1. The formation, building, fighting and growing of Vietnam People's Army
Eighty
years ago, on December 22nd of 1944, the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation
Army, forerunner of Vietnam People's Army (VPA), was founded under the
directive of Leader Ho Chi Minh. Inheriting and promoting patriotism,
unique national military arts of the heroic people, and international
friends' support, over 80 years of building, fighting and growing, VPA
has continuously thriven and obviously demonstrated the bravery and
spirit of the revolutionary armed force taking root in the people,
fighting for the people, and deserved to be the special political force
and absolutely loyal and trusted combat force of the Communist Party of
Vietnam (CPV), State of Vietnam and Vietnamese people.

The Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army – forerunner of Vietnam People's Army was founded near Tran Hung Dao Forest (now Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province) (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)

The
historic victory of Dien Bien Phu Battle resounding throughout the five
continents and shaking the globe. (source: Commemoration materials of
the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)
Embarking
on the new period, the VPA has continuously promoted our heroic
tradition, constantly improved our combined qualities, strength,
competencies, combat-readiness capacity, functioned well as a combat,
working and production army, brightening the image of "Uncle Ho's
Soldiers", who are closely connected to the people, etc. The images of
cadres and soldiers of VPA daring not to sacrifice their lives to be at
the front in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic, being immersed in
flood water to help people mitigate the consequences of natural
calamities, etc. are greatly respected. All these have been the vivid
illustrations of the VPA's sentiment and responsibility with the people,
thus the VPA is loved and believed by the people. That our Party and
State decided December 22nd (from 1989) as the All-People's
National Defence Festival represents the inheritance of tradition of
fighting enemies and defending country by all Vietnamese people, and
reaffirms CPV's view that all Vietnamese people join hands to build and
strengthen national defence, and protect the Fatherland, in which
Vietnam people's armed forces are the core.

Military training in the flood season (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)


Combat readiness training exercise by the Vietnamese Navy (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)


Chemical Command spray Covid-19 disinfectant chemicals at Bach Mai Hospital. (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)


Helping
the people mitigate flood consequences. (source: Commemoration
materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's
Army)
2.
Defence diplomacy as an important channel for building and fostering
strategic trust, as well as building and developing Vietnam's friendly
relations contributes to enhancing the status and prestige of Vietnam
Vietnam's
national defence is the all-people defence, featured by peace and
self-defence; proactively, positively, decisively and persistently
preventing and repelling risks of war. CPV's and State's perspective is
to combine socio-economic development with strengthening
defence-security capabilities, and to closely collaborate
defence-security activities with diplomatic ones. Vietnam consistently
abide by policy of "Four Nos", which are of not joining military
alliances, not siding with one country against another, not allowing
foreign militaries set up bases on Vietnam's territory or using
Vietnam's territory as leverage to counteract others, and not using
force or threaten to use force in international relations.
Persistently
implementing the foreign policy line of independence, self-reliance,
peace, friendship, cooperation and development; proactive and dynamical
participation in the international integration by CPV and Vietnamese
state, over the past years, the VPA has been actively engaged in
international defence integration and relations on both bilateral and
multilateral spheres, gaining practical fruits. The VPA has been
actively participating in the United Nations peacekeeping, in
international cooperation in nontraditional security, human assistance,
search and rescue, post-war consequence mitigation, thus making great
contributions to the maintenance of international and regional peace,
stability, cooperation and development.


General
Phan Van Giang, Vietnamese Minister of National Defence delivers a
speech at the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in China 13/09/2024 (source:
Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of
Vietnam People's Army)

General
Phan Van Giang, Vietnamese Minister of National Defence meets with his
Chinese counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun (in the framework
of the state visit to China by Party General Secretary and State
President To Lam) (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)


United
States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin hosts an official welcome
ceremony for General Phan Van Giang, Vietnamese Minister of National
Defence on his official visit to the United States (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)

General
Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's
Army, Deputy Defence Minister attends the 21st ASEAN Chiefs of Defence
Forces Meeting (ACDFM-21) in Vientiane, Laos 04-07/09/2024 (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)

General
Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's
Army, Deputy Defence Minister hosts the Heads of Intelligence
Delegations from ASEAN countries attending AMICLC-1 31/10/2024 (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)
Defence
diplomacy is part of the CPV Diplomacy and the State's diplomacy, an
important channel for building and fostering strategic trust, as well as
building and developing Vietnam's friendly relations with countries and
international organizations in the region and the world, which
contributes to enhancing the status and prestige of Vietnam, Vietnamese
people and VPA. To the present time, Vietnam has participated in a large
number of multilateral defence and military mechanisms and forums at
both regional and international levels; established defence relationship
with over 100 countries, and opened Defence/Military Attaché Offices in
35 countries and the United Nations. There are now 42 countries having
their Defence Attaché Office in Vietnam.

Vietnamese peacekeepers in an airborne training session (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)

Charity works of the medical staff of the Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 2 in South Sudan (source: Commemoration materials of the 80th Anniversary of the Foundation of Vietnam People's Army)
3. Defence diplomacy contributes positively to the advancement of the friendly relationship as well as the Strategic Partnership between Singapore and Vietnam
.
Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng
Hen signed the renewed Defence Cooperation Agreement with Vietnam's Minister of
National Defence General Phan Van Giang 25/02/2022
(source:mindef.gov.sg)


Vietnam
Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang
Xuan Chien calling on Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen on the occasion
of the 15th Singapore-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue 22/08/2024 (source:qdnd.vn)
Delegates from Vietnam's Ministry of National Defence attending the 15th Singapore-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue 22/08/2024 (source: qdnd.vn)
Ambassador
Mai Phuoc Dung, Rear Admiral Sean Wat and Sr. Col. Nguyen Le Phuong
preside over the flag-saluting ceremony at the Commemoration event in
Singapore celebrating the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam
People's Army 05/12/2024 (source:TTXVN)


Representatives
of the Singapore Armed Forces and foreign defence attaches to Singapore
attending the Commemoration event in Singapore celebrating the 80th
founding anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army 05/12/2024 Singapore (source:TTXVN)
*
* *
Commemorating
the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and
the 35th anniversary of the National Defence Day is an opportunity for
us to review our nation's heroic history; attributes, good traditions,
glorious victories of our army and people. Thereby, draw forth national
pride, promoting revolutionary heroism, enhancing patriotism, love of
socialism, indomitable will, sense of self-reliance and resilience to
overcome all obstacles, difficulties and challenges; strive to build a
strong all-people national defence in connection with a firm people's
security battle array, building a revolutionary, regular, elite,
gradually modernize Vietnam People's Army, capable of firmly defending
Vietnam in the new era./.