April 30, 1975: A timeless inspiration for the triumph of justice and self-determination

Dr. Chheang Vannarith - Deputy Secretary General, Head of the National Assembly Advisory Group of the Kingdom of Cambodia - gives an interview to VNA reporters. (Photo: Quang Anh/VNA)

The historic victory of the Vietnamese people on April 30, 1975 serves as a timeless reminder of the triumph of justice and self-determination, inspiring resistance to any rise of imperialism and strengthening solidarity and cooperation among developing countries in the Global South…

That is the opinion of Dr. Chheang Vannarith - an analyst in Phnom Penh, Deputy Secretary General and Head of the Advisory Group of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia - about the event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification of Vietnam (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

Analyst Vannarith believes that April 30, 1975 is an important event for the Vietnamese people and nation, as well as all of humanity. The event reflects the struggle of a nation for its freedom, independence and sovereignty . That is the human right of every nation, every people for independence and national unity.

According to the Cambodian expert, the struggle for national reunification in Vietnam took place in the context of the war in Indochina. This was also a legacy of the Cold War, when Germany was divided into East Germany and West Germany, Vietnam was divided into two regions, and Korea remains divided into two regions to this day.

From that argument, analyst Vannarith asserted: “It is a matter of human rights, honor and dignity. That harmony and unity reflects the dream of humanity, of all nations, not just the Vietnamese people."

In addition, the Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodian National Assembly also said that the historical event of April 30, 1975 also reflected the self-reliance and patriotic movement of the Vietnamese people. Thanks to that, in the context of war devastation and serious shortage of human resources and economic infrastructure, Vietnam was still able to and continued to fight.

At 11:30 a.m. on April 30, 1975, Liberation Army tanks crossed the iron gate, capturing the Saigon puppet Presidential Palace, the last stronghold of the enemy, gloriously ending the nation's 30-year long march against foreign invaders. (Photo: Mai Huong/VNA)

According to this analyst, this shows the self-reliance of the Vietnamese people, stemming from a patriotic heart, daring to sacrifice for the country. "That is something we must recognize and respect the patriotism of the Vietnamese people during that period," Dr. Vannarith emphasized.

Analyst Vannarith expressed his impression of Vietnam's post-war recovery, which was closely linked to the international integration process. According to him, although the war severely damaged the economic, cultural and social infrastructure, Vietnam's recovery and development momentum is remarkable, especially after the Doi Moi in 1986.

In addition, Vietnam has rapidly integrated into the development process of the region and the world, especially after joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995. This is considered an important starting point in Vietnam's regional integration process, followed by Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), a new step in the process of international integration, integration with the world in terms of economy and trade.

The head of the advisory group of the Cambodian National Assembly stated: "The typical benefits and successes in Vietnam's integration process are poverty reduction and socio-economic development. Vietnam is in the position of a strong and interested economy in the Southeast Asian region, both in terms of scale and economic potential."

From this perspective, the Cambodian expert expressed his hope for Vietnam’s next step: joining the Group of 20 leading developed and emerging economies. According to him, in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has joined this group and in the future, if the economic growth rate is maintained as it is now, Vietnam could become the next member of the G20.

"That is a great success of the Party, State and People of Vietnam in the cause of national construction after the liberation 50 years ago. It can be seen that in the past 50 years, Vietnam has been successful with a remarkable growth rate, which is also a model and lesson in post-war economic construction for developing countries," he said.

In that spirit, the Deputy Secretary General of the Cambodian National Assembly commented that the historical milestone of April 30, 1975 is not only meaningful to the Vietnamese people but also to the peace-loving community around the world.

“It is a legacy that inspires resistance to any rise of imperialism and strengthens solidarity and cooperation among developing countries in the Global South, committed to defending the independence of nations and shaping a more just and equitable international order,” he said./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)