Vietnam Ambassador’s Speech at the 79th Vietnam National Day Reception –
“I would like to extend the warmest welcome and gratitude to our distinguished guests and Bangladeshi friends for joining us today for the celebration of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Exactly 79 years ago, on the 2nd September 1945, at the historic Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam or the Socialist Republic of Vietnam today. President Ho Chi Minh’s famous saying, which is “Vietnam has the right to be a free and independent country – and in fact is so already.
The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty”, inspired every Vietnamese generation during our national liberation struggle in the past and now motivates the Vietnamese young people to make their contributions to the national development and defense. The National Day of Vietnam (2nd September) is unquestionably the most important event in the heart of every Vietnamese people living in the country and overseas.
On this day, the Vietnamese people all over the world gather together to commemorate and pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, the Great Father of the Nation of Vietnam. Many meaningful cultural activities are also organized in order to cherish the mutual happiness, the values of national independence associated with socialism.
Over the past 79 years, under the visionary leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the valuable support from all the countries and friends around the world, the Vietnamese people have tirelessly strived to defend independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, to preserve self-determination of the nation and freedom, happiness of the people.
Noticeably, after more than 37 years of “Doi Moi” Reforms, opening the economy and integrating to the world, Vietnam has grown vigorously and achieved great triumphs. The size and growth rate of the economy are increasing considerably. Vietnam has become a middle-income developing country, with the current population of over 100 million. In 2023, the GDP growth rate of Vietnam was 5.05%, inflation rate was 3.25%, and the per capital income was estimated to reach 4,284 USD. Moving towards 2024, the Vietnam’s economic growth continues witnessing the upward trend. In the first 8 months of 2024, the GDP increased by 6.42% and the export turnover was estimated at 190 billion USD, increased by 14.5% over the same period of last year.
The export surplus reached 14.08 billion USD. Vietnam’s total investment capital abroad reached 137 million USD. The foreign direct investment capital made in Vietnam reached 18 billion USD, up 10.9% over the same period last year. This is the highest amount of realized foreign direct investment capital in the first six months of the year in the past 5 years. Creating the favorable environment for business and investment, Vietnam is an ideal destination for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. Up to now, Vietnam has received an estimated 588.4 billion USD in foreign direct investment. Vietnam currently ranks in the TOP 5 favorite investment destinations among Asia’s emerging and developing country according to the Global Opportunity Index (GOI) by Milken Institute (US). In terms of tourism, Vietnam has received over 9.98 million international tourists from all over the world.
The living quality of the people has been constantly improved, especially for farmers, people in remote areas and ethnic minorities. Regarding the national security, thanks to the “four no’s” defense policy of Vietnam which means “no partaking in military alliances, no siding with one country to act against another, no foreign military bases in the Vietnamese territory or using Vietnam as leverage to counteract other countries, and no using force or threatening to use force in international relations”, the socio-political stability are maintained, the national defense and security are well upheld in the country.
Vietnam and Bangladesh share many things in common in the cause of national building and development that both countries can mutually learn, promote and support each other. Throughout the long history with ups and downs, our good sentiment has remained unchanged. Over the past 51 years of traditional friendship, the two countries have been closely cooperating in multiple areas and became good partners. The delegation exchanges between Vietnam and Bangladesh are frequently held.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to Her Excellency, Ms. Farida Akhter, Honorable Adviser of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of Bangladesh and all our distinguished guests for sharing the moments of happiness with me and my wife, the Embassy and the Vietnamese community in Bangladesh, on this auspicious occasion today.
Wish you good health and happiness! Happy Vietnam National Day!
Long live Vietnam – Bangladesh friendship! Thank you very much.
