A large flag is displayed at Bach Dang Wharf Park, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, on the occasion of National Day, September 2nd, 2024. (Photo: Vu Anh)

From that autumn, in the subconscious of the people, besides the traditional Lunar New Year, there was also Independence Day. In many families, regardless of north-south differences, customs, or regions, alongside the ancestral altar, there was also an altar to the Fatherland with the red flag with a yellow star and a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh. The words "Nation" and "Homeland" became one! Family vengeance and national debt were thus blended into the duty and responsibility of citizens to dedicate themselves to the noble cause, as President Ho Chi Minh once said, "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom!"

Since then, millions of people have taken to the front lines, shedding their blood to repay their debt to the nation, protecting the values ​​of the fledgling republic, fighting and sacrificing to build an independent, free, and unified Vietnam; a prosperous nation with a strong economy, democracy, justice, and civilization.

That great turning point was the culmination of a thousand years of struggle by a resilient nation against the invasion, domination, assimilation, and exploitation of feudalism, colonialism, and imperialism. That great turning point marked the leadership role of a genuine Marxist-Leninist political party, born from the shared suffering of the working class; matured from the theoretical foundations and practical experiences of the national liberation struggle in a poor, backward, semi-feudal colonial country; and survived thanks to its inseparable bond with the people, fighting and serving for the people, and establishing its legitimacy and prestige for the people.

The first and most enduring lesson—drawn from the failures of patriotic movements and political trends in Vietnam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; from the failures and collapse of the model of real socialism in the world in the 20th century—is the lesson of a correct political line that is appropriate to reality and the will of the people; of building a vanguard party of the class and of the nation, and of constantly innovating the Party's methods of leadership and governance over the political system.

Guided by our ancestors' principle of "The people are the foundation," and drawing from the rise and fall of countless dynasties, we deeply understand the strength of the people during wartime, their collective efforts to overcome economic crises during the subsidy period and post-war eras. This led the Sixth Party Congress to call for "Looking directly at the truth, assessing the truth correctly, and speaking the truth clearly," courageously abandoning dogmatism and stagnation; adhering to objective laws and resolutely pursuing the path of Renovation.

Every step of the journey, every success and failure, after the remarkable achievements in resistance, nation-building, and international integration that the world admires, is the culmination of the wisdom, sweat, tears, and blood of countless generations.

It is also the culmination of the process of innovating the economic growth model, building and developing a socialist-oriented market economy, and the parallel path of building and firmly defending the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the socialist Fatherland from early on, from afar, even before the country was in danger; and the continued refinement of the theory of socialism and the path to socialism in our country.

Throughout that journey, there were certainly difficult times, crises, and twists and turns; there were certainly frictions, debates, and ideological struggles within the Party; and there were certainly times when the Party made mistakes, had shortcomings, paid the price, and had to correct them.

There were times when President Ho Chi Minh wiped away tears while speaking about the mistakes in the Land Reform; there were times when the Political Report presented to the Sixth Party Congress had to be fundamentally rewritten because it was detached from reality and did not accurately reflect the spirit of the Renovation; there were times when General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong choked up before the Central Committee meeting because of the Party's shortcomings in personnel work and in leadership and management, but then he steadfastly and persistently moved forward with the entire Party to carry out an unprecedented Party building and rectification campaign.

From "Self-Criticism" (1939) to "Raising Revolutionary Morality, Eradicating Individualism" (1969), from the Testament, the section on the Party (1969) to the Central Committee Resolutions 4 of the 11th and 12th Congresses; the Conclusion of the 4th Central Committee Conference of the 13th Congress on Party building and rectification, in the effort to combat ideological, political, moral, and lifestyle degradation, "self-evolution," and "self-transformation," perfecting the mechanism for controlling power, and the Party's commitment to resolutely combating corruption and negative phenomena with the spirit of "no forbidden zones, no exceptions," "handling one case serves as a warning to the whole region and sector," and "punishing one person to save many," the message is consistent, grounded in reality, and supported and trusted by cadres, Party members, the people, and international friends.

From the beginning of the 13th Party Congress term to August 2024, 18 members of the Central Committee were removed from their positions, including 7 members of the Politburo and 1 member of the Secretariat; 8 members of the Central Committee were prosecuted criminally. In just the first six months of 2024, Party committees, inspection committees at all levels, and Party branches disciplined 165 Party organizations and 7,858 Party members for violations and wrongdoings. This reflects confidence in strict discipline, but these figures also raise significant questions about personnel work and personnel resources, requiring further scrutiny and answers from theory and practice.

