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| General Secretary of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Association Pedro De Oliveira (L) presents his book on late President Ho Chi Minh to Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.__Photo: VNA |
General Secretary of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Association Pedro De Oliveira has praised the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) during the cause of national defense and development, as well as diplomatic achievements the Southeast Asian nation has recorded over the past years.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on January 7, Oliveira said in the 20th century, numerous and important historical events occurred in sequence, causing changes in the world situation.
One of the highlight was the formation of the CPV on February 3, 1930 by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later known as President Ho Chi Minh), he said.
“Shortly after the end of the World War II conflict, the Vietnamese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh successfully conducted the Revolution in August 1945 to wrest power from the Japanese fascists back to their hands and were able to declare national independence, and founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in September 1945, which was later renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” he continued.
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| General Secretary of the Brazil–Vietnam Friendship Association Pedro De Oliveira and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.__Photo: VNA |
Oliveira cited President Ho Chi Minh as saying “for the first time in history, a small colonized country triumphed over a great colonialist power. This glorious victory was not only that of our people, but also of the forces of peace, democracy and socialism throughout the world.”
He commended the Declaration of Independence delivered by President Ho Chi Minh, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945, as well as the President’s role in the development of the country’s diplomatic sector.
“It was Ho Chi Minh himself who developed the values of diplomacy to a higher level, perfectly combining patriotism, national culture and diplomatic traditions with the quintessence of world culture and diplomatic experience,” he elaborated.
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| The cover of the book on President Ho Chi Minh by General Secretary of the Brazil-Vietnam Friendship Association Pedro De Oliveira.__Photo: baoquocte.vn |
Oliveira also highlighted the idea of bamboo diplomacy coined by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, saying “here lives the soul, spirit and strength of the Vietnamese nation: to be gentle and dexterous, yet tenacious and fiery.”
For achievements brought about by the diplomacy, he highlighted Vietnam has maintained diplomatic relations with 193 countries, adding it is also an active and responsible member of more than 70 major international organizations and forums like the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“The foreign service plays a pioneering role in maintaining an environment of peace and stability, making an important contribution to the firm defense of national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,” he affirmed.
“Vietnam's international position and prestige in the region and the world are constantly increasing, actively contributing to peacekeeping and cooperation for development and progress in the world. Never before has Vietnam enjoyed such wealth, strength, position, and international prestige as it does today.”
Regarding the Vietnam-Brazil relations, Oliveira stressed the significance of the visit to Brazil by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last September as the two countries celebrate the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the 16th year of their comprehensive partnership in 2024.
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| General Secretary of the Brazil–Vietnam Friendship Association Pedro De Oliveira at the award ceremony of the eighth National External Information Service Awards.__Photo: baoquocte.vn |
The two sides reiterated commitments to elevating the traditional friendship and good cooperation to a new height in the time ahead, for peace, stability and development in the two regions and the world, he went on.
Oliveira expressed his belief that the relations certainly will be "very positive because of the circumstances are the best possible” with the support of the two governments.
Brazil is Vietnam's largest trade partner in Latin America and Vietnam is Brazil's leading trade partner in Southeast Asia. In 2022, the two-way trade hit a record of nearly USD 6.8 billion.
With a book on the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh, Oliveira won the first prize at the eighth National External Information Service Awards.__(VNA/VLLF)
