"Vietnam is firmly on the path to becoming a civilized country"

'Vietnam is firmly on the path to becoming a developed, civilized, modern country. This is an irreversible trend'.

Mr. Phan Dien - former Politburo member, former Standing member of the Secretariat emphasized this when talking to VOV.VN reporters on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of National Day, September 2. According to him, the greatest opportunity we need to seize to gradually move Vietnam forward as expected comes from ourselves, from our subjective factors.

Overcoming difficulties, building position

PV:72 years after the country declared independence, what would you say about Vietnam's achievements and position?

Mr. Phan Dien: The changes and transformations of our country and the lives of our people over the past 72 years have been enormous. Today compared to before independence day, it is a world apart. 72 years ago, the name Vietnam was almost erased from the world map. People knew Vietnam as a colonial Indochina, occupied by colonialism; independence, sovereignty, freedom, and democracy were all lost. The people lived a miserable and humiliating life.

Mr. Phan Dien - former member of the Politburo, former Standing member of the Secretariat

Today, Vietnam is known to the world as a heroic nation, resilient in both defending and building the country. Vietnam has escaped the list of poor countries, and is in the middle-developed group of the world (although still low-middle), the people's lives have improved significantly, and more importantly, Vietnam has stepped onto the path to becoming a developed, civilized, and modern country. This is an irreversible trend.

Besides, Vietnam has also made many positive contributions to the common development of the world, to the cause of protecting peace, promoting social progress as well as developing friendship and cooperation between peoples and countries in the world. The name Vietnam is mentioned in ASEAN and the United Nations with respect and admiration.

PV:And Vietnam has also steadfastly overcome difficulties and challenges in extremely difficult times, sir?

Mr. Phan Dien: To achieve these achievements, we had to overcome many challenges, including extremely difficult and fierce ones. Those were the difficulties and threats when the country had just gained independence, the revolutionary government was still young, the national treasury was almost empty, the people had just experienced a terrible famine, and we had to face the second invasion of French colonialism. But then we achieved the Dien Bien Phu victory that shook the world.

Next, we went through an extremely dangerous moment for the country's independence, unity and sovereignty when we had to confront more than half a million American troops pouring into the South and bombing the North.

Before admitting defeat in this war of aggression, they also carried out vicious and cruel carpet bombings with B52s on Hanoi and Hai Phong. But in the end, we overcame everything, liberated the South, and unified the country.

We thought we would have a peaceful life, building the country in peace, but not long after, the country continued to face two wars of aggression at the southwestern border and the northern border.

In the late 80s, due to the consequences of war, embargo and subjective mistakes, our country fell into a serious economic crisis... But through self-renewal, we escaped the socio-economic crisis and the state of isolation and siege to promote the country's industrialization and international integration.

In recent years, we have also encountered significant challenges. These include instabilities and disputes in the East Sea, threatening the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, there have been mistakes in the country’s development, leading to many macroeconomic instabilities (high public debt, high bad debt, large budget deficit, heavy budget deficit, etc.), leading to the development of degradation, degeneration, corruption, and alienation from the people among many Party and State officials, as well as many social evils and corruptions.

The above challenges may not seem as fierce as many times we have experienced before, but they also contain unpredictable threats. History has recorded that, each time we face a challenge, our people stand up strongly, overcome difficulties to gain new victories. And this time too, I believe that, once again, we will look straight at the truth to courageously correct mistakes, overcome difficulties, change the situation, continue to successfully carry out the renovation process, the cause of developing and protecting the country.

Two vital lessons

PV:On major national holidays, we often look back at history to draw lessons. What is that lesson for our country at this time, sir?

Mr. Phan Dien: I just visited Russia and felt that in Russia today, the traces of the October Revolution, of the Soviet government, of socialism are not many left.

Once again, we are haunted by the big question: Why did a revolution as earth-shattering as the October Revolution, a strong and powerful Communist Party like the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, a social regime that had made so many miracles in the development and protection of the country, all collapse so quickly, and it seems that society quickly forgot and turned its back on the past?

Personally, I think that there are two major subjective reasons that have led to the above situation. First, the Soviet Union made many serious and prolonged mistakes in its viewpoints, guidelines, policies, and strategies for building socialism and the country, both in economic development and in building the superstructure. It did many subjective and voluntaristic things that went against objective laws and against the requirements of life, causing the country to gradually develop unsustainably, stagnate, and fall behind...

Second, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union failed in its Party building mission. As the ruling Party, it gradually degenerated and became corrupted, becoming increasingly distant from the people and losing the trust and love of the people. Because of that, when the Party and the regime were attacked, society stood by and watched, no longer standing up to protect the Party, the State, and the regime...

I think those are two valuable lessons of history. Vietnam must not make the same mistake, must not let itself follow in the footsteps of history.

“I am very happy to see the Party and State continue to innovate.”

PV:There is a view that difficulties are mainly due to our own internal circumstances, so we cannot wait for anything but self-change. In your opinion, how should we understand this view correctly?

Mr. Phan Dien: The comprehensive renovation process initiated at the 6th National Party Congress has “saved” our regime and the revolutionary cause of the nation, putting our country on the path of development and integration. However, the shortcomings and mistakes we have made and the challenges the country is facing in the context of increasingly deep integration; the regional and world situation is evolving very rapidly, complicatedly, and unpredictably, which does not allow us to be at all satisfied or lose our will. Only by continuing to deeply innovate both awareness and action, constantly perfecting policies, institutions, and implementing apparatus, can we hope to continue to overcome difficulties and move forward.

I am pleased to see that the leaders of our Party and State since the beginning of this 12th Congress have made many decisions, words and actions demonstrating that political determination. In particular, the new steps forward in the fight against the phenomena of degeneration, corruption, degradation, and violations of the law... by Party and State officials with a resolute spirit, without any concessions, avoidance, or forbidden areas, as well as the tireless efforts of the Government in "unleashing" the private economy... have brought confidence, hope and consensus from society.

Mr. Phan Dien: "Vietnam's greatest opportunity comes from ourselves"

Although all of this is just the beginning, the road ahead of us is long and full of challenges, we still have to strive and take many actions to turn words and resolutions into reality. Those initial movements have added fighting strength to us, to all positive factors in the Party, the State and in the whole society.

I hope that the saying of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will be confirmed in all fields: "The furnace is hot, now is the time for fresh wood to burn."

PV:We often say that Vietnam is facing new opportunities alongside challenges. In your opinion, what opportunities do we need to focus on to gradually move Vietnam forward as expected?

Mr. Phan Dien: The greatest opportunity comes from ourselves, from our subjective factors. I feel that the Party and State leaders are increasingly unified in their viewpoints, guidelines and policies; resolutely putting those guidelines and policies into practice; cleaning up the Party and State apparatus; unleashing the potentials in society to be unleashed, exploited and promoted. The unity of ideology, perception and action of the Party and State is the most important opportunity for the country, creating the foundation for effective economic and social development.

The second opportunity is that we have deeply integrated into the world economy as well as international activities. This will bring us opportunities to receive technology, experience as well as capital from outside; We will have more conditions to choose an economic structure that promotes our strengths and improves efficiency. On the other hand, we have the opportunity to contribute constructively and effectively to the handling of problems arising in the world and in the region to maintain peace and stability.

However, how well we can take advantage of the opportunity depends first of all on how we improve the competitiveness of our economy and how we handle international relations wisely and flexibly.

PV:Thank you very much./.

According to VOV