Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính gives a speech at the ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

VĨNH LONG — Late Prime Minister Võ Văn Kiệt’s life and work was the typical embodiment of a loyal revolutionary soldier. He was an excellent leader who spent all of his life for the country and for the people.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính made the statement while attending the ceremony to commemorate the 100th birthday of late PM Kiệt, which was organised in his hometown Vĩnh Long Province on Wednesday.

With the spirit of daring to do, daring to take responsibility, late PM Kiệt made an important contribution in calling for people from all walks of life to actively implement reform policies led by the Party, said PM Chính.

As for late PM Kiệt, innovation meant being creative, knowing how to promote the country’s strengths, and overcoming outdated thinking to successfully accomplish the revolutionary goals.

Stemming from patriotism, love for the people and national pride, late PM Kiệt learned and discussed with the people to find the most effective way to work.

He always kept in mind that to gain support from the people, leaders must rely on the people, and promote the people’s wisdom and strength, said PM Chính.

"He was always sincere, paid attention to the young generation, encouraged and promoted the youth's talents, and listened to advice from intellectuals and experts," said PM Chính.

The PM added that in the last days of his life, late PM Kiệt still went to the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta, and made a plan to go to the Netherlands to learn from the country’s experience to cope with sea level rise when the earth's climate warmed.

The PM said that by implementing the Party’s renovation policy, over the past 35 years, Việt Nam has gained very proud achievements.

By this year, the country’s economic scale was estimated at nearly US$400 billion, income per capita reached more than $4,000, trade scale was about $750 billion. Việt Nam now belongs to the group of 20 leading economies for international trade.

From a country that did not have enough food, Việt Nam has become a leading export country of rice and many agricultural and forestry products.

Regarding foreign affairs, the country has diplomatic relations with 190 out of 193 United Nations member countries, and is an active and responsible member of many international organisations.

Việt Nam controlled the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly recovered and developed the socio-economy, and improved people's living standards.

Despite many difficulties due to the world situation, Việt Nam is still the country with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in Southeast Asia and one of the countries with the highest growth rate in the world, at around eight per cent this year.

PM Chính called for Party members and the people, especially the young generation, to follow late PM Kiệt’s example, and strive to successfully build a prosperous, happy and powerful Việt Nam.

Profound memory

Phạm Chánh Trực, former deputy director of the Central Economic Commission, former standing deputy secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, and former chairman of the HCM City People's Council used to work with late PM Kiệt.

He said that late PM Kiệt found ways to innovate, and gradually helped HCM City to overcome difficulties with outstanding work.

Years ago when Việt Nam faced extremely difficult socio-economic conditions, the HCM City's Party Committee, led by late PM Kiệt, adopted policies of foreign trade transactions, and created the initial conditions and premise for Việt Nam’s international integration.

Representing the young generation, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Diễm, deputy secretary of the Vĩnh Long Province Police Youth Union, said that being proud when Vĩnh Long Province and Việt Nam had an excellent leader like late PM Kiệt, the young generation determined to study and follow his example to become useful citizens, contributed to the country’s development.

Also on Wednesday morning, PM Chính attended the inauguration ceremony of the Cái Cam Bridge, which belongs to the Võ Văn Kiệt Road project.

It is one of the key routes of Vĩnh Long City.

The Võ Văn Kiệt Road project has a total length of 3.6km, with two bridges Cái Cam and Cái Côn with total investment of VNĐ1.4 trillion ($59.8 million).

Construction work on the Cái Cam Bridge started in October 2020. It is more than 480m in length. — VNS