Glorious tradition inspires us

On this day 76 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square, announcing the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the first worker-peasant’s State in Southeast Asia.

President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square, announcing the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)
President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square, announcing the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

In the minds of the Vietnamese people, besides the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year), the celebration of “Independence Tet” (National Day) also reflects the civic responsibility and pride of the great spiritual and material values ​​that the August Revolution in 1945 brought to every human destiny, every family, and the nation.

After only 15 years of establishment, while closely linked with the people and movements for national liberation around the world, the Communist Party of Vietnam led the entire people to rise up in a great revolution, lifting the people to the position of mastering their lives and putting our country on the world map.

The building of the revolutionary regime over the past 80 years proves the truth that only when the ruling Party's goal is in harmony with the interests of the people and nation can victory be truly complete; and vice versa, when the goal is away from the people, bureaucratic and wilful, it will fail.

The strength of leadership and unity in thought, organisation, and action to achieve national liberation and promote national construction and defence as well as comprehensive international integration have been and will continue to be valuable lessons in the current period of national development.

The celebration of National Day this year comes at an unforgettable time. The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the international community and testing us. Amid the pandemic of the century, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong called on the entire Party, people, and armed forces to be united in the fight against the pandemic.

History is challenging, testing and affirming the strength of our entire nation. Practical actions and effective results from the past two years have once again affirmed the role and goals of our State, which is a State of the people, by the people, and for the people. History has been witnessing the compatriotship and sacrifices for each other in the tribulation. And in difficult times, nothing can distort, divide, or destroy the affection and close relationships between the Party and the people.

Unprecedented specific mechanisms and policies have been enacted to keep people safe, fight the pandemic, and maintain economic development. The national reserves have been urgently utilised to save the people. The army has been mobilised into the COVID-19 fight, together with the police and the entire medical forces, to take care of and share difficulties with the people.

Each commune, ward, unit, and enterprise has become a fortress, and every citizen is a soldier in this fight. The motto of diversification and multilateralisation has been effectively promoted in the vaccine diplomacy strategy through all channels.

Health security and national independence and autonomy have been clearly demonstrated in the roadmap of early vaccine research and testing, aiming to quickly bring made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccines to the people. That is the right direction, showing the bravery and pride of the Vietnamese nation.

The many examples of sacrifices from the frontline forces, tireless efforts of the Party, State and Government leaders, and creative actions of the grassroots government and people should be recognised. That is the reason to believe that we will soon control the pandemic and restore and develop the economy as per General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s message “we will definitely win the COVID-19 pandemic and must win it”.

The life and people have higher requirements for the renewal in leadership methods, the improvement of the Party's fighting strength, the reform in the management thinking of the State and the modern national governance capacity. On this National Day, amidst the difficulties due to the pandemic, we still need to prepare short-term, medium-term and long-term development plans to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress: “Continuing to build a socialist law-governed State that facilitates development, integrity and action while stepping up anti-corruption, thrift practice, combat of wastefulness, and the creation of breakthroughs in administrative reform”.

Major national events are coming including the 50th anniversary of the National Reunification Day (in 2025), the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam (2030), and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2045).

In recent days, every flight carrying soldiers, policemen, and doctors across the country to support the South is a reflection of the trains travelling to the South to support the fight for national independence and freedom in the past.

During these difficult days, there are still echoes of Party admission ceremonies held in Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City, Military Region 7 and other localities for typical physicians and volunteers who do not mind facing danger to work for the sake of the people, a proof to the responsibility of Party members and citizens for the peace of the country and the people!

Glorious tradition and the spirit of the National Day will forever illuminate, guide and motivate us!