Speech by General Secretary To Lam at the meeting with revolutionary veterans and meritorious people on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day

(Ho Chi Minh City, April 21, 2025)

Dear leaders, Former leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front,

Dear revolutionary veterans, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of Labor, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, generals, officers, veterans, war invalids, martyrs' families, people with meritorious services to the country, exemplary policy families,

Dear leaders, former leaders of the City Party Committees and Provincial Party Committees

Dear comrades and delegates attending the meeting.

In the atmosphere of excitement, pride and joy towards the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, national reunification as well as the country's important events in 2025, I and the comrades in the Central working delegation were very moved to attend today's meeting with you.On behalf of the leaders of the Party and State, I would like to respectfully send to the leaders, former leaders of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, revolutionary veterans, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, Heroes of Labor, veterans, war invalids, martyrs' families, people with meritorious services to the revolution, exemplary families and policies and all comrades, compatriots, distinguished guests with warm regards and good wishes.Wishing you all good health and happiness, continue to pay attention and contribute your enthusiastic and intellectual opinions to the glorious revolutionary cause of our Party and people and to the locality where you are residing.

Dear comrades!

We organize meetings, first of all to listen to the opinions of comrades who are very passionate about the development of the country.Secondly, it is to express gratitude for the great contributions of comrades to the revolutionary cause of the Party, the cause of liberating the South and unifying the country.Third, take the time to report to comrades about the country's situation that is of great interest to the people of the whole country.

In this warm and touching atmosphere, hearing directly the statements of historical witnesses, the pride and pride of the victorious people, I heard the echoes of the songs "Liberating the South, We dare to move forward together" (The American Imperial City is devastated by the flood), "The majestic Nine Dragon/ This is the glorious Truong Son/ our delegation is urged to fight to fight to fight/ Play a common role in a flagship ball" ... and I believe that these verses have been sung many times by you, your teachers, and comrades and that is a source of spiritual strength, motivation, and a belief to help you overcome all hardships, hardships, and dangers to fight and defeat the enemy. No writing can fully reflect the greatness of the Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese people, and the Uncle Ho's army in the two thanal resistance wars of the nation; No work can fully express the great will and strength of our people and country in the aspiration of "Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one". From the storms and fires of wars, our nation has become a victor, become the "salary and life" of many countries fighting for national liberation, becoming a symbol of the times.

The history of the Vietnamese revolution is engraved with the special brave and loyal role of revolutionary veterans, veterans, youth volunteers and militia in the resistance zone - those who have fought on all battlefields, on all fronts - from the front line with fierce fire to the solid rear, from the fierce battlefields of Truong Son, the Central Highlands, the South to the battle zones, in the enemy's rear, and even in prison.

Comrades and soldiers of Mr. Ho overcame countless hardships, difficulties and dangers to write golden pages of history of the resistance war, creating a "standing image of Vietnam" in the flow of the times. During the difficult years of the war, comrades, with their passionate patriotism, courageous spirit and steadfast will, overcame all losses and sacrifices to contribute to the victory of the Vietnamese revolution. Many comrades have fallen, forever lying in the motherland of all the fierce battlefields, from North to South, from high mountains to wide seas, from the mountains and forests of the Central Highlands to the coastal plains. The footsteps of comrades are spread across all the beloved roads of the Fatherland, the North goes to the South, the South goes to the North. Some comrades returned with wounds and diseases on their bodies, with war memories imprinted deeply in their minds. There are those who continue to silently contribute to the country in peacetime, from social work, economic development, new rural construction to educating the younger generation.

In the arduous conquest that he had heroed, we once again affirmed the historical role of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam; the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam and the Southern Liberation Army. That is the core political and military force of the revolutionary movement in the South, a part of the "liveness" of the all-people resistance movement, of the Vietnamese people, playing a particularly important role in leading, organizing and directly fighting against the Saigon government and the US army, contributing greatly to the cause of liberating the South and unifying the country.

Meeting with you today, We seem to see the fierceness of the war again, seeing the Northern Hamlet, Binh Gia, and Ba Gia; seeing the victory of Van Tuong, seeing the Nam Can women, seeing the Saigon girls loading bullets, providing first aid, and exchanging, seeing the student movement against the Vietnamese army; seeing the general attack and revolt against the Chinese army during the Lunar New Year, recalling the Southern Lao Road 9 campaign, the Quang Tri campaign, the Central Highlands campaign, the Spring Loc battle, the My Wei warped, jostling, competing on a helicopter on the roof of the US Embassy in Saigon, seeing the 5 liberation army approaching Saigon, heroically advancing for independence at noon on April 30, 1975-05.

