President Ho Chi Minh's thought continues to guide national growth

This is a profound inheritance and creative application of President Ho Chi Minh’s thought on “employing the invariables to cope with the variables,” a deep and guiding principle that has forged the mettle, intellect, and resilience of the Vietnamese people.

On May 31 1946, before setting off on an official visit to France as a distinguished guest, President Ho Chi Minh told the Acting President Huynh Thuc Khang, “For the national mission entrusted to me, I must be away for a while. Many difficulties remain at home, and I rely on you and others to resolve them. I hope you maintain immutability while responding to uncertainty.”

President Ho Chi Minh's thought continues to guide national growth. (Photo for illustration)

In saying this, President Ho Chi Minh underscored the need for flexibility, pro-activity, creativity, and adaptability in executing the revolutionary mission, while remaining anchored in immutable principles. It means not sacrificing the greater, fundamental goals for minor or trivial issues. It also means standing firm on the immutable principles while observing, reconciling, and adjusting oneself and all things in accordance with the objective laws of movement.

In President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, “maintaining immutability” means holding fast to principles and supreme objectives that are non-negotiable. From his revolutionary practice, these "immutable" values include national independence, territorial integrity, the Party’s leadership, and the people’s sovereign rights. These are the common denominators throughout all circumstances. As President Ho Chi Minh once affirmed, “nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.” This thought is the lodestar through all struggles and the foundation for defining national interests in every period.

Alongside “maintaining immutability,” President Ho Chi Minh’s thought emphasizes responding to uncertainty with flexibility and the intelligent application of context-specific solutions. “Coping with the variables” is not about altering the objective, but about innovating implementation methods and strategies, depending on specific opportunities and conditions.

Key to success in every revolutionary stage

After the 1945 August Revolution, the country was in a precarious situation, threatened simultaneously by famine, illiteracy, and foreign invasion. In that context, rather than confront the enemy head-on, the Party and President Ho Chi Minh applied a flexible strategy - signing the Preliminary Agreement on March 6, 1946, with France, accepting tactical and temporary concessions in exchange for valuable time to consolidate the young revolutionary government and prepare the people for resistance.

History has proven that thanks to the principle of “staying firm in policy, yet flexible in its execution,” just one year later, the nation entered a nationwide war of resistance against French colonialism, with strength, morale, and public support significantly reinforced. This is a typical example of skillfully combining resolute principles with flexible strategy — a vivid expression of the thought “employing the invariables to cope with the variables.”

Throughout the two resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists, the Party continued to “maintain immutability and address uncertainty with flexibility”. The goal at this time was “willing to sacrifice everything, never accept losing the country, never accept slavery,” “Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one,” “all for the victory against the American invaders.” With that spirit, the Party resolutely pursued a comprehensive, long-term people’s war, relying primarily on its strength.

Throughout the implementation, strategies remained flexible and adaptable, from seeking international aid and building broad national unity fronts, to the strategy of “fighting and negotiating” in the Geneva Agreement (1954) and Paris Peace Accords (1973). All of these demonstrate the Party’s resilience in “addressing uncertainties with flexibility” to lead the nation to gradually complete the cause of national liberation, reunification, and socialist transition.

After reunification, Vietnam faced enormous challenges as it entered a new development phase, including economic and social crises triggered by harsh international embargoes. In this context, the Party once again demonstrated the spirit of “maintaining immutability, addressing uncertainties with flexibility” by initiating the Doi Moi (Renewal) policy at the 6th National Congress in 1986.

The “immutable” principle was upheld -  steadfast independence and socialism, for the goal of wealthy people, strong country, democracy, justice, and civilization. But in strategy, Vietnam actively innovated economic thinking, embraced international integration, and diversified international relations. Thanks to this correct line, Vietnam gradually overcame the crisis, joined ASEAN (1995), the WTO (2007), engaged in many new-generation Free Trade Agreements, and gained great, comprehensive achievements in all fields of economy, culture, social affairs, education, and health care.

Today, in the context of globalization, increasingly complex competition among world powers, and rapid development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, President Ho Chi Minh’s thought “employing the invariables to cope with the variables” remains highly relevant. That is holding fast to the principle, “national and people’s interests first,” while responding flexibly in all relationships, from comprehensive strategic partnerships with major powers to regional cooperation; and from adapting to climate change to addressing non-traditional security issues.

A lodestar in foreign affairs

The principle in national governance, “staying firm in policy, yet flexible in its execution” has become a distinctive hallmark in Vietnam’s diplomacy.

Over the decades, the Party has applied President Ho Chi Minh’s thought on “employing the invariables to cope with the variables” in guiding important foreign policy matters, correctly handling relationships, and accurately assessing and forecasting situations.

Vietnam’s consistent and comprehensive foreign policy is independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification of relations, being a trusted friend and partner, a responsible member of the international community, and proactively and deeply integrating into the world.

Vietnam’s foreign policy principle and motto are to safeguard the highest national and people’s interests based on the U.N. Charter and international law; and resolutely and persistently defend independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.

To date, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, built a network of strategic and comprehensive partnerships with 37 nations, including all major powers and all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, and actively participated in over 70 international and regional organizations. The Party has also maintained relations with 259 political parties in 119 countries.

Vietnam's position, prestige, and influence have been established in numerous significant multilateral forums and mechanisms, including ASEAN, the United Nations, the Mekong Sub-region, APEC, AIPA, and IPU. In addition to taking on important international responsibilities, Vietnam has proposed various initiatives to enhance cooperation and contribute effectively to global challenges, including disease control, disaster response, climate change, food security, water security, and peacekeeping.

Eighty years on, President Ho Chi Minh’s thought on “employing the invariables to cope with the variables” has always been the lodestar of the nation’s development path. In all circumstances, the Party always firmly maintains core values while steering the revolutionary ship through all challenges to victory. This thought continues to light the path as Vietnam strides confidently into a new era - that of the nation’s rise.

Source: VNA