying breakthrough perspectives on developing and promoting the cultural values and strength of the Vietnamese people in the new era. The presentations analyzed new understandings, perspectives and policies regarding culture’s position and role; clarified the value of Vietnamese culture and people in building endogenous strength, inspiring aspirations for development, strengthening social consensus and enhancing national competitiveness; identified the values that need to be preserved and promoted, as well as those that need to be added to and developed to meet the demands of the new era; and thereby sought to establish a system of values, standards and a cultural environment in line with the country’s development needs.

Second, identifying the “bottlenecks” that need to be resolved and the issues facing efforts to preserve and promote cultural values while protecting cultural security. The papers assessed the results achieved while pointing out shortcomings, inadequacies and their causes, particularly bottlenecks in institutions, policies, resources, coordination mechanisms and implementation. They also analyzed new issues arising in cultural preservation and promotion amid international integration, digital transformation and the expansion of activities in cyberspace, clarifying the need to link cultural development with the protection of national identity, the building of a healthy cultural environment and the safeguarding of cultural security.

Third, proposing policy improvements and stricter enforcement of implementation discipline to unlock resources and create new space and momentum for cultural development. The focus is on specific, feasible solutions to improve institutions and policies; enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementation; mobilize and make effective use of social resources; promote digital transformation, cultural industries and cultural human resource development; strengthen cultural sovereignty in the digital space; and increase the attractiveness and reach of Vietnamese cultural values while protecting them.

Mechanisms should also be developed to turn cultural heritage and cultural capital into knowledge, intellectual property, creative products and resources for education, science, technology, cultural industries and innovation. Cultural industries should be developed into a new driver of growth, translating cultural strength into national competitiveness.

Removing bottlenecks key to unlocking economic value of cultural heritage.

Cultural resources can only enter the marketplace as assets when they are clearly identified and protected by appropriate legal mechanisms. Removing the barriers that have long constrained heritage’s ability to generate economic value could help unlock Vietnam’s vast reservoir of traditional cultural wealth.

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