The draft Political Report submitted to the congress bears the theme: Under the glorious flag of the Party, uniting in strength and determination to successfully achieve national development goals by 2030; strategic self-reliance, self-strengthening and confidence, advancing strongly in the era of the nation’s rise, for peace, independence, democracy, prosperity, affluence, civilisation and happiness, steadfastly moving toward socialism.

The Congress’s Presidium consists of 16 members of the 13th Political Bureau: General Secretary To Lam, President of the Presidium; State President Luong Cuong; Secretary of the Government’s Party Committee, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; Secretary of the National Assembly’s Party Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man; Standing Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, Secretary of the Party Committee of Central Party Agencies Tran Cam Tu; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission Le Minh Hung; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs Phan Dinh Trac; President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council Nguyen Xuan Thang; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and Central Mass Organisations, President of the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Bui Thi Minh Hoai; Standing Deputy Secretary of the Government’s Party Committee, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh; Standing Deputy Secretary of the National Assembly’s Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Do Van Chien; Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang; Secretary of the Central Public Security Party Committee, Minister of Public Security, General Luong Tam Quang; Standing Member of the Subcommittee for Documents for the 14th National Party Congress Nguyen Van Nen; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Standing Board of the Central Military Commission, Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Viet Nam People's Army, General Nguyen Trong Nghia; Secretary of the Ha Noi Municipal Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc.

Attending the opening session were incumbent and former leaders of the Party, State and Viet Nam Fatherland Front, veteran revolutionaries, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, representatives of intellectuals, artists, religious dignitaries and outstanding members of the younger generation.

Ambassadors, representatives of foreign countries, and heads of resident and non-resident international organisations in Viet Nam were also present at the event.

The congress brings together 1,586 delegates, representing more than 5.6 million Party members nationwide. A large number of domestic and international journalists are covering the event.

As assigned by the Presidium, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the opening session.

Earlier, on the morning of January 19, ahead of the preparatory session, delegates paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum. Members of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and heads of delegations laid wreaths and offered incense at the Monument to Heroes and Martyrs.

The congress observed a minute of silence in memory of late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and members of the 13th Party Central Committee who passed away during the 13th Congress tenure.

At preparatory session, the congress unanimously approved the preparatory session’s programme, the working regulations of the congress, the congress work programme, and the election regulations for the 14th National Party Congress. The congress elected a Presidium consisting of 16 members of the Political Bureau with Party General Secretary To Lam as its President. The congress also elected a Secretariat of five members and a delegate eligibility verification board comprising 13 members.

The congress unanimously approved the report on eligibility verification of delegates to the 14th National Party Congress. Accordingly, all 1,586 delegates summoned to the congress are qualified delegates.