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| Professor Carl Thayer of the Australian Defence Force Academy under the University of New South Wales. — VNA/VNS Photo |
SYDNEY — In 50 years since the national reunification (April 30, 1975-2025), Việt Nam has transformed from war-devastated developing country to a peacetime country that has attained lower middle-income status, said Professor Carl Thayer, saying what impresses him most is that with every visit to Việt Nam, he witnesses remarkable and dynamic changes taking place across the country.
In an interview with a Việt Nam News Agency correspondent in Australia, Professor Carl Thayer of the Australian Defence Force Academy under the University of New South Wales, recalled that the first 15 years following reunification were an exceptionally challenging period for Việt Nam.
He pointed out that the country faced numerous hardships, including the border wars in the southwest and north, along with the US-imposed embargo on aid and trade, which placed significant strain on Việt Nam’s post-war recovery and development efforts.
The key factor in extricating Việt Nam from a socio-economic crisis was the strategic far-sighted vision of its leadership to carry out the renewal (Đổi Mới) of the country’s economic system and open Việt Nam to the outside world, allow the private sector to grow in Việt Nam.
Việt Nam abandoned rigid central planning and developed a socialist-orientated market economy. Việt Nam diversified and multilateralised its external relations. The year 1995 was a pivotal year when Việt Nam normalised relations with the US and joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as its seventh member.
Việt Nam attracted foreign direct investment and shifted from an agricultural economy to a manufacturing one, acquiring the resources to reduce poverty and raise family income.
Reflecting on Việt Nam’s historic victory on April 30, 1975, the scholar emphasised that the core driver behind this triumph was the Vietnamese people’s unwavering national unity. He noted that this spirit of solidarity had long served as a vital force in the country’s struggle for independence and reunification.
According to Thayer, developing national solidarity was the key to overcoming the division of Việt Nam into three regions under French colonial rule, evidenced by the founding of Việt Minh (League for the Independence of Việt Nam) in 1941, the success of the August Revolution in 1945, President Hồ Chí Minh’s declaration of independence on September 2, 1945, and ultimately, the victory at Điện Biên Phủ in 1954, which marked the end of the protracted war against French colonialism.
The April 30 victory was a combination of military art and skillful diplomacy, taking advantage of national strength and the strength of the times. After 1975, the Việt Nam People’ Army safeguarded Việt Nam from attacks on its southwest and northern borders, modernise and defend national sovereignty on land and at sea from the mid-1990s to the present.
According to the professor, Việt Nam not only diversified and multilateralised its foreign relations through strategic partnerships as well as active and proactive international integration by joining APEC, ASEAN, and the World Trade Organisation. This diplomatic strategy proved a resounding success as Việt Nam was twice elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council by a large majority vote.
Việt Nam acquitted international prestige as a reliable partner through its pursuit pf independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development, he added.
Việt Nam’s leaders have often called for “combining national strength and the strength of the times.” During the struggle for national unification, Việt Nam was able to receive assistance from traditional friends but also modify this assistance to suit the conditions of Việt Nam. General Võ Nguyên Giáp modified his strategy to defeat the French at Điện Biên Phủ. Việt Nam modified Soviet military technology to suit the battlefield conditions in Việt Nam.
Today, Việt Nam encourages technology transfer and co-production. As Việt Nam’s second International Defence Expo illustrated in December 2024, Việt Nam could modify and develop coastal missiles and drones to suit its special conditions. Việt Nam has also acquired the knowledge and skills to manufacture computer chips and electric vehicles.
The country has sent its students far and wide to learn about the Fourth Industrial Revolution and new innovations in science and technology, digital transformation, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence. It is now using this knowledge to make a breakthrough in development and avoid the middle-income trap.
In the context of Việt Nam's increasingly deep integration with the world economy, many lessons learnt from the April 30 victory need to be recognised and promoted. The most important lesson is, Thayer said, Việt Nam must always be able to evaluate its own strengths and weaknesses while pursuing a long-term strategic vision. The country can learn from other countries, but it must always pursue its national interests. This requires unity among the population, political stability, constant adaptability and critical innovation. — VNS