In late 1953, President Ho Chi Minh and Party leaders decided to open Điện Biên Phủ campaign. VNA/VNS Photo

BANGKOK – Thai scholar Songrit Pongern has attributed Việt Nam's achievements, including the historic Điện Biên Phủ victory, to the enduring qualities embodied in Hò Chí Minh's ideology and the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

During a recent conversation with a Vietnam News Agency reporter in Bangkok, Songrit said the Điện Biên Phủ victory had inspired and encouraged the fight for independence in colonised nations worldwide, with the model of solidarity displayed by Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia which ultimately led to their triumph over superpowers like France and the US.

He said the shared ideology and destiny provide a powerful force for solidarity among the three neighbouring countries, helping them overcome the hardships of the prolonged war for national independence. The solidarity among the three countries has continued to today, evident in their shared stance on the international political stage and within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including initiatives like the shared border economic zone.

Visiting Điện Biên Phủ in 1989 when Việt Nam marked the 35th anniversary of the Điện Biên Phủ victory and again in 1995 when Việt Nam joined ASEAN, Songrit expressed admiration for Việt Nam's sustained economic growth, noting that since economic reform began in 1986, Việt Nam's gross domestic product (GDP) has climbed to the third place in ASEAN.

He saw Việt Nam's skilled workforce as a major asset to attract foreign investment and believed that the country holds significant potential in both export production and meeting domestic demand.

Ultimately, he said Việt Nam's goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2050 is achievable, stressing that the country's progress will be even more robust if it develops in tandem with all the countries in ASEAN, thus fostering a community of shared prosperity in the region. VNS