The event was attended by Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni, President of the Malaysian Senate Awang Bemee bin Awang Ali Basah, Speaker of the House of Representatives Johari bin Abdul, Malaysian government officials, international friends and a large number of Vietnamese people living and working in Malaysia.
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Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Dinh Ngoc Linh addresses the event. |
Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Dinh Ngoc Linh recalled the historic milestone of September 2, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and opening a new chapter in the nation's history.
Over 81 years marked by numerous challenges, Viet Nam has emerged as a peaceful, dynamic, confident country deeply integrated into the region and the wider world, he said.
The ambassador affirmed that Viet Nam is entering a new development phase with a strong aspiration to build a prosperous nation by the middle of this century, with science, technology, innovation and human resources playing the core role in national development.
It will continue to pursue a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of external relations, and being a friend, reliable partner and responsible member of the international community, he added.
Regarding bilateral ties, Linh stressed that Malaysia is a particularly important partner of Viet Nam. The two sides highly value their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is unceasingly strengthening political trust and mutual understanding.
Over the past year, bilateral cooperation has continued to grow strongly across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, defense and security, agriculture, education, culture, tourism and parliamentary exchanges.
The diplomat also appreciated Malaysia's leadership during its 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, affirming Viet Nam's commitment to working closely with Malaysia to build a united, resilient and people-centered ASEAN Community.
He expressed his confidence that the two countries will jointly seize opportunities and overcome challenges together in the future.
Amid the solemn yet warm atmosphere of the ceremony, Vietnamese people in Malaysia expressed deep emotion and pride in the homeland's remarkable development.
Vu Thi Thu Hong from Penang said that whenever she sees the national flag with its red background and yellow star, she is filled with love for her homeland. She expressed her hope that Viet Nam's aspiration to rise in the new era will soon become a reality.
Sharing the same sense of pride, Luu Thu Trang, a Vietnamese expatriate living in Kuala Lumpur, said Viet Nam now holds a stronger position and has made rapid progress in many fields. She expressed her strong desire to make a small contribution to Viet Nam's development and the friendship between the two countries.
Also proud of her bond with the homeland, Ha Lisa said she is deeply moved to witness Viet Nam's growing strength. As a businesswoman, she hopes to contribute to Viet Nam's trade and business links with Malaysia and other countries around the world.
The celebration also drew warm sentiments and admiration from international friends.
Julia Roknifard, a senior lecturer at Taylor's University, highlighted Viet Nam's growing standing in the region and the world, saying that within ASEAN, Viet Nam is among the leading countries in terms of diplomacy, politics, geopolitics and development.
She praised the resilience of the Vietnamese people and described the country's rapid development as an outstanding example that could inspire other ASEAN members.
James Tan, Secretary-General of the Malaysia - Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce, said recent reforms and reinforcement of policies promise very positive prospects for Viet Nam's economy and business environment in the coming years.
Looking more closely at bilateral trade relations, Tan pointed to significant opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, noting that Malaysia is seeing growing demand for rice and interested in learning from Viet Nam's experience in achieving high rice yields.
He also called on major Vietnamese corporations to bring their competitive products to the Malaysian market at an early date.
Source: VNA