On the morning of October 25, in Hanoi, the Ministry of National Defense organized a scientific seminar titled “Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Military Experts Helping the Lao Revolution - Historical Significance and Lessons Learned.” The seminar is one of the meaningful activities commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and Military Experts who helped the Lao Revolution (October 30, 1949 - October 30, 2024), as well as looking forward to the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People’s Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the All-People's National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024).

Seminar delegates.

The presidium of the seminar included: Senior Lieutenant General Lê Huy Vịnh, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Head of the Seminar Steering Committee; Senior Lieutenant General Phùng Sĩ Tấn, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army; Major General Trương Thiên Tô, Deputy Head of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army; Brigadier General Huỳnh Đắc Hương, Head of the National Liaison Board for former Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Military Experts helping the Lao Revolution; and Brigadier General, Dr. Nguyễn Hoàng Nhiên, Director of the Military History Institute (General Staff).

The Presidium presides over the seminar.

The seminar was attended by leaders and former leaders of several Central Departments, Ministries, and sectors; Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Deputy Minister of National Defense, and Head of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People's Army; Ms. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Vietnam; representatives of leaders and commanders from various agencies and units under the Ministry of National Defense; revolutionary veterans, Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces; military leaders, former volunteer soldiers, and military experts from Vietnam who assisted the Lao revolution, along with numerous scientists both within and outside the Army.

Group photo of elegates.

In his opening remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Lê Huy Vịnh stated that 75 years ago, on October 30, 1949, the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Indochinese Communist Party decided: The Vietnamese military forces fighting and working to assist Laos would be organized into a separate system and be named the Volunteer Army.

Under the wise leadership of the Central Committee of the Party, headed by President Hồ Chí Minh, imbued with the ideology “Helping the people of our neighbor is helping ourselves,” and promoting the traditions of the revolutionary army, true patriotism, and pure international proletarian spirit, the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts stood side by side with the entire Party, the entire military, and the entire people of Laos to bravely fight and achieve glorious victories in the cause of national liberation, building and firmly defending the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The great contributions and sacrifices of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts directly strengthened and built the special fighting solidarity between Vietnam and Laos—a symbol of international proletarian unity, unique in the history of international relations.

Overview of the seminar.

In his speech, Senior Lieutenant General Lê Huy Vịnh affirmed: With all the humility of a revolutionary soldier, the staff and soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts have every right to be proud of having excellently fulfilled their noble international duty in Laos and made significant contributions to building and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, a symbol of revolutionary heroism, the undying vitality of Marxism-Leninism, and Hồ Chí Minh's thought, contributing to enhancing the glorious tradition of the heroic Vietnam People's Army and the noble qualities of “Uncle Hồ’s soldiers” in the hearts of the Lao people and people around the world, as President Hồ Chí Minh once emphasized: “No matter how many mountains to climb, rivers to cross, or passes to overcome, the friendship between Vietnam and Laos is deeper than the waters of the Red River and Mekong,” or as President Kay Xon Phom Vi Hản once affirmed: “Mountains may wear away, rivers may run dry, but the friendship between Vietnam and Laos will always remain more steadfast than mountains and rivers.”

 Major General Truong Thien To delivered the opening remarks at the seminar.

Major General Trương Thiên Tô provided an overview of the milestones and outstanding achievements of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts, as well as the Vietnam-Laos coalition in the struggle for national liberation and the construction and defense of Laos. He affirmed that 75 years have passed, yet the meaning and spirit of solidarity and the fighting alliance between Vietnam and Laos still retain their full value.

At the seminar, delegates discussed and confirmed the correctness and creativity of the views and policies of the Central Committee of the Party and President Hồ Chí Minh regarding assistance for the Lao revolution; they continued to affirm the Party's strategic vision of establishing the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts as a part of the Vietnam People’s Army helping the Lao revolution. The delegates also emphasized and deepened the core role of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts united with the people and military of Laos in fighting, achieving remarkable victories, and making significant contributions to the success of the Lao revolution. They highlighted the position and role of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts in building and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, leaving behind profound and valuable historical lessons. The delegates believed that by inheriting and promoting the tradition, former volunteer soldiers and military experts from Vietnam will continue to contribute to consolidating and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in the new era.

 Major General, Dr. Nguyễn Hoàng Nhiên summarized the presentations at the conference.

In summarizing the discussions at the seminar, Brigadier General, Dr. Nguyễn Hoàng Nhiên affirmed that the studies presented at this seminar comprehensively and profoundly reflect the international policy of assisting the Lao revolution by the Party; the solidarity and assistance of the Vietnamese people and army to the Lao revolution in general, as well as the establishment, development, and outstanding achievements of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts assisting the Lao revolution, and the Vietnam-Laos coalition in particular; the coordination and “sharing of fire” between the battlefields of Vietnam and Laos in the struggle against a common enemy, for peace, national independence, and the unity and territorial integrity of each country, creating a unique Vietnam-Laos relationship that stands out globally, a great symbol of modern international relations.

 Lieutenant General, Dr. Le Huy Vinh delivered the closing speech at the seminar.

In his closing remarks at the seminar, Senior Lieutenant General Lê Huy Vịnh emphasized that this seminar is an opportunity for us to continue to affirm that the organization of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts assisting the Lao revolution is a correct and wise policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam in carrying out international duties towards the Lao revolution. This is the basis for tightening the relationship of solidarity and the fighting alliance between the two peoples, two parties, two states, and the two armed forces against a common enemy to protect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of each country and maintain peace on the Indochinese Peninsula.

This seminar is also an occasion for each of us to understand more deeply and fully honor the great contributions and sacrifices of countless officers and soldiers of the Vietnamese Volunteer Army and military experts in carrying out international duties to help the Lao revolution; at the same time, to express gratitude for the attention, assistance, and conditions provided by the Party, State, Army, and people of Laos to Vietnamese troops. These precious contributions will be preserved and nurtured by the two states, peoples, and armies of the two countries to ensure that the Vietnam-Laos relationship remains “evergreen and eternally sustainable,” as emphasized by Senior Lieutenant General Lê Huy Vịnh.