Ambassador of Vietnam to Pakistan Nguyen Tien Phong on Friday acknowledged that this year’s 78th ‘Independence Day’ of Vietnam has brought economic development and prosperity to Vietnam. The ambassador said this in his special message on the occasion of the 78th, National Day of Vietnam today. He said that under the visionary leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, “Vietnam today is on the path of development and prosperity, which was possible due to the economic reforms of our leadership”. On the occasion he mentioned, “I would like to quote the affirmation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Phu Trong at 13th Party’s Congress in Jan 2021: “With all humility, we can still say that: Our country has never enjoyed such fortunes, potentials, international status and prestige as they are today. All this combined constitutes a pride, a driving force, an important resource, and a conviction for our entire Party, people and armed forces to overcome whatever difficulties and challenges, continue with firm steps on the road of comprehensive and concerted renewal; and develop the country expeditiously and sustainably”. He said the achievements of 35 years’ implementation of the renewal process have continued affirming our Party’s renewal line as judicious and creative. Vietnamese envoy said such great achievements of historic significance crystallize the creativeness of our Party and people, and assert that our country’s road to socialism is suitable with Vietnam’s reality and the times’ development trend, and confirm that the Party’s judicious leadership represents the primary determinant of the Vietnamese revolution’s success”. The Ambassador said that after 37 years (1986-2023) of reforms/renovations/renewal/ Doi Moi (in Vietnamese), Vietnam’s spectacular economic development is crucially and decidedly attributed to the Communist Party’s successful leadership. He said that nowadays, Vietnam has become a socialist-oriented market economy enjoying an immense breadth and depth of economic connectivity, having acceded to 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including three next-generation FTAs of very high standards, and participating in an extensive network of economic linkages with major economies in the world. While only 30 years ago we only had economic and trade ties with some 30 countries and territories, the number today is 230 countries and territories. Nguyen Tien Phong said the foreign policy planning, implementation and orientation of “Vietnam’s Bamboo Diplomacy” play a pioneering role in maintaining an environment of peace and stability, contributing in an important way to the steadfast defense of national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; in promoting socio-economic development, and at the same time contributing to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. He said that Vietnam’s international status and prestige in the region and the world are constantly on the rise, and we make active and very responsible contributions to the maintenance of peace and cooperation for development and progress in the world. He said that hundreds of Vietnamese officers and servicemen have been dispatched to UN peacekeeping missions in Africa. In various international issues of significance, Vietnam’s voice, initiative and solutions – being both sensible and full of human kindness, in the spirit of equality, amity, tolerance and humanism – have received agreement and support from the international community. Thanks to this contribution, Vietnam’s status and prestige in the international arena are on the rise. The Ambassador said that with all the above-mentioned foundations and achievements, we are optimistic that the country will obtain more and more success and achievements in its cause of building and protecting the country. “We will strive for ours to become by the mid-21st century a socialist-oriented developed country”, he said. By 2025 which marks the 50th anniversary of the total liberation of the South and reunification of the country: Vietnam would become a developing country with an industry moving toward modernity and having passed over the lower middle-income level, he said.