The celebration in Jakarta on September 2 

Country leaders congratulate Vietnam’s National Day

Leaders from China, Laos, Cambodia and Russia have cabled congratulations to their Vietnamese counterparts on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of National Day (September 2). 

Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang of China extended messages of congratulations to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. 

In the messages, they expressed their belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the Vietnamese people will successfully fulfill goals set by the 12th National Party Congress. 

They affirmed that China highly values ties with Vietnam and will strive to foster the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. 

In congratulatory messages sent to the Vietnamese Party, State, government and legislature leaders, Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith, Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and NA Chairwoman Pany Yathotou state confidently that under the sound leadership of the CPV, the fraternal Vietnamese people will achieve new and greater successes in the renovation period, towards developing Vietnam into a modern-oriented industrialised nation by 2020, with wealthy people, democracy, fairness and civilisation. 

They believed that the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples will grow incessantly, for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. 

Meanwhile, the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People's Party Central Committee, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, NA President Heng Samrin and President of the Senate Say Chhum wished that the fraternal Vietnamese people would score greater achievements and the solidarity, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the Vietnamese and Cambodian Parties, governments and peoples will keep growing. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, for their part, believed that positive Government-level collaboration will facilitate major economic projects in the two countries. 

On the occasion, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Cambodian Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhon, and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov extended congratulations to Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

71st National Day marked abroad

The Vietnamese Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa on September 1 held a ceremony to mark the 71st anniversary of the National Day, which gathered 500 guests from the host country as well as representatives from international diplomatic delegations and the Vietnamese community in South Africa and neighbouring countries. 

Addressing the event, Ambassador to South Africa Le Huy Hoang highlighted the historical significance of the August Revolution in 1945 and the National Day, opening up a new era of independence, freedom and happiness for Vietnamese people. 

He reviewed major achievements of Vietnam during the past 71 years in all fields as well as the country’s policy to strengthen cooperation with all countries in the settlement of issues on the basis of respect for international law, contributing to peace and development in the region and the world. 

The ambassador affirmed that Vietnam attaches much attention to the fostering of comprehensive partnership with South Africa, a member of the BRICS and a gateway to the Africa. 

He expressed hope his that the tow sides will continue boosting ties in trade, education, security, defence, and striving to raise two-way trade to 3 billion USD in the next two or three years from the current 1.2 billion USD. 

Meanwhile, South Africa Deputy Minister of Housing Zou Kota-Fredericks stated that his country’s Government always highly values traditional friendship and cooperation with Vietnam , which was founded and nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Nelson Mandela. 

He said he hope the Vietnam visit by South African Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa this year will create a new momentum for the growth of the all-round partnership between the two countries, especially in trade, investment, education, security and defence. 

During the event, strong products of Vietnam, including coffee, were also introduced. 

Also on September 1, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos also held a ceremony to mark the National Day, with the attendance of Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Sonsay Siphadone, Deputy National Assembly Chairman Sengnoun Sayalath, and a number of senior officials of Laos. 

Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung thanked Laos for discharging water from its reservoirs to help Vietnam ’s Mekong Delta region, which was seriously hit by drought and saltwater intrusion. 

He also appreciated that the Lao Government have supported the Vietnamese community in the country and created favourable for Vietnamese investors. 

The same day, a solemn ceremony was also held in Phnom Penh , Cambodia , gathering Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Men Sam On and a number of senior leaders of the host country. 

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Thach Du underscored Vietnam ’s constant external policy of independence, self-reliance, cooperation, multilateralisation and diversification, as well as the country’s willing to be friend and trustworthy partner as well as responsible member of the international community. 

Vietnam and Cambodia have shared a long-term relations and solidarity as well as mutual support during the struggle for independence in each country, he noted, speaking highly Cambodia ’s help in repatriation of Vietnam ’s volunteer soldiers fell down in Cambodia . 

He expressed belief that bilateral ties and the neighbourliness of Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to thrive. 

Cambodia Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhnonn thanked the support and sacrifice that Vietnamese volunteer soldiers made to save Cambodian people from genocide disaster in 1979. 

Prak Shokhonn also noted that so far, Cambodia and Vietnam have finnished 83 percent of their border demarcation and are working closely to deal with remaining differences for the interest of both peoples. 

At the same time, economic ties between the two countries have progressed, with two-way trade reaching 3.3 billion USD in 2015. Both sides are striving to raise the figure to 5 billion USD in the future, he said.

As a major investor in Cambodia , Vietnam invested nearly 90 million USD to Cambodia in 2015 from 49 million in 2014, he said, adding that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Cambodia also surged in recent years to reach nearly 1 million annually. 

Earlier on September 1, Ambassador Thanh Du and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Cambodia laid flora at the monument of Vietnamese volunteer soliders who laid down their lives in Cambodia .

On the occasion of the National Day, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Japan ’s Osaka prefecture hosted a banquet to celebrate the special day, with the participation of representative from Japan ’s Foreign Ministry and the Japanese Government in Kansia region Suzuki Yoichi, Shiga Prefecture Governor Taizo Mikazuki, Sakai city Mayor Takeyama Osami, together with more than 400 guests. 

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Consul-General in Osaka Tran Duc Binh affirmed that Vietnam will continue cooperating with governments in Japan’s localities to support businesses of Osaka and Kansai regions to expand partnership with Vietnamese firms, contributing to boosting the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan. 

Meanwhile, the Japanese side lauded commitments and assistance that Vietnamese Government have implemented to improve domestic investment and business environment. They pledged to encourage local enterprises to expand their investment in Vietnam.

Vietnamese embassy in China celebrates National Day

The Vietnamese embassy in China hosted a ceremony in Beijing on September 1 to celebrate the 71st anniversary of August Revolution and National Day (September 2). 

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Dang Minh Khoi recalled the time when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 

From its humble beginning as a poor colonial country, Vietnam has become a middle-income country that has maintained a stable political and social climate and set up diplomatic ties with almost United Nations (UN) member states, major countries and five permanent member countries of the UN, he said. 

About external relations, Vietnam firmly pursues the diplomatic policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of international ties. The country stands ready to be a friend and trustworthy partner of countries on the basis of friendship, cooperation and mutual development. 

As regards bilateral ties with China, Khoi affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always treasure friendly neighborliness and mutually-beneficial cooperation with China. 

The Vietnamese embassy in China is determined to work to safeguard the homeland’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, protect national interests while striving to maintain an environment of peace and cooperation for mutual development, he said.

He added that the embassy will also work hard to find a basic and long-term solution to the settlement of disputes between the two countries in line with international law. 

VNA