The Party Central Committee made two big decisions about land in four years. Resolution 21 builds on the first one and makes some important changes.

Resolution 18 was made in 2022 to fix problems with land use. There were issues with planning, taking land, paying for it, and disagreements.

Resolution 18 led to the 2024 Land Law, which changed the rules about land.

But now, Vietnam's goals have changed.

The country wants to grow its economy fast and become a high-income country by 2045. So, policymakers need to think about land in a new way.

Resolution 21 is the next step after Resolution 18. It has a bigger vision for land's role in the country's development.

Resolution 21 wants to make the most of land's value and turn it into a strength for the country.

It asks how land can help the country grow and be competitive.

The goal is to make land a key part of the country's development strategy.

This means moving from just managing land to using it to drive growth.

Land administration is still important, but now it's part of a bigger plan.

The government owns the land, but it needs to use it in a way that helps the country.

Resolution 21 looks at land as a way to create growth, jobs, and a better life.

This is a new way of thinking about land.

For a long time, people just talked about land in terms of rules and laws.

But now, policymakers need to think about how land can create value.

Just following the rules is not enough. Land needs to be used in a way that helps the country.

Resolution 21 focuses on making sure land is used in a way that creates value.

The government needs to make sure land is used efficiently and effectively.

Land is a key part of many national priorities, like industrialization and urbanization.

It can create a competitive advantage and drive growth.

Resolution 21 is a new step in land reform. It emphasizes that land governance should serve the country's development.

The second big change is moving from just managing land-use rights to creating value from land.

Historically, land policy focused on defining and protecting land-use rights.

But now, the goal is to maximize the economic and social value of land.

Land alone does not create growth. It needs to be combined with other things like capital and technology.

The question is not just how much land is worth, but how much value it creates.

Resolution 21 emphasizes resource allocation and making sure land is used productively.

Land-use rights should be secure to encourage investment.

Land markets should be transparent so resources can move to higher-value uses.

The government should use taxes to make sure increases in land value are shared fairly.

Land pricing is not just about following rules. It's about development policy.

The goal is not to maximize government revenue, but to create broader developmental value.

A country's prosperity comes from what is created on its land, not just from rising land prices.

Resolution 21 expands land policy from protecting rights to creating national value.

The third big change is moving from administrative control to modern governance.

The government's role is not just to control land, but to govern it in a way that creates value.

For a long time, weaknesses in land management were seen as legal issues.

But now, it's clear that many problems come from weaknesses in implementation.

Projects are delayed due to fragmented data and unclear responsibilities.

Resolution 21 emphasizes modernizing land governance, including creating a national land database and accelerating digital transformation.

What matters is not how many agencies review an application, but whether rights are protected and costs are reduced.

Land can only become a development resource if the government has the capacity to manage it effectively.

Resolution 21 is not replacing Resolution 18, but building on it.

It expands Vietnam's strategic vision and introduces a new approach to development.

The three big changes are moving from administering land to unlocking land resources, from managing land-use rights to creating value, and from administrative control to modern governance.

These changes reflect a broader evolution in Vietnam's development philosophy.

National success depends on transforming resources into sustainable value.

For Vietnam, land is a key strategic asset.

Resolution 21 may introduce a new development paradigm that seeks to transform land into a powerful engine of growth.

Nguyen Si Dung

Former Vice Chairman of the Office of the National Assembly