President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc visits a memorial site dedicated to commemorating heroic martyrs of the Air Defence-Air Force. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday attended a get-together held by the Air Defence-Air Force to mark the 50th anniversary of the "Điện Biên Phủ in the air" victory in 1972.

The event brought together leaders of the Ministry of National Defence, revolutionaries, war veterans and people who witnessed the battle, who directly contributed to the victory.

In the 12 days and nights of fierce fighting in Hà Nội in late December 1972 against the US air force, the Vietnamese army and people defeated US airstrikes in the North, shooting down 81 aircraft of all kinds, including 34 B-52 strategic bombers, forcing the US to sign the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Việt Nam (Paris Peace Accords) in January 1973.

This triumph is also called the “Điện Biên Phủ in the air” victory, which took the name from the victory of the Điện Biên Phủ Campaign in 1954 that put an end to the French colonial rule over Indochina.

With the "Điện Biên Phủ in the air" victory, the US was forced to stop bombing the north of Việt Nam and return to negotiations at the Paris Conference and eventually sign the Paris Peace Accords.

Addressing the event, President Phúc said that the victory reflected the sound political and military policies of the Party. It is the victory of the people-based war and people-based air defence of Việt Nam, the success of the political strength and the spirit of the whole Vietnamese nation, and the will and determination to defeat the US invaders.

It is one of the glorious feats and a great epic in the 20th century, he said, highlighting some lessons that are still valuable today.

President Phúc affirmed that the Party, State and people of Việt Nam always remember and respect the heroic martyrs, officials and soldiers of the Air Defence-Air Force who laid down their lives to achieve various glorious victories.

He highly valued the force's efforts to promote its tradition and complete its tasks in firmly protecting and managing the country's airspace as well as in research, rescue and natural disaster relief activities.

He also praised the force's performance during the Việt Nam Defence exhibition 2022.

Holding that the mission to construct and safeguard the Fatherland and the national sovereignty in the sky and ocean is a heavy one, the President asked the Air Defence-Air Force to continue to promote the spirit of the "Điện Biên Phủ in the air" victory, and build a strong force in all aspects.

At the same time, the force should stay active in all circumstances to protect the nation from early and afar, while giving advice to the Party and State, the Central Military Commission and Ministry of National Defence on measures to build the air defence, air force and people-based air defence forces, thus creating a firm people-based air defence position ready to fight to protect the country's sky.

The President also reminded the force of ensuring flight safety and actively engaging in military science and technology research in the field of air defence-air force. —VNS