War correspondents return to nurture ties with Vietnam

War correspondents who have worked in Vietnam all have very deep feelings for the S-shaped country and now return here to further nurture the ties connecting them to this place.

Acting Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs Pham Dut Diem speaks at a meeting with war reporters. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Proof of deep and lasting love

At the meeting, Acting Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs Pham Dut Diem said that in order for the world to know about the just struggle of the Vietnamese people, it is impossible not to mention the role of international reporters, especially those who were present on the southern battlefield during the fiercest years.

“You bravely overcame danger, crossed the border of the front line to record authentic and humane footage and words, contributing to conveying the truth about the Vietnam War to the whole world, thereby calling for international support for the people and the struggle of the Vietnamese nation,” said Mr. Pham Dut Diem.

Expressing his emotion and respect when meeting 47 former war correspondents, living witnesses, who have contributed to creating a special chapter of international journalism history associated with Vietnam, Mr. Pham Dut Diem emphasized: "Your presence today is a testament to a deep and lasting affection for Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular."

After 50 years of national reunification, Ho Chi Minh City wishes to convey the message of a peaceful , developed, integrated, dynamic and humane Vietnam. Acting Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs Pham Dut Diem said that the city always respects the past, is grateful to those who sacrificed for independence and freedom, and constantly strives to build the future, for the happiness of the people, for friendly cooperation and sustainable development with international friends.

With that spirit, the activities within the framework of this visit not only allow reporters to return to places associated with war memories but also to clearly feel the changes in the city today.

A group of reporters visited and experienced Vietnam's metro system. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Through that journey, with the desire to evoke sacred professional memories, but at the same time convey a profound message: Vietnam - although once a battlefield of bullets and bombs - is now a land of peace, creativity and aspirations for development.

“Meetings, tours, and sincere conversations between the past and the present, between old friends and the new generation, are strong bridges for friendship and understanding,” Mr. Diem said.

The Acting Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs hopes that this special visit will be an opportunity for Vietnam's friends to experience the dramatic changes in the city - which was a fierce battlefield half a century ago, but has now become the country's leading economic, cultural, scientific and technological center.

Reporters at the Ho Chi Minh City Innovation Center. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Mr. Pham Dut Diem hopes that reporters who love Vietnam will continue to be "companions" with Vietnam on the new journey - the journey for peace, development and humanity.

Mr. Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, at the meeting, reviewed the changes of the city over the past 50 years. From a city that faced many difficulties after liberation, it has risen to become an economic, cultural, scientific and technological center with many innovations and creations.

"In the next 10 years, Ho Chi Minh City plans to develop more than 300km of metro. With that development direction, there will be new mechanisms, not only in terms of resources but also in terms of procedures, resolutions, and capital. Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam are confident in this development plan to help people travel more and more conveniently," the Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies told reporters.

Vietnam is changing every day

Ms. Pham Thu Hang, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could not help but be moved when meeting war reporters, reporters from friendly countries of Vietnam, and overseas reporters.

Ms. Pham Thu Hang, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared at a meeting with reporters. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

“As a generation born after the war and only hearing about the war, I felt a surge of emotion during these meaningful days for the country,” said Ms. Hang.

50 years have passed, the memory of the war still remains in Vietnam and in many places around the world, especially in the US - where the two countries had a painful past together and in friendly countries that wholeheartedly supported Vietnam in the war, to achieve victory on April 30, 1975.

War correspondents who worked in Ho Chi Minh City - a place that once experienced a painful war, has now grown into a dynamic, creative and developing city. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Reviewing the images of the reporters' activities in the past 3 days, Ms. Pham Thu Hang understood that the reporters, especially the war reporters, seemed to find their memories here. They could be memories of 1 year, 2 years, 3 years or even more, but all the images of the land and people of Vietnam, of the past war as well as the past 50 years are still very deep in everyone, especially those who were in Vietnam during the period that Vietnam calls "The Resistance War Against America to Save the Country", and the reporters could call "the Vietnam War".

Quoting Vladimir Ilyich Lenin - the great leader of the world proletarian revolution: "There are decades that go by without anything happening. There are weeks that seem like decades" - that is exactly what is happening in Vietnam today, Ms. Hang said.

Ms. Pham Thu Hang with war correspondents, correspondents from friendly countries with Vietnam and overseas correspondents. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Ms. Pham Thu Hang said that Vietnam is changing every day, changes that you can see through the messages or statements of General Secretary To Lam.

"That is the message of a peaceful Vietnam, always striving to develop further to contribute better to the world. On the contrary, it is also to help each Vietnamese person become better and better, to become a better part of the world," the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson shared.

Speaking about the post-war reconciliation journey between Vietnam and the US - one of the issues that many reporters at the meeting were interested in, Ms. Pham Thu Hang Hang said that more work still needs to be done for the reconciliation process. One of the things that needs to be concerned about is having better information, which leads to better understanding and closer ties.

"It is an effort from two sides, many sides, not just from one side. Personally, I always believe in a future that Vietnam has achieved, which is a more complete reconciliation," she said.

Edith Lederer, the first female war correspondent sent to Vietnam by AP , spoke at the meeting. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Representing the reporters, Ms. Edith Lederer, the first female war correspondent sent to Vietnam by AP News Agency, thanked Vietnam for inviting reporters from all over the world to return.

“We all have very deep feelings for this country and now come back here to further nurture the bond with Vietnam,” said Edith Lederer.

Ms. Edith Lederer said that reporters were here in Ho Chi Minh City 50 years ago, during the war, and today, when Ho Chi Minh City has risen, they are here again and witness the remarkable economic progress of this country.

“50 years after the war, you have changed a lot and hopefully in 5 years, when you invite us back, you will see a more dynamic, developed and successful Vietnam,” Ms. Edith Lederer emphasized.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nhung-phong-vien-chien-truong-tro-lai-de-nuoi-duong-soi-day-gan-ket-voi-viet-nam-312674.html