"We must keep our Party truly clean."

We are not afraid of any force, no matter how brutal. We only fear the people losing faith in the Party, the State, and our regime - on the occasion of the 69th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, and the 45th anniversary of the implementation of President Ho Chi Minh's Testament, President Truong Tan Sang wrote an article specifically for the Communist Magazine.

President Truong Tan Sang: We are saddened to hear the common saying among the people: "First, lineage; second, money; third, connections; fourth, intelligence...". Photo: VNA

Sixty-nine years ago, in the autumn of 1945, the Vietnamese people, under the banner of the Party, accomplished the great August Revolution in the history of our nation: shattering the shackles of colonial and feudal regimes; regaining national independence; giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, a state of the people and for the people; transforming our people from slaves into masters of their own country and destiny. On September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly declared to the world the birth of an independent and free Vietnam and affirmed that the entire Vietnamese nation was determined to dedicate all its spirit and strength, lives and property to protect that freedom and independence.

For nearly 70 years, our people have overcome countless difficulties and challenges to build and develop the country, improving the lives of the people, as President Ho Chi Minh taught: if the country is independent but the people do not enjoy freedom and happiness, then independence is meaningless. At the same time, our people have also had to sacrifice countless lives and blood, defeating all invading enemies to protect the independence, freedom, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

Today, in a world undergoing rapid globalization, interwoven with complex relationships of both cooperation and competition, and intense struggle between countries and different political, economic, and cultural backgrounds, the prosperity or survival of each nation and people is no longer solely a matter for that nation or people. This has created both opportunities and challenges for all countries, especially smaller ones, in protecting their interests, independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. In this context, particularly given the complex developments in the region and the world in recent years, more than ever, our country must develop rapidly and sustainably, enhancing its overall strength and internal capabilities in all aspects; at the same time, we must always remain vigilant and resolutely defend the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland under any circumstances. This is our sacred and noble duty today before our ancestors and previous generations, as President Ho Chi Minh taught: "The Hung Kings built the nation, and we, their descendants, must together preserve it," and before future generations for all time.

Our Vietnam is independent! Our beautiful land is unified and intact, from the Dong Van Plateau to the Ca Mau Cape, from the majestic Truong Son mountain range to the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos standing proudly amidst the storms of the East Sea! The land of Vietnam, bequeathed to us by our ancestors, stretches along the three regions of North, Central, and South, a single, beautiful, and priceless land. Our Vietnamese people, whether in the lowlands or highlands, at home or abroad, are all descendants of Lac and Hong, working together to build a peaceful and prosperous Vietnam and firmly safeguard our homeland.

Throughout history, our people have never tolerated anyone or any action that harms the interests of the country and the nation. This is the most sacred principle and the fairest law! Anyone who violates or taints this invaluable principle is unworthy of being a child of Vietnam. What our people need and honor are true patriots, ready to sacrifice their personal interests for the common good of the country, demonstrating their patriotism through practical and concrete actions that benefit the people and the nation, as President Ho Chi Minh taught: "Whatever benefits the people and the nation, do your utmost to do; whatever harms the people and the nation, do your utmost to avoid." Therefore, to contribute to safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, each of us, regardless of our profession or position, must do our utmost to best fulfill our duties and responsibilities, actively fighting to prevent and repel bad habits, bureaucracy, corruption, waste, and irresponsibility. We cannot accept those who claim to be patriotic but, for personal gain or "group interests," engage in corruption and waste, harming the interests of the country and impoverishing and weakening it. These are "internal enemies," "tumors" on the body of the nation that must be removed.

To protect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the country requires foresight, unwavering resolve, steadfast adherence to principles, but also prudence, flexibility, and shrewdness in strategy, "adapting to changing circumstances while maintaining core principles." The lessons our ancestors left behind for us in defending the nation are invaluable today. The warnings of scholar Le Quy Don about the dangers of losing the country – "One, the young do not respect the old; two, students do not respect their teachers; three, soldiers become arrogant and generals retreat; four, corruption is rampant; five, scholars turn a blind eye" – are things we need to ponder; or the words of National Commander-in-Chief Tran Quoc Tuan: we must proactively "remove the firewood from the bottom of the pot," "we must use a hot spoon to blow on the cold vegetables" in dealing with the enemy; "When the king and his subjects are united, brothers live in harmony, and the whole nation contributes its strength, the enemy must be captured," building an army that is "united like father and son" is essential for effective action, and "showing leniency to the people to lay deep roots and ensure lasting stability is the best strategy for defending the country"... these still hold true for us today.

