Vietnam’s diplomatic representative offices in many countries have held ceremonies to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and 25th All People’s Defence Day (December 22).

Speaking at the ceremony in Cairo, Egypt, on December 12, Vietnamese Ambassador Dao Thanh Chung recalled the seven-decade process of forming and growing of the VPA through the two resistance wars against French and US forces as well as struggles in northern and southwestern border areas to safeguard the nation’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Participants to the event watched documentary films on the army’s 70-year history, including the debut ceremony in Tran Hung Dao forest in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang, the August Revolution 1945, the Dien Bien Phu victory 1954, the Spring General Offensive and Uprising 1975 as well as the daily training and lives of officers and soldiers during peacetime.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia held a meeting for nearly 100 former Soviet Union experts who used to work in Vietnam during 1960s and 1970s.

Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Son expressed his great gratitude to the veterans’ important contributions to the triumph of the Vietnamese army.

The 70th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army was also celebrated by the Defence Attaché Office in Brazil.

The event saw the presence of the host country’s defence and foreign officers as well as many foreign diplomats.

Defence Attaché Nghiem Quoc Huy affirmed that the Vietnamese army has continuously expanded its friendship and cooperation with others all over the world on the basis of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests.

Vietnam has so far established defence ties with 80 countries and international organisations, and opened defence attaché offices in 31 nations.

On this occasion, a seminar on General Vo Nguyen Giap, the first Commander-in-Chief of the VPA, was organised in Argentina.-VNA