In this sacred moment filled with memories, we remember the affection that Uncle Ho has given to the people of the Incarnation South. You once said, the South is in my heart. Every day I think of our compatriots and soldiers in the South. I love the South very much, I miss the South very much" and "The people of the South will definitely gather in a house... I have the intention that day, I will travel to the two northern regions, to congratulate our compatriots, officers and soldiers, to visit our beloved elders, children and grandchildren". We all sitting here today would like to report to you that your wishes and aspirations for the liberation of the South and national reunification have been fulfilled by generations of children and grandchildren. All of today's guest delegates are those who directly carry out Uncle Ho's wishes.

The historical journey of the revolutionary army is a heroic song in the history of the struggle for national liberation, national defense, and people's protection. The Party and State have decided to invest in building a Vietnam Military Museum to temporarily preserve hundreds of thousands of artifacts, documents, and talents related to the history of the birth, fighting, victory, and growth of the Vietnam People's Army. Phase one of the Museum has been completed and put into use since November 1, 2024. To date, there have been nearly 2.5 million visitors, including 12,000 international visitors, with an average of over 20,000 visitors/day. The museum has become a "red address" for the Vietnamese people and international friends. (In my opinion, the Ministry of National Defense should have a plan to organize for all veterans, those who belong to the Youth Volunteer, frontline militia, militia, and guerrilla forces who participated in the US visit the Vietnam Military History Museum this year, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country).

The Politburo also decided to build a Museum of the History of the Communist Party of Vietnam, expected to be inaugurated on the occasion of our Party's 100th anniversary (03-02-2030), this will also be a red address, where historical artifacts of the Communist Party of Vietnam are preserved. And I believe that both museums have just mentioned that there are many artifacts preserved from the contributions of the comrades sitting here today.

After listening to the opinions of comrades, I really appreciate, admired and highly appreciated the feats and great contributions of comrades in the cause of national liberation, national reunification, in building and defending the Fatherland. In their lives, no matter where they are or in any position, comrades always clearly demonstrate the bravery, intelligence, talent and enthusiasm of soldiers and communist party members; dedication and selfless sacrifice for the glorious revolutionary cause of our Party, our people and our Army.

I would like to thank your dedicated statements, your thoughts, and assess your great responsibility to the Party and the people and your aspirations to contribute to the development of the country through your statements today. These are great messages, encouragement and motivation for the future development of the nation. I appreciate the enthusiastic contributions of you comrades.

Dear comrades,

Today, I would like to report to you on a number of issues that the people are very concerned about, especially policies related to "land prosperity - people's livelihood".

The Central Executive Committee identifies the current key tasks as:

First, maintain a peaceful, stable, secure and orderly environment in the country and the region. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, we clearly see the value of independence and freedom, so maintaining a peaceful and secure environment is very important for the development of the country. In which, we focus on 5 tasks: (a) Continue to build a clean, strong Party, capable of leading the country. (b) Unite all classes of people under the leadership of the Party, creating strength to victory. (c) Building a streamlined, strong, competitive and competitive State apparatus to serve the people. (d) Building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, modern armed forces, capable of overcoming all difficulties and hardships, not being passive and surprised in any situation. (e) Having a suitable foreign policy, for national interests, for national interests, maintaining peace within the country, maintaining national stability, ensuring the repelling of conflicts and the risk of war, so that people can live in peace and stability.

Second, rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress has identified 2 100-year goals, by 2030 becoming a modern industrialized country with a high average income; by 2045, our country will become a developed country with a high income. Thus, it is necessary to have a fast pace of development to achieve these goals.

Third, improve people's lives. This is also the goal of a socialist society, which is to meet the increasing needs of the people.

In 2025, we have three important things: The first thing is to prepare well for Party congresses at all levels and the 14th National Party Congress, as planned to take place in the first quarter of 2016. All work must be carried out on schedule. The document has been basically prepared and will be sent to Party organizations for dissemination and discussion of the Party's major orientations. The spirit is that the document must be constructed very briefly, easy to understand, easy to remember, easy to do, easy to organize, easy to check, and truly enter the hearts of the people. To organize the Congress well, the organizational apparatus must be very organized and clear from the commune level, provincial level, and sectoral levels.

The second thing is that the recent 11th Central Conference of the 13th tenure discussed very carefully the policy of arranging and streamlining the apparatus to build a State to create and serve the people. All Party members and people across the country have known and supported this policy to realize the country's development goals.

