The central province of Thua Thien-Hue organised a solemn meeting on March 26 to celebrate 35 years of its liberation.

Minister of National Defence Phung Quang Thanh, National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, and the former Party General Secretary, Le Kha Phieu joined more than 10,000 local officials, soldiers and people at the event.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Thien said Thua Thien-Hue was one of the South’s pioneers in the resistance war against US aggressors.

During the struggle for national independence and reunification, the province saw more than 18,000 combatants lay down their lives, 11,000 others suffer from injuries, over 6,000 officials and Party members imprisoned and tens of thousands of people killed, Thien said.

Thirty-five years after its liberation, Thua Thien-Hue has recorded rapid and comprehensive economic growth, he said, citing its budget collection of 2.7 trillion VND and per capita GDP of over 1,000 USD in 2009.

Thua Thien-Hue is now striving to become a centrally-run city within the next few years, the chairman stressed.

On behalf of Party and State leaders, Minister Thanh praised contributions made by Thua Thien-Hue’s Party organisation, soldiers and people in the anti-US resistance war.

The minister urged the province to uphold the tradition of solidarity to reap greater achievements in economy, security and national defence, making it an economic, cultural, educational and health centre of the whole country./.