That struggle was relentless, because internal enemies threatened the very survival of the Party, the regime, and the revolutionary cause; it was the danger of "a leaky anthill collapsing and a dike breaking" (Proclamation of Victory over the Wu). More than ever, at these critical moments that determine the nation's destiny, whether we seize or let opportunities slip away to advance the revolutionary cause, we must be steadfast and persistent in our goals, but flexible and adaptable in our solutions and steps, in specific stages and circumstances, and firmly adhere to the principle of using practice as the standard for verifying truth.

That reality is nothing other than the well-being and happiness of the people; the wealth and prosperity of the nation. That reality is nothing other than prioritizing national and ethnic interests above all else; Vietnam's prestige and international standing are increasingly enhanced and respected by the international community; and it is a stable, developing, and civilized society. That reality is the vigorous construction of a socialist rule of law state in which human beings and human rights are recognized, honored, and protected.

During a recent meeting with current and former Party and State leaders, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized: “Never before has the country integrated so deeply and made such positive contributions to world politics, the global economy, and human civilization as it does today. However, we must not lose vigilance against the four threats to the Party's leadership role, which generations of Party and State leaders have unanimously identified since 1994; we even recognize that these threats may become more complex as we comprehensively accelerate the reform process and proactively integrate into the international community… requiring us to harmoniously manage foreign relations with major countries, minimize pressure to choose sides, and avoid economic sanctions in the context of a highly open economy.”

Celebrating this year's National Day, we recall the first National Day of independence of our nation to see the long journey of history. From the Preliminary Agreement of March 6, 1946, to the Provisional Agreement of September 14, 1946; from the Da Lat Conference to the Fontainebleau Conference; from the Geneva Conference to the Paris Conference; from negotiations to join the United Nations and ASEAN; from negotiations to join the WTO to the signing of a series of new-generation FTAs ​​with important partners around the world,... foreign affairs and diplomacy have demonstrated maturity and development; the correct policies and intellectual prowess of Vietnam.

But alongside that, history also offers a profound lesson about power and influence, about internal and external forces, and the national standing derived from foreign policy, economic strength, and national defense and security potential. It clearly shows when, why, and how a nation's position becomes strong.

From a time when the country was vulnerable to internal and external enemies, then surrounded, embargoed, and isolated, to today, Vietnam, with its high international prestige, is a loyal and sincere friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community. It has diplomatic relations with 193 countries, established strategic partnerships and comprehensive strategic partnerships with all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and with six of the seven leading industrialized nations (G7).

The Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam sets the goal of achieving an estimated GDP per capita of approximately US$4,700-5,000 per year by 2025. National GDP growth in the first six months of 2024 reached 6.42%. Data from the US credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings in June 2024 rated Vietnam at BB+/B with a stable outlook and projected that by the end of 2024, GDP per capita could reach US$4,500 per year.

In practice, flexible policies in macroeconomic management, especially in controlling inflation, managing interest rates and exchange rates, restructuring and handling weak credit institutions, removing difficulties for businesses, and particularly breakthroughs in building and perfecting institutions – are what the people and the business community are hoping for.

Regarding the field of combating corruption and negative practices, through a comprehensive review, the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Practices has discovered more than 300 contradictory, overlapping, problematic, and inadequate provisions in hundreds of legal documents that need to be addressed. Practical realities continue to demand the rapid implementation of the 2024 Land Law, and the Government is prioritizing the development of one new law and the amendment of seven laws in the financial sector… to serve socio-economic development.

Looking towards milestones such as: 5 years of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party; 35 years of implementing the Platform for building the country during the transitional period to socialism; 40 years of carrying out the Doi Moi (Renovation) process with valuable lessons and great achievements…, the spirit of Independence Day must be realized in every daily task.

The motto "self-reliance, self-confidence, self-strength, and national pride" must become a material force in the journey forward. National unity, facing the truth squarely, accurately assessing achievements, clearly identifying limitations, shortcomings, and their causes, and eliminating bottlenecks and obstacles to development must be the essence of awareness and action.

The resolute campaign to build and strengthen the Party, and to combat corruption and negative phenomena, is not intended to create discouragement, resignation, or stagnation, but rather a great undertaking that must be continued, despite difficulties and hardships, to purify the system, create a healthy investment environment, and consolidate public trust; it is a driving force for liberating productive forces, encouraging innovation, discovering, nurturing, protecting, and honoring the seeds, buds, good and advanced things, and affirming the values ​​that have been tested and forged through practice.

The spirit of National Day is immortal, inspiring and paving the way for us to enter a new era of development for Vietnam, the Vietnamese people, and Vietnamese culture!

According to nhandan.vn