The third thing is, in 2025, strive to achieve the economic growth target of 8% or more. To achieve this goal, we must synchronously complete strategic infrastructure such as transport infrastructure, energy and digital infrastructure. The Politburo will also soon issue a Resolution on private economy, considering the private economy as the most important driving force of the national economy, creating conditions for the private economy to participate more deeply in the country's economy, so that everyone has a job, everyone enthusiastically works and produces, creating a lot of material wealth for society.

Uncle Ho once advised the travelers before that "The Party must have a good plan to develop the economy and culture, in order to continuously improve the lives of the people". Therefore, the biggest, most important and urgent goal at this time is to develop the socio-economy to improve people's lives, so that all people from rural to urban areas, from farmers to workers, from the elderly to children, have food and clothing, have a safe and happy life; not only eat well and wear warm clothes but also have to move towards eating well, eating cleanly, wearing beautiful clothes, living happily and healthily. The Party is responsible for satisfying the increasingly high demand for spiritual and material life for all people. That is Uncle Ho's wish, that is the goal of Socialist Society. Decisions to exempt tuition fees for students from kindergarten to high school; increase health insurance support for people in difficult circumstances, strive for each person to have a periodic health check-up every year; eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide in 2025; implement social policies that demonstrate the superiority of social housing for workers, people in difficult circumstances, people with meritorious services to the Revolution, people in resistance areas during war, areas devastated by war... are all "immediate actions" set forth by the Central and the Government.

Regarding the policy of rearranging and reorganizing administrative units and building 2-level local governments. This is a policy stemming from a strategic vision for the country's long-term development. The overarching goal of this policy is to quickly bring a truly prosperous and happy life to the people and country that is increasingly strengthened; for Vietnam to integrate more strongly into world politics, the international economy and human civilization; expand development space, create comparative advantages and new development space for new administrative units. The Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat have discussed and evaluated carefully, considered many aspects and reached a high consensus on the implementation of this policy. The people across the country agreed to support and consider this a real revolution.

After the arrangement and merger of the Southern provinces (from Binh Thuan and above, including Lam Dong and Dac Nong) from 22 provinces and cities to 9 provinces and cities, this creates a diverse development space, both in nature, economy, culture, especially taking full advantage of the shape of the sea space to activate the inter-coastal mountains, forests, and islands to supplement, interact, and support each other in development while still maintaining the cultural identity of the region and locality; creating new momentum for some provinces to become centrally-run cities. At the same time, it will create a foundation to form a major economic center in the near future similar to Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, Luan Don, New York...

The merger of provinces aims to create new motivations, new potentials, and new space for development. It is not simply twice plus two is equal to four but must be Two plus two is greater than Four. Can Tho - Hau Giang - Soc Trang; Ben Tre - Tra Vinh - Vinh Long become two new provinces with a solid "Three-legged border" entering an era of development, prosperity and wealth. The new strength will certainly increase many times. The people of the new provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Hau Giang will become people with seas, mountains and forests. Tay Ninh has a large estuary connecting to the big sea. "High-lying people" Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong and "People of the Delta" Dong Thap, Dong Nai, Vinh Long become "People with the Sea".

For the Party Committee, government and people of Ho Chi Minh City: The city has been liberated for 50 years, the city has flourished for 50 flower seasons and the city has had very remarkable achievements in the task of socio-economic development, improving people's lives. The face of the city has changed a lot of positively, more modern, more civilized, richer and stronger. But to "Golden name of Ho Chi Minh City", the Party Committee, government and people of the City must make even more efforts, faster, more drastically and stronger.

I have discussed with the leaders of the City that there needs to be higher solidarity and unity; stronger political determination; more dynamism and creativity, proactive taking advantage of opportunities, overcoming challenges; maintaining political stability - society, building a rapid and sustainable City with higher quality and speed than the national average; building a healthy cultural environment; constantly improving the material and spiritual life of the people, ensuring security and national defense. Build a civilized and modern Ho Chi Minh City with a special urban role, taking the lead in industrialization and modernization, making an increasingly large contribution to the region and the whole country.

In the new development space, localities will supplement, support, link, and accompany each other in progress. The expanded Ho Chi Minh City will not only include the current Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, but also be more deeply connected with all provinces and cities such as Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho, An Giang... to "red design the regional development strategy", in order to maximize the unique advantages of each locality to create a new whole that is superior to the total of the sums.

The new Ho Chi Minh City will become a locomotive, a driving force for strong development in the entire Southeast, Southwest, Central Highlands and South Central regions. But at the same time, it is the participation, cooperation, and supplementation of resources from the southern provinces - with strengths in land, labor, industry, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and culture - that will also be an essential resource, strengthening the momentum and stature of the expanding Ho Chi Minh City. This is a process of "developing together", "swifting up together", with a relationship of mutual support and complementarity, together aiming for the common goal of forming a new growth pole with global competitiveness, friendliness, sustainability, and rich identity.