Today, inheriting and promoting the patriotic, indomitable, and resilient traditions of the nation, and the lessons of national defense from our ancestors, through continuous efforts to develop socio-economic aspects, build an independent and self-reliant economy, enhance the overall strength and international prestige of the country, promote the strength of national unity combined with international strength, and take national interests as the highest goal, our people will certainly overcome all difficulties and challenges, maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national development, and firmly protect the beautiful land bequeathed by our ancestors to pass on to future generations.

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The great and historically significant achievements of nearly 30 years of reform that our people have attained fill us with pride and inspire admiration from the international community. However, we remain deeply concerned about the backwardness of our economy, the difficult living conditions of our people in many regions and among many groups; the continued problems of corruption, waste, irresponsibility, bureaucratic arrogance, and the suppression and oppression of honest citizens, causing much resentment and indignation among the people. We are still troubled and saddened to hear the long-standing saying among the people: "First, lineage; second, money; third, connections; fourth, intelligence..." in personnel work, and the comments about the "four-faced morality" (in front of, behind, in front of superiors, and in front of one's own people) that is the way many officials and Party members behave, as well as the situation where many officials with "tainted hands" are condemned by public opinion or have been and are being prosecuted and tried. These are precisely the things that have eroded the people's trust in the Party, the State, and our regime, and are the seeds of danger to the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

The ancients said: without shame, one cannot be considered a true human being! That is the essence of integrity in life! No one is exempt, whether a leader, head of an organization, agency, or unit, or an ordinary citizen, must always question their duties and responsibilities, and always feel ashamed in their conscience regarding moral conduct! No one is exempt, at any level, who harms the people and the nation, causing public discontent. If morality and conscience are not enough to awaken and deter them, then the law must be thoroughly applied. Those who violate the law should be advised; if they still do not awaken, then it is necessary to severely punish them. "Building" must go hand in hand with "combating" to preserve and strengthen the people's trust and consolidate and strengthen the great national unity.

Because "the people are the foundation"; President Ho Chi Minh once said: "If the foundation is strong, the tree will endure. Build the tower of victory on the foundation of the people," just as the national hero and cultural figure Nguyen Trai once wrote: "Only when the boat is overturned do we know the people's strength is as powerful as water." Therefore, to have enough strength to overcome all obstacles and difficulties on the path to protecting the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, the blood-and-flesh, life-and-death relationship between the Party and the people demands to be nurtured at a new level, with new quality. We are not afraid of any force, no matter how brutal. We only fear the people losing faith in the Party, the State, and our regime. The unity, solidarity, and concerted efforts of more than 90 million of our compatriots at home and abroad will be the invincible strength to preserve and protect the Vietnamese nation forever.

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Firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland is a constant, daily, and hourly task that must not be neglected or overlooked. However, it is also a long, persistent, and enduring struggle fraught with immense difficulties and challenges. This is the cause of the entire nation, of every Vietnamese person, but the Party and the State, those who lead and manage the country, bear a tremendous role and responsibility.

This September marks the 45th anniversary of the entire Party, people, and army implementing the sacred testament of President Ho Chi Minh. We must continue to study and follow the teachings in his testament: "The first thing that needs to be done is to rectify the Party, so that every Party member and every Party branch strives to fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party, wholeheartedly serving the people," "We must keep our Party truly clean, worthy of being the leader and servant of the people," "Every Party member and cadre must be imbued with revolutionary ethics, truly diligent, thrifty, honest, upright, and selfless"; we must preserve unity within the Party as "protecting the pupil of our eye"; unity based on the Party's Platform, Charter, viewpoints, guidelines, organizational and operational principles, and on protecting the interests of the nation and the country, for the well-being and happiness of the people.

In that spirit, Party committees, Party organizations, and all cadres and Party members must continue to effectively implement the Resolution of the 4th Plenum of the 11th Central Committee on "Some Urgent Issues Regarding Party Building Today," in conjunction with the implementation of Directive No. 03-CT/TW, dated May 14, 2011, of the Politburo on continuing to promote the study and emulation of Ho Chi Minh's moral example; resolutely combat the decline in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle; fight bureaucracy, corruption, waste, and "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" among a significant number of cadres, Party members, civil servants, and public employees; and rely on the people to build the Party, to supervise Party committees and organizations, and to evaluate cadres and Party members. On that basis, we must implement the recently adopted amended Constitution, build and perfect our State to truly be a State of the people, by the people, and for the people, enjoying the trust and support of the entire population. If we can do that, then no matter how big or difficult the task, we will surely succeed.

Upholding the glorious spirit and traditions of the great August Revolution, continuing to study and implement the sacred testament of President Ho Chi Minh, the entire Party, people, and army of Vietnam, united as one, will strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges, build our country to be "more decent and more beautiful," stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the world, and firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, so that our nation and our country may prosper and endure forever. This is also the measure of our patriotism at this time.

Truong Tan Sang (Member of the Politburo, President of Vietnam)