Dien Bien Phu Victory Reflects Friendship and Solidarity of Vietnam, Laos, & Cambodia

Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung responded to the interview questions on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - May 7, 2024).

The Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung (Photo: VNA).

The Dien Bien Phu victory has historical significance in the national liberation struggle of Vietnam and Laos. What must we do to promote and apply its historical lessons developing the countries and cultivating the relationship between Vietnam and Laos?

I believe that the Dien Bien Phu victory has an extremely important historical significance in the cause of the national liberation struggle of the three Indochina countries in general and of the two countries Vietnam and Laos in particular. After Vietnam's "illustrious in five continents, shaking the earth," Dien Bien Phu victory on July 21, 1954, the Geneva Agreement on armistice in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia was signed. At that instance, France and countries participating in the conference respected the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This is a very important international legal basis for the people of the three Indochina countries to gain independence and to unify the nation in each country.

The historical lesson of the traditional friendship and solidarity between the people of the three Indochina countries, especially between Vietnam and Laos in the Dien Bien Phu victory today, still remains valid. To promote this tradition, we need to continue spreading the lessons and determination of the Dien Bien Phu campaign, as well as the Vietnam - Laos combat alliance, promoting the strength of the great united efforts to overcome all difficulties and hardships to defeat the enemy; promoting internal strength, the spirit of independence, self-reliance, and the will to overcome all difficulties and hardships to win; inheriting and developing lessons about respecting reality, mastering practical perspectives, and promptly being creative in action to achieve the highest goals. We need to strengthen solidarity, expand foreign relations, take advantage of the support and assistance of brotherly countries and international friends; in order to work side by side, and enhance cooperation effectiveness.

In the immediate future, the two countries should focus on the following priorities:

Firstly, for the development of each country, it is necessary to uphold patriotism, the spirit of independence and self-reliance, national self-respect, self-reliance, not being resigned to poverty and backwardness, and determined to overcome challenges. It is necessary to promote creative intelligence, dare-to-think-and-do mindset, to always connect theory with practice, understand to treat truth as the standard of your practice, always stay aware of reality, properly analyze new developments in the world and domestic situation to summarize practice and develop theoretical creativity.

When reality changes, it is necessary to follow the goal of building the country toward socialism to firmly enrich people's lives, strengthen the country, and build a fair, democratic, and civilized society, at the same time resolutely change and adjust policies and procedures that are no longer appropriate and effective. Refrain frim being subjective, conservative, carrying old, outdated perceptions and opinions. Only then can we work on the innovation that leads to victory, continuing to write the nation's heroic history in the current context.

Second, regarding to Vietnam - Laos relations, it is necessary to continue to deepen political relations, implement high-level agreements well, and especially to preserve and improve the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms of the senior leaders of Vietnam and Laos; thoroughly to grasp and raise general awareness of the importance of the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos to the two countries' people.

It is necessary to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries by expanding and upgrading East-West traffic connection; to establish a synchronous cooperation mechanism and special policies to free up resources and create the most favorable conditions for businesses and people of the two countries; to resolve problems with breakthrough solutions; to promoting new cooperation models, such as Vietnam - Laos +1 cooperation model, to take advantage of the potential and strengths of the two countries and thost of partners' potential in capital, experience and technology. It is necessary to take advantage of free trade agreements to enhance trade efficiency, expand markets and attract investment. Also, we need to focus on quality and efficiency in human resource development so we can meet the development needs of each country, while contributing to tightening the emotional attachment and solidarity between the two peoples.

Looking back, we are always proud of the great efforts of many generations in building the country and cultivating the relationship between Vietnam and Laos to constantly blossom, bear fruit, and strengthen the bilateral relations. This one-of-the-kind relationship becomes extremely exemplary, faithful, and pure. With the close attention and direction of senior leaders of the two Parties and two countries, along with the efforts of ministries, departments, branches, central and local organizations, and businesses, there is a sufficient basis to maintain faith in a bright future for each country as well as the special solidarity relationship that is everlasting green, eternal and sustainable.

What is the significance of the Dien Bien Phu victory for the education of today's young generation?

Even though 70 years have passed, the Dien Bien Phu victory still retains its value in educating the people, especially the younger generation. The value comes from a comprehensive, all-people fight, creating enormous synergy, crushing the giant war machine of the invading force. The values come from the meaning of promoting the patriotic spirit, the will to fight and win of the entire Party, the entire army and the entire people; on promoting the spirit of independence, self-reliance, self-reliance and creativity, determined in the revolutionary path, military path and art of combat. It also includes the meaning of promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc, whose core is the alliance of the citizen-farmer-intellectual class.

The Dien Bien Phu victory not only brought great values ​​in the struggle for national liberation, but also had profound significance in building and protecting the Fatherland today and in the future. That's why, today, when it comes to the Dien Bien Phu victory, every Vietnamese person in general and the young generation in particular are deeply moved and proud of the glorious victory and the rising spirit of their elders, considering this as one of the great spiritual motivations to actively train, strive and directly participate in building and firmly defending the Fatherland.

On this important occasion, what message do you want to convey to the people of Laos and Vietnam?

As you know, the Lao revolution and the Vietnamese revolution have a close relationship with each other. The Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party share the same origin as the former Indochina Communist Party, leading the revolutions of our two countries to achieve national liberation and unification in each country, and we are continuing firmly on the path to building socialism. Our two countries are in the process of development and international integration with many advantages from both the internal and international environment.

However, there are many difficulties and challenges. In that context, I always hope that the people of Vietnam and Laos will continue to carry on the tradition of the Vietnam - Laos special combat solidarity alliance, to maintain faith in the leadership of the two Parties, and to work closely together. We will continue to stand side by side, supporting and helping each other, complementing each other's advantages for mutual development. In particular, we can promote the spirit of friendship and solidarity between the three Indochina countries in the Dien Bien Phu victory and many other common victories, we will continue to maintain and continuously develop good cooperative relations with the brotherly country of Cambodia, effectively maintaining peace, stability and development cooperation in the region and the world.

Thank you Ambassador!

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