The new mission for Ho Chi Minh City to expand is not only to become an international super city leading the region, but also to be a comprehensive development linkage center between the city and the region - in which the southern provinces not only "companied" but also actively played the role of strategic partner, together creating a common economic, cultural and social space. The new Ho Chi Minh City will be successful if the whole region develops together; and the region will flourish when Ho Chi Minh City leads, cooperates, shares, and moves forward together.

Ho Chi Minh City will expand to become a regional center for finance, trade, logistics, high-tech industry and marine tourism, playing a key role in the national and regional economic and creative network. Orient the city's development based on digital technology platform, green economy, circular economy, promote environmental sustainability, build a harmonious, open, connected and civilized society, integrate and crystallize the most advanced and elite values of Asia and the world.

The expanded Ho Chi Minh City will play a core role, spreading the comprehensive development of the Southeast, Southwest, and more widely the Central Highlands and South Central regions. The development of the city is closely linked and mutually supportive with the development of provinces and cities in the region; Ho Chi Minh City not only "led" but also closely linked, exploiting maximum mutually complementary advantages, building an inter-regional economic - cultural space, creating a new growth pole of regional and international scale.

In the process of merging provinces, it is necessary to ensure: (1) Promoting high-quality human resources from all relevant localities, the arrangement of cadres must select people with good capacity, ensuring balance, harmony and solidarity, maximizing talent and management experience from many localities; cadres who dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, dare to sacrifice for the common good (2) Synchronizing spatial planning for development, building a connecting, modern and integrated infrastructure system, including transportation infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure, urban infrastructure, industrial infrastructure... not only within the scope of the new administrative unit but also effectively connecting with provinces in the region, forming a synchronous infrastructure network of the whole region. (3) Unify the legal system and administrative procedures: Develop a common set of standards for new administrative units on the basis of harmony, inheritance and upgrading from the practice of each locality. At the same time, review all current regulations, ensure transparency, convenience, and best support for people and businesses both inside and outside the new administrative unit. (4) Management of land and public assets in a public, transparent and professional manner: Pay special attention to areas with great development potential, to avoid loss, waste, and group interests. (5) Listen, explain, dialogue and accompany people, businesses and localities in the region. Making people understand correctly, trust, be proud and actively participate in the process of restructuring new administrative units is a common task, a common opportunity for everyone.

After the merger, it is required: (1) To form a space for development closely linked and synchronously between new and old areas, in terms of spatial planning, finance, technical infrastructure, social infrastructure and urban management; at the same time, establish regional coordination mechanisms to ensure sustainable, stable and long-term development for the entire Southeast and Southwest regions. (2) Adjust and optimize the budget and investment resources, with the principle of reasonable and effective allocation for the development of inter-regional transport infrastructure and high-quality public services; at the same time, encourage the participation of resources between the southern provinces and cities according to the regional investment linkage mechanism. (3) Take care of comprehensive social security, ensure that no one is left behind in the development process; prioritize the resolution of narrowing the development gap between localities, especially newly merged areas and disadvantaged areas. (4) Strictly protect natural resources and the ecological environment, especially in the merged provinces with both forests and seas; development must be sustainable, harmonious between economy, society and environment for today's and future generations. (5) Improve the quality of education, healthcare, culture - sports, gradually narrow the gap in public service quality between areas between merged units; build a civilized, modern lifestyle, imbued with national cultural identity; better ensure social security and safety so that every citizen has the right to be proud, responsible to contribute and enjoy development results. (6) Firmly strengthen national defense, security and order, ensure political and social stability in all situations, especially in the context of large-scale localities, highland connectivity and extensive international integration. (7) Continuously innovate leadership methods, improve the capacity and fighting spirit of Party committees at all levels. Expanding and building a truly clean and strong political system; organizing a streamlined, efficient, effective and modern government apparatus, imbued with the motto "of the people, by the people, for the people", meeting the increasingly high requirements of the people in the new development context.

Dear comrades!

In the common achievements of the country, revolutionary veterans, generals, officers, heroes of the armed forces, heroic Vietnamese mothers, exemplary families of policy, especially the great and great sacrifices of soldiers and people from all walks of life, have made the country resourceful, lasting and developing. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I would like to respectfully thank and hope that you, with your enthusiasm and responsibility, depending on each person's conditions, will continue to make more practical contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of our Party, people and people.

Once again, I would like to wish all comrades and families good health, peace and prosperity.

Thank you very much.

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