Day: March 13, 2024

Hanoi: Exactly 70 years ago, on March 13, 1954, the Vietnamese revolutionary army launched the first attack against the French colonialists' heavily fortified base of Dien Bien Phu, starting a 56-day historic campaign whose victory directly led to the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina. In the autumn - winter of 1953, French colonialists and US interventionists built the Navarre Plan that focused on turning Dien Bien Phu into the strongest military base in Indochina so as to seize control over the entire Northwest of Vietnam and the Upper Laos and destroy the majority of Vietnam's regular troops, paving the way for controlling the Vietnamese territory and pacifying South Indochina. French generals at that time heaped praise on this heavily fortified base, which was dubbed a 'hedgehog' with entrenched concrete fortifications built across the four directions. In Muong Thanh Valley, France arranged 16,200 troops in 21 battalions divided into northern, central, and southern zones that comprised 49 entrenched fortifications supporting one another. At the airfields of Muong Thanh and Hong Cum, nearly 100 flight departures and arrivals occurred each day, capable of transporting about 200 - 300 tonnes of cargo and parachuting 100 - 150 soldiers. Considering Dien Bien Phu as a trap for crushing the regular troops of Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam), general Rene Cogny boasted that the French colonialists had fire strong enough to wipe out an enemy four to six times larger than them. Prior to the battle, US Vice President Richard Nixon, who later become President of the US, came to inspect the building of this military base to ensure that the US investment in Indochina was used effectively, and he expressed his satisfaction. Realising the plot and ruses of French colonialists, in early December 1953, the Politburo of the Worker's Party of Vietnam (now the Communist Party of Vietnam) decided to launch the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and adopted the combatant st rategy of 'fast attack, fast victory'. However, after considering the balance of power between the two sides, General Vo Nguyen Giap made the most difficult decision of his career: Halting the attack and shifting the strategy from 'fast attack, fast victory' to 'steady attack, steady advance'. The Party committees of military units convened meetings to provide detailed information about the new fighting strategy and encourage the entire troops to weather challenges to fulfill the new tasks. With all-out wisdom, efforts, and determination of reserving all for the battlefield and for the victory, in the following nearly two months, the Vietnamese army continued applying the diversionary tactics while widening and lengthening the paths through the mountains and forests of Dien Bien Phu. Soldiers built stronger fortifications, dug deeper trenches, and moved closer to the French base. More food, weapons, and other supplies from the rear were delivered to the front to prepare for a long battle. During the Dien B ien Phu Campaign, tens of thousands of people engaged in transporting supplies to the front or building the road for moving the artillery serving the battle. People of Thanh Hoa province alone sent 9,000 tonnes of rice to the frontline. Meanwhile, people of Lai Chau province contributed 2,666 tonnes of rice, 226 tonnes of meat, 210 tonnes of vegetables, 16,972 personnel, 517,210 workdays, 348 pack horses, 58 boats, along with 25,070 timber trees for making roads. From 1951 to 1954, people of Inter-region 5 donated more than 1.32 million tonnes of unhusked rice and a large sum of money. In his letter sent to soldiers on March 11, 1954, then President Ho Chi Minh said the duty was very difficult but also very glorious. He expressed his firm belief that the soldiers would bring into play the previous victory to overcome every difficulty and hardship to fulfill the coming glorious duty. Exactly at 5pm on March 13, 1953, the Vietnamese troops opened fire on the Him Lam fortification, starting the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. They annihilated this fortification and later the Doc Lap fortification and forced the Ban Keo fortification to surrender, thus destroying the northern gateway of the Dien Bien Phu base. More than 2,000 French soldiers were killed or taken prisoners, 25 aircraft destroyed, a regiment eradicated, and the Muong Thanh airfield threatened. In April 1954, the revolutionary army concurrently attacked fortifications, tightened the siege, and seized the control of Muong Thanh airfield, forcing the enemy into the passive status and extreme anxiety. From May 1 to 7, 1954, the Vietnamese troops seized control over the fortifications in the east and waged a general offensive to decimate the entire military base of Dien Bien Phu. At 5:30pm on May 7, 1954, the 'Determined to fight, determined to win' flag of the Vietnamese army was raised on the top of the command tunnel of French general De Castries. By the midnight on the same day, all the French troops were captured. During the 56 days of undaunted, brave, and creative fighting, the Vietnamese army and people created the Dien Bien Phu Victory that 'resounded across the five continents and shook the globe'. The entire so-called 'invincible' military base of Dien Bien Phu was completely eradicated by the Vietnamese army and people. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that the Dien Bien Phu Victory was a brilliant golden milestone in history that directly led to the signing of the Geneva Accords on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina. It also created the foundation and conditions for the Vietnamese people to secure victory in the resistance war against the US, liberate the South, and reunify the country in 1975. Seventy years have passed, but the Dien Bien Phu Victory remains a source of pride of the Vietnamese people due to its great significance. