The 40^th commemoration of the victory in protecting the South-Western border and supporting the Cambodian people and revolutionary armed forces to defeat the Pol Pol genocide regime (January 7, 1979-2019) was held in Hanoi on January 4.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event. Photo: H.L

The celebration was attended by the country's leaders including Party General Secretary, State President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man; senior military officials, Vietnamese Heroic Mother, Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Labor Hero; veterans, volunteer troops, members of families of war invalids and martyrs who had devoted their life to supporting Cambodia, representatives of the youth of the two countries.

The celebration aims to broadcast widely and deeply to the people, especially the young generation of the two countries on the significance of preserving and promoting the Vietnam – Cambodia relations and the rightness of the fight to protect the South-Western border of the Vietnamese people and the supports of Vietnam for Cambodian to achieve the victory over the genocidal regime.

At the same time, the celebration aims to help the international community understand more about the pure friendship and wholehearted support of Vietnam for the Cambodian people in eradicating the Pol Pol and reviving the country, to become a thriving Cambodia like nowadays.

This is also an opportunity to review the beautiful tradition of solidarity and mutual support the two countries' forces have lended to each other in the last 40 years.

At the celebration, Prime Minister (PM) Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized the tradition of the Vietnamese people, which is treasuring the happiness in the present yet never forget the difficult time in the past. “According to that tradition, we are here together to look back on the history of the solidarity and mutual supports of the two peoples for each other through thick and thin.”

Delegates at the event. Photo: P.H

The victory of the 1975 Spring General Offensive of the Vietnamese People's Army made a turnaround in the battlefield, giving favorable conditions for the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation to liberate Cambodia from Pol Pot regime and take control of Phnom Penh capital on April 17, 1975. This was an triumphant ending of the Cambodian people's revolution for independence and freedom. This was also a joint victory of the three countries of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

After eradicating the invasion of the Pol Pot Reaction Group, in response to the demand of the Cambodian revolution, Vietnam had sent volunteer soldiers and officers to assist the Cambodian revolutionary armed forces in liberating the nation from genocide and later restore and develop the country.

The liberation of the Phnom Penh capital was a historic victory which had saved Cambodian people from the regime of genocide, leading them to enter a new era of independence, freedom, giving them the chance to start reviving the country. "The victory was achieved thank to the effort of the revolutionary forces, the Cambodian people and the support of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers," Prime Minister Hun Sen once asserted.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Tep Ngorn, said: "On this occasion, on behalf of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Government, the Front and the people of Cambodia, once again I would like to express my sincere and deepest gratitude to the Party, the State, the Front, the army and the people of Vietnam who have made great sacrifices to liberate and save the country, the Cambodian people from the brutal genocide, partly contributing to restoring peace in our country. In fact, the timely and adequate support of Vietnam has greatly contributed to the development of Cambodia nowadays. Vietnam has partly contributed to turning a war-torn country into a peaceful, united nation and helped us achieve development in all fields./.

( Translated by Phi Yen )