Speech and the way to the sea!

(Baonghean) - At exactly 10:00 a.m. on August 31, 2015 (New York time, USA, the night of August 31, early morning of September 1, Vietnam time), the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament officially opened with the participation of 140 high-level parliamentary delegations from countries around the world. National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung led the high-level Vietnamese delegation to deliver an important and meaningful speech, right on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and Vietnam's National Day, September 2.

The speech of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung at the 4th World Conference of National Assembly Chairmen included the following passage: “After many years of fighting for national independence, together with people of countries around the world, the Vietnamese people always aspire to live in a world of peace and democracy. For that reason, “a rich people, a strong country, democracy, equality, and civilization” has always been the goal and driving force for the development of our Vietnamese people.”

The speech of President Nguyen Sinh Hung at the Conference of National Assembly Chairmen summarized the core values ​​throughout the 70-year journey of the Vietnamese people's persistent struggle to protect the nation. At the same time, it also summarized the journey of Vietnam gradually growing stronger and reaching out to the ocean with universal and global cultural values, truly making an important contribution to the process of promoting peace, cooperation and development in the world.

The first plenary session of the World Conference of Speakers of National Assemblies with a speech by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. Photo: VNA

Exactly 70 years ago, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese people made the miraculous August Revolution, establishing the first worker-peasant state in Southeast Asia, opening an era of independence and freedom for the nation. On August 28, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed the Decree establishing a provisional government with 15 ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Modern Vietnamese diplomacy was officially born, and to date, 70 years have passed, Vietnam's position in the international arena has been increasingly affirmed, the red flag with a five-pointed yellow star has truly made a strong impression on the community of countries across the five continents.

The Declaration of Independence read by President Ho Chi Minh on September 2, 1945 at the historic Ba Dinh Square affirmed the determination of the entire Vietnamese people to "dedicate all their spirit and strength, lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence". That was the first important diplomatic message of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the international community, expressing the Vietnamese people's aspiration for peace, independence and freedom. The most important goal of foreign affairs during this period was "to make other countries recognize the independence of Vietnam" and affirm that "the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam is the only legitimate government of the entire Vietnamese people".

In the statement to the governments of countries around the world on January 14, 1950, President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's stance: "Ready to establish diplomatic relations with any government that respects the equality, territorial sovereignty and national sovereignty of Vietnam, to jointly protect peace and build world democracy". After that statement, the governments of socialist and new democratic countries have officially recognized and established diplomatic relations with Vietnam such as China, the Soviet Union, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Albania...

In 1954, the Geneva Agreement was signed, marking an important diplomatic victory, ending the French colonial invasion in Vietnam as well as in the entire Indochina peninsula. During the resistance war against the US to save the country, Vietnam always fought to make the world public opinion clearly see the Vietnamese people's goodwill for peace and support Vietnam's just struggle. On January 27, 1973, Vietnam and the US signed the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam. This extremely important diplomatic victory created a legal basis for the Vietnamese people's just struggle to achieve complete victory in the spring of 1975. With peace restored, Vietnam entered a new period, diplomatic activities were deployed in the direction of multilateralization and diversification to expand international cooperation, seek assistance from many sources and many countries, contributing to strengthening the country's economic strength. With the spirit of being ready to be a friend and reliable partner of countries in the international community, the implementation of an independent, self-reliant, diversified and multilateral foreign policy has achieved great successes.

From being economically besieged, politically isolated and having relations only with countries in the socialist bloc, from being considered a weak nation, with no name on the world map, to date our country has established diplomatic relations with 185/193 member countries of the United Nations, has economic, trade and investment relations with more than 230 countries and territories, is an active member of over 70 regional and international organizations, plays an important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and many important agencies of the United Nations.

Vietnam has successfully fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-2009 term, ASEAN Chair in 1998 and 2010, and successfully organized many important international conferences such as the 7th Francophonie Summit in 1997, the 5th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM 5) in 2005, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2006, the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) in March 2015, and the upcoming APEC Summit 2017. To date, Vietnam has attracted a total of over 250 billion USD in FDI, and is one of the few countries participating in all important economic linkages in the region, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

“After many years of fighting for national independence, together with people around the world, the Vietnamese people have always longed to live in a world of peace and democracy.” The speech filled with national spirit by National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung echoed on the other side of the globe, blending with the bustling atmosphere of the entire nation on the 70th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Looking back 70 years, Vietnam has gone through many ups and downs so that the flag of independence always flies high under the world sky. That flag will shine forever because it carries the immortal belief in peace and happiness of the entire Vietnamese people.

Phuong Thao