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has affirmed that the Dien Bien Phu Victory held substantially historic significance. It was a triumph of patriotism, the undaunted spirit, and the strength of the great national solidarity of Vietnam under the smart and clear-sighted leadership of the Party. It was also a demonstration of the maturity of the Vietnam People's Army./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: Ho Chi Minh City is ready to create the best possible conditions for Swedish enterprises to explore investment and business opportunities in the city, especially in digital transformation, green and sustainable development. The statement was made on March 13 by Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Vo Van Hoan while hosting Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary to the Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Sweden, who is in the city to attend a Sweden - Vietnam business roundtable meeting on innovation and sustainable development. Hoan said that the largest economic hub of Vietnam is also willing to cooperate with Swedish businesses in promoting bilateral trade and collaboration in the field of innovation. Emphasising the importance of transitioning to green and renewable energies in production, Hoan expressed his wish that Sweden will further strengthen coordination in organising exchange programmes and meetings between Swedish and Vietnamese businesses, inc luding those from Ho Chi Minh City, to promote collaboration in human resources development. He added that the two sides' enterprises need to consider cooperation in the production of products and goods that meet Swedish and EU standards as a shared responsibility, bringing benefits to them and contributing to fostering bilateral economic and trade ties. Håkan Jevrell affirmed that Sweden has experience, technology and resources, and is ready to cooperate with Ho Chi Minh City and share development experiences in areas that the city is prioritising such as digital transformation, green growth, and sustainable development. He also showed his desire to tap the potential for cooperation between Swedish firms and HCM City in the fields of innovation, small- and medium-sized enterprise development, digital transformation infrastructure and data management, and in increasing energy use efficiency, smart electricity transmission as well as water management, and waste and wastewater treatment. Sweden is willing to share experience with Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City on solutions to increase the use of green energy in production so that products can meet export standards to Europe, and make the most of benefits of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) for trade and economic growth. On the same day, Hoan and Håkan Jevrell co-chaired the Sweden - Vietnam business roundtable meeting on innovation and sustainable development./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong chaired a meeting of the sub-committee on personnel affairs of the 14th National Party Congress in Hanoi on March 13. Members of the sub-committee, including Politburo members: President Vo Van Thuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee's Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai, and Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission Tran Cam Tu, attended the meeting. Stressing the importance of personnel preparations for the coming congress, General Secretary Trong, who is also head of the sub-committee, said together with making arrangements for all-level congresses, the Party is also preparing for the 14th National Congress, scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2026. At its 8th session in October 2023, the Party Central Committee decided to esta blish five sub-committees to prepare for the 14th National Congress, namely the ones on documents, socio-economic affairs, the Party's statutes, personnel affairs, and organisation. The two most important parts of each congress are discussing and deciding the political lines and tasks of the Party (also called adopting documents), and electing leadership bodies of the Party (or working on personnel affairs). These two contents are closely connected with each other and must be well prepared. In particular, making personnel preparations for the congress holds critical importance as it is the decisive factor of the congress's success and the successful implementation of the congress's resolutions, he noted. The Party chief emphasised that the Party Central Committee is the supreme leadership body during the interval between two national Party congresses, and serves as the centre of solidarity and unanimity of the entire Party and people. It consists of strategic-level officials who are the quintessence of the Party. They must be truly steadfast while possessing sufficient mettle, virtues, wisdom, and high prestige to resolve strategic-level issues as well as complicated situations related to national construction, development and defence and the regime's survival in a timely, righteous, and effective manner. Therefore, the sub-committee's members must thoroughly grasp the role of this extremely important issue in not only the organisation of a Party congress but also the Party's destiny, the regime's survival, and national development, the Party leader stressed. The General Secretary demanded the Politburo and the Party Central Committee make good preparations to submit personnel plans to the 14th National Congress for consideration and decision. The Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the entire political system must show the highest sense of responsibility, strong determination, and great efforts while working in a truly impartial, objective, and scientific manner and putting interest s of the nation, the Party, and the people above all, he requested. At the meeting, the leader also gave instructions for personnel affairs of the 14th National Party Congress./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hong Kong: Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau (China) Pham Binh Dam has suggested the authority of the Macau Special Administrative Region take measures to resume and expand two-way tourism, including relaxing visa policies for Vietnamese visitors. The diplomat made the proposal when making a farewell visit to Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region Ho lat Seng on March 12. Dam thanked the host for his attention and facilitation provided to Vietnamese people working and living in Macau, calling on the Macau side to expand the reception of Vietnamese labourers, effectively coordinate in handling labour issues, and remove visa restrictions for Vietnamese workers and tourists. With cultural similarities and transportation connections, the two sides have great potential to further promote tourism cooperation, he said. Along with the fruitful development of the Vietnam-China relations, the cooperative ties between Vietnam and Macau have also seen significant progress, he said, expressing his belief that with the determination and readiness to act from both sides, the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Macau will continue to make new strides in the future. For his part, Ho highly evaluated the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Macau across all fields, especially in labour and investment, stressing that Vietnamese workers are highly skilled, hardworking, adaptable, and quick learners of foreign languages, and have made positive contributions to the local economy. He showed his impression of Vietnam's rapid economic growth, especially its spectacular recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracts the attention of many Macau businesses and investors. Ho also appreciated the Vietnamese diplomat's efforts to promote the Vietnam - Macau relationship in various areas, expressing his hope that in his new position, Dam will continue contributing to stepping up the relations. The host said he supports Dam's proposals, promising to simplify visa procedures, imple ment online visa applications, and introduce visa-on-arrival for Vietnamese citizens as soon as possible. He also welcomed more Vietnamese labourers to Macau for work. The Macau official added he welcomes Vietnamese officials and businesspeople to explore opportunities for cooperation and investment in the special administrative region. On the occasion, the Vietnamese consul general paid a courtesy call to Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macau Liu Xianfa, met with the Executive Board of the association of Vietnamese in Macau, and had a working session with representatives of the University of Macau./. Source: Vietnam News Agency

Hanoi: The following is a brief review of the day's events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency. - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong chaired a meeting of the sub-committee on personnel affairs of the 14th National Party Congress in Hanoi on March 13. Members of the sub-committee, including Politburo members: President Vo Van Thuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee's Organisation Commission Truong Thi Mai, and Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission Tran Cam Tu, attended the meeting. - Vietnamese Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau (China) Pham Binh Dam has suggested the authority of the Macau Special Administrative Region take measures to resume and expand two-way tourism, including relaxing visa policies for Vietnamese visitors. The diplomat made the proposal when making a fare well visit to Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region Ho lat Seng on March 12. - Vietnamese and Australian experts gathered at an international workshop in Hanoi on March 13 to share experience in building mining policies. The event was jointly held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), the National Assembly's Committee for Science, Technology and Environment and the Australian Embassy in Hanoi. - For the first time in Vietnam, classical music has been taken out of theatres and auditoriums to make it easier for the public to access at a classical music festival held in Da Lat city, a UNESCO-recognised Creative City of Music, in the central province of Lam Dong. The Vietnam Classical Music Festival, organised from March 10-17, is gathering renowned Vietnamese and international music troupes and artists such as Song Hong Ensemble, Schubert in a Mug and pianists Nguyen Duc Anh, Liao Hsin-Chiao (from China's Taiwan) and Tim Allhoff (from Germany). - Vietnam is adopt ing solutions, including perfecting and legal framework, to intensify comprehensive actions at all levels to reverse the trend of biodiversity degradation. According to the United Nations Development Programme, Vietnam is recognised as one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world with different ecosystems including tropical forests, marine and coastal ecosystems. More than 100 bird species and 10% of flora in the country are endemic. - Singer Jisoo of Blackpink, one of the Republic of Korea's most famous music bands, has recently donated all of the profits she has earned from her YouTube channel to charity organisation Save the Children that will use the money to develop mangrove forests in the Vietnamese southernmost province of Ca Mau, the Korean media reported. Currently, Jisoo has 4.99 million subscribers on her YouTube channel Happiness Jisoo. - The 11th international exhibition on plastics and rubber technology, materials and machinery opened in Ho Chi Minh City on March 13, with the participation of more than 60 booths showcasing products in the plastics-rubber industry from 12 countries and territories, including the UK, Germany, China, Singapore and Vietnam, among others. With a total area of 3,300 sqm, the three-day Plastics and Rubber Vietnam 2024 offers an opportunity for domestic and foreign businesses to access the latest technologies in the industry as well as seek potential business partners./. Source: Vietnam News Agency