A grand meeting was held in Hanoi on December 21 to celebrate the 65^th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 20^th anniversary of All People National Defense Day.

The meeting was attended by former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi and Le Kha Phieu, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, former State Presidents Le Duc Anh and Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Phu Trong, former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An, former President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF)’s Central Committee Pham The Duyet and foreign military attachés in Hanoi.

In his speech, President Triet praised the achievements, feats of arms and contributions made by the Vietnam People’s Army over the past 65 years while saying that the 65^th anniversary has marked the strong development of the revolutionary army, which has closed attached to the history of the nation’s glorious revolutionary tradition and the Vietnam Communist Party. He also highlighted the army’s role in the cause of national construction and defence and in building an all people national defense.

The army should grasp all requirements and major tasks in the new situation to build a regular, elite and modern army, loyal to the Party, the nation and people. He urged the army to be vigilant against peaceful evolution schemes, which would counter the Vietnamese revolution.

At the meeting, General and Minister of National Defense Phung Quang Thanh said that the Vietnam People’s Army vows to bring into play the revolutionary nature and tradition by enhancing patriotism movements, making more achievements worthy of political force and loyalty to the Party, State and people.