VietNamNet Bridge – World leaders have sent congratulations to Viet Nam to mark the 68th National Day yesterday, September 2.

A fireworks display in celebration of National Day across the Sai Gon River in HCM City yesterday evening, Sept 2.

US Secretary of State John Kerry wrote: "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Viet Nam as you celebrate your National Day."

Kerry, who served as a naval officer during the American War in Viet Nam, went on to say that he has strong memories of arriving in Ha Noi in 1991 on his first trip to the country as a civilian.

He said he found a country that "had moved past war and division and was eager to engage with the world", adding that it had been moving and rewarding to be a partner to the Vietnamese people as America re-engaged with people who were its former enemies.

The statement touched upon President Sang's recent visit to Washington, which Kerry said celebrated the progress the two nations had made in the 18 years since they normalised diplomatic relations.

The same day, numerous international friends attended a ceremony to mark Viet Nam's National Day in Berlin.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh made it clear that Viet Nam-Germany relations had fared well since the two nations had lifted their bilateral ties to strategic partnership level.

The German Secretary of State for External Relations, Cornolia Piepe, said bilateral trade ties were growing dynamically and that Germany continued to uphold its role as Viet Nam's top trading partner in the European Union.

Meanwhile, a ceremony to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day of Viet Nam also took place in Beijing on August 30.

The event was attend by Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Similar events and banquest also took place in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Laos, India, Russia, and Argentina.

The ceremony at the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane was attended by Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavath and many senior officials from the Lao Communist Party and Government.

In Russia, Russian State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs Alexei Pushkov, President of the Russia–Viet Nam Friendship Association Vladimir Buianov attended a celebration at the Vietnamese Embassy.

On Sunday, HCM City authorities organised a ceremony to mark the 68th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day.

Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Le Hoang Quan said that the spirit of the August Revolution and National Day would never fade in the hearts of Vietnamese.

Leaders in HCM City also paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in the city.

A day earlier, municipal authorities held a meeting with diplomatic delegations and international organisations to mark Viet Nam's National Day.

At the event, Chairman Quan reiterated that together with the whole country, HCM City was willing to be a friend of all nations in the spirit of respecting national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity for common peace, friendship and development of all nations.

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong held a photo exhibition featuring the country's sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelagoes.

Provincial leaders paid tribute to martyrs who died for the country's independence, while honouring 38 outstanding collectives and individuals for following President Ho Chi Minh's moral example.

Source: VNS