In song and dance: a revue remembers

A nation looks back to the future

Vietnam’s decades-long struggle has proved the correctness of pursuing the goals of national independence and the socialist path of development, Prime Minister Phan Vaên Khaûi said on Friday.He said the struggle has given valuable lessons that needs to be studied and promoted. The first and foremost lesson was to persist in maintaining independence and socialism well grounded in Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chí Minh Thought towards making the nation strong, its people prosperous, its society fair and civilised. The second was to place complete reliance on the people, their great unity and mobilise the entire resources of the nation to achieve national goals. But care must be taken to ensure that the nation’s strength is combined with the needs of the hour, which means preserving national independence and the orientation of socialism, he said. The fourth lesson was to build, rejuvenate and strengthen the Party leadership, making the State apparatus pure and strong. It should be realised by the leading and managing agencies that to renovate society they have to renovate themselves, constantly improve professional ethics and knowledge, and apply experiences gained within and outside the country for the betterment of the nation.

Addressing a major public meeting in Haø Noäi yesterday, Khaûi called upon the all Vietnamese people, at home and abroad, regardless of their social status, political conviction and past history, to join hands in making Vieät Nam a prosperous and happy country. The meeting marked the 25th anniversary of the complete liberation of South Vieät Nam and national reunification. "The country that has achieved resounding victories in the national salvation war must obtain new ones in national development and obtain a praise-worthy place in the international arena," Khaûi said. The meeting was jointly organised by the by the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, the Fatherland Front Central Committee and the Haø Noäi People’s Committee.

A choir captures the moment after the Prime Minister speaks - and then celebrations in HCM City

A celebration for all

It was attended by Party General Secretary Leâ Khaû Phieâu; Advisors to the Party Central Committee Ñoã Möôøi, Leâ Ñöùc Anh and Voõ Vaên Kieät; State President Traàn Ñöùc Löông; National Assembly Chairman Noâng Ñöùc Maïnh and representatives of different central and local offices, the armed forces and mass organizations. Members of diplomatic corps and international organizations in Hanoi were also present at the meeting. The Prime Minister said that in celebrating the country’s great victory the Vietnamese people would never forget the valuable and whole-hearted assistance rendered to them by socialist countries, particularly the former Soviet Union and China; international communist and workers’ movements, progressive and peace-cherishing people and friends the world over. He also hailed the warm support and assistance given by international non-governmental organizations and individuals to the Vietnamese people in healing the wounds of the war and remind those countries that had carried out and participated in the American War of aggression against Vietnam of their responsibility to make positive contributions to solving the aftermath of the war. Khaûi noted that the whole nation has been involved in different activities marking their great victory of Spring 1975. These events recollect an exciting atmosphere of the general offensives and uprisings 25 years ago that led to the liberation of one province after another in southern part of the country, culminating in the total success of the historic Ho Chí Minh Military Campaign. Khaûi said the wars of national salvation lasting 30 years full of hardship and sacrifice have ended with the Vietnamese people emerging the victor. This has opened up a new era in Vietnam’s history, that of realizing our people’s aspirations for building Vieät Nam into a peaceful, united, independent, democratic and prosperous country as wished by President Ho Chí Minh in his Testament. Khaûi said the Fourth National Party Congress in 1976 has made several remarks on the everlasting values contained in the war of national salvation in its review of the war. The Congress had said: "Days and years will be gone but our people’s victories in the war of resistance against the Americans for national salvation will forever have gone down in national history as one of its brightest pages. The victory will be regarded as the best demonstration of eventual victory of intellect and revolutionary heroism. It will also enter world history as one of the greatest exploits of the 20th century, an international event leaving deep imprinted in the characteristics of the time." In commemorating the great April 30 victory, there was a need to remember lessons accumulated in the history of the Communist Party of Vietnam  which marked its 70th founding anniversary earlier this year. The most valuable of these was to preserve and maintain the Party’s purity, strength, and strong will as well as its close relations with the people in order to live up to their expectation of the Party being the "decisive factor in all victories of Vietnam’s revolution" in the cause of both national liberation, building of socialism; and national defense." "We respectfully treasure the sentiments of the peace-loving American people, particularly the younger generation, who, for the sake of justice, protested against the war of aggression and, in various forms, have contributed to ending the military adventure of the United States in Vietnam, and now continue contributing to the development of Vietnam -US relations," Khaûi said. The PM added that Vietnam was a nation with a tradition of humanity, hospitality and forgiveness that enabled its people to suppress hatred and look forwards to the future. Such traditions are reflected not only in State policies but are also imprinted in the code of conduct for the Vietnamese people when meeting with foreigners who once held guns in the enemy camp, and were now revisiting Vietnam. The PM noted that although the war had ended 25 years ago, its consequences and impacts remain very serious. The common ethical sense of nation-to-nation relations requires those countries having conducted or engaged in the war of aggression against Vieät Nam to bear the responsibility of making positive contributions, together with Vietnam, to solving consequences of wars through specific and effective co-operation in appropriate forms. Such attitude and deeds will help not only in getting rid of past guilt but also strengthen trust and co-operation between Vietnam and the countries involved, he said. Reviewing Vietnam’s ñoåi môùi process that was fast and slow at times, Khaûi said overall the 15 years of renovation has seen great achievements in both social and economic development. "Our country has got out of the social and economic crisis and continued to withstand great upheavals and impacts caused by the regional financial crisis and natural calamities," he said. Its newly established socio-economic status has helped Vietnam increase its strength and capacity in all areas – break through the international isolation caused by the US economic embargo; gradually integrate into the world economy and heighten its position in intentional relations; improve step by step the people’s living conditions; consolidate national defense and security; maintain political stability and social order; and foil all schemes and sabotage attempts by hostile forces. The constant struggle of the Vietnamese people, particularly over the 15 years of ñoåi môùi have meant that they have followed upon the great achievements of the past – symbolized by the August 1945 Revolution and the Victory in the anti-American war. As it enters the new century the Vietnamese nation is faced with the urgent and important task of pushing up the industrialization and modernization process to beat poverty and backwardness, Khaûi said. Citing the achievements recorded in many fields, the PM said the nation should be prepared to deal with all eventualities and create pre-requisites for the next period of development. He said a major issue that has occupied the people of Vieät Nam was: How to make good use of all opportunities and favorable conditions to overcome difficulties and challenges to lead the country towards modernization and industrialization? The answer, the PM said, was using the great strength of national unity, a trait successfully tested and tried throughout Vietnam’s several thousand years of history. He reiterated his call for all Vietnamese people to join efforts in developing the nation. Vieät Nam belongs to all Vietnamese and nation building is the obligation of all of them, he said. "All Vietnamese at home and abroad, regardless of their past history, are entitled to have their niche in the country’s great national unity as long as they join efforts in building a prosperous, peaceful, independent and democratic Vietnam," Khaûi said.