Hanoi (VNA) – President Tran Dai Quang hascalled on the entire Vietnamese people to bring into play the nationalresistance spirit, step up the national industrialisation and modernisation,while firmly protecting the socialist Vietnam.

He made the appeal in an article written on theoccasion of 70 years of the National Resistance Day (December 19, 1946).

Looking back at the days when the nationalresistance war began, the President described the call for national resistanceby President Ho Chi Minh then was the voice of the nation that successfully arousedthe national pride and the traditional heroism and undauntedness of theVietnamese people. In response to the appeal, the entire country rose up tofight for the Fatherland’s sacred independence and freedom.

The Vietnamese army and people, with the spiritof “dying in defence of the Fatherland”, waged a resistance war against Frenchinvaders which started with the 60-day fight in Hanoi capital city.

After nine years of fighting heroically, theVietnamese army and people defeated the French colonialists and the USinterventionists with the peak being the Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954 that“resounded throughout five continents and was world-shaking.”

The victory of the resistance war had a greathistorical meaning, forcing French colonialists to recognise Vietnam’sindependence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, President Quang wrote.

Upholding the national resistance spirit, overthree decades of reforms, the entire Party, army and people have surmountednumerous difficulties and challenges to obtain great accomplishments, therebycreating important prerequisites for stronger reforms and development in thefollowing years. Those attainments have also proved that the Party’s Doi Moi (renewal)guidelines are right and creative, and Vietnam’s path towards socialism suitsthe country’s situation and the development course in history, he added.

The President noted that to advance the nationalindustrialisation and modernisation, and firmly protect the socialist Vietnam,the entire Party, army and people must be fully aware of the new situationalong with new requirements and tasks. The Party, army and people must bringinto full play the political resolve to press on with comprehensive andsynchronous reforms, optimise every opportunity, and overcome all difficultiesand challenges so as to realise the target of “rich people, strong nation,democracy, equality and civilisation.” 

The Party, army and people should consolidatethe great national unity, make use of opportunities in the current era, andeducate and encourage patriotism to combine the whole country’s strength in thenational development and protection.

The State leader stressed the need to putnational interests first while harmonising the country’s interests with thoseof other countries in the region and around the world in line with basicprinciples of international law, and actively engaging in the settlement ofissues of common concern.

He called on the country to be steadfast in implementingthe policy of independence, autonomy, multilateralisation and diversificationof foreign relations, and proactive and active international integration.

At the same time, it is also a must todeterminedly and persistently protect national independence, sovereignty andterritorial integrity, firmly safeguard the country’s border and sea, islandand sky sovereignty, while keeping a peaceful and stable environment forsustainable development, President Quang wrote in his article.-VNA