Vietnam celebrates 70th anniversary of National Day with military parade

Vietnam held a military parade Wednesday morning to celebrate the country's 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day in the national capital Hanoi.

Some 30,000 people, including military forces and local residents from all walks of life, participated in the parade at the Ba Dinh Square, where late President Ho Chi Minh announced the historic Independence Declaration on Sept. 2, 1945.

"70 years ago, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, our people successfully carried out the Great August Revolution. Then at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi on Sept. 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh on behalf of the Provisional Government, pronounced the Independence Declaration," Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said in an address before the parade.

"From a poor and backward country, Vietnam has risen out of the socio-economic crisis and the status of a poor and less-developed nation to become a middle-income developing one," Sang said.

"The entire Party, people and army pledge to stand united and make effort to grasp the opportunities and overcome challenges, strengthen our resolve to safeguard the revolutionary achievements, " he said.

"We are also determined to accomplish the two strategic goals of national construction and defense by narrowing the development gap with other countries, striving to soon become a modern and industrial country, firmly safeguarding independence, sovereignty, reunification and territorial integrity, protecting national interests, protecting the Party, State, people and socialism."

Apart from the parade, a series of activities have been organizing across the country, including art performances, exhibition of books and materials on the August Revolution, a national film festival week, publication of stamp collection on the theme as well as a photo book on Vietnam's national construction and development over the past 70 years. Endi