On June 5, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of National Defense coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee to organize a scientific conference with the theme: "A nationwide call for resistance - A call to compatriots and soldiers nationwide - Will to protect independence and freedom with the spirit of strategic autonomy, self-reliance, and confidence in the era of rise of the Vietnamese nation".
After the August Revolution in 1945, before the plot to return to invade Vietnam by the French colonialists, on December 19, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh issued a National Resistance Call, affirming the iron will of the nation: "Rather sacrifice everything than lose the country, definitely do not become slaves".
20 years later, when the US imperialists escalated the war of aggression, on July 17, 1966, President Ho Chi Minh continued to issue a Call to compatriots and soldiers nationwide, affirming the immortal truth: "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom".
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau - Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense - emphasized that the two calls are a high crystallization of Ho Chi Minh's ideology about the will to protect independence and freedom; about the strength of great national unity; about the spirit of strategic autonomy, self-reliance, self-strengthening and the belief in absolute victory of the Vietnamese nation.
According to Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, these are not only special historical documents of the resistance period but also carry profound theoretical and practical values, continuing to illuminate the country's development path in the new period.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau said that entering a new era of development, Vietnam is facing many great opportunities to break through but also faces many challenges.
In that context, the requirement to maintain peace, independence, and national sovereignty; protect the Fatherland early and remotely; develop the country quickly and sustainably; and enhance the national position is becoming increasingly urgent.
This requires continuing to strongly promote the will to protect independence and freedom along with the spirit of strategic autonomy, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and self-confidence - core values throughout the two historical calls of President Ho Chi Minh and also strategic orientations in the Party's current documents.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau affirmed that the conference is an opportunity for scientists, experts and researchers to continue to deeply analyze the lasting values of the two calls, thereby providing more scientific and practical basis for policy planning; improving forecasting and strategic advisory capacity; consolidating the all-people national defense posture, people's security and building a solid people's heart posture.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Le Quoc Phong - Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee - said that President Ho Chi Minh's calls have been deeply engraved in the hearts and minds of many generations of Vietnamese people, becoming a flag that gathers national strength and the strength of the times.
According to Mr. Le Quoc Phong, in response to Uncle Ho's call, the Party Committee and people of Saigon - Gia Dinh have promoted the heroic revolutionary spirit, fought bravely, overcome all difficulties and challenges, contributing to the victory of the cause of national liberation and reunification.
More than half a century has passed, those values continue to be inherited and promoted by Ho Chi Minh City through the spirit of dynamism, creativity, confidence, and self-reliance in the cause of building and developing the city.
Mr. Le Quoc Phong said that from July 1, 2025, the merger of the development space between Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau has opened up new growth potential and competitiveness for the city.
Ho Chi Minh City is gradually becoming a modern economic, financial, industrial and seaport center, capable of extensive connection with the region and the world.
According to the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the presentations and research results at the workshop will be an important source of materials, contributing to supporting the city to effectively implement Resolution 09 of the Politburo on building and developing Ho Chi Minh City in the new era.
He affirmed that the Party Committee, government and people of Ho Chi Minh City will continue to promote the revolutionary tradition of resilience, dynamism, and creativity; foster political bravery, self-reliance and aspiration for development; determined to build Ho Chi Minh City into a vast Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space.
