Chinese Ambassador Praises Vietnam’s Achievements and Development Path
	Some Reflections on Implementing Ho Chi Minh’s Ideology on Vietnam’s People-to-People Diplomacy over the Past 80 Years

Dr. Eng Kok Thay, Minister of State, Office of the Council of Ministers of the Royal Government of Cambodia:

Vietnam - Model of Self-Reliant Development

Dr. Eng Kok Thay, Minister of State of the Cabinet Office of the Royal Government of Cambodia. (Photo: VNA)

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Dr. Eng Kok Thay stated that over the past 80 years, Vietnam has undergone numerous social transformations and changes in production relations, as well as struggles against foreign invaders, in which Cambodia also supported. This was a shared journey of two neighboring countries, both once under French colonial rule, who experienced similar political and social paths and later pursued peacebuilding and development in their respective nations. Vietnam succeeded in reunifying the country, securing long-lasting peace, and achieving robust growth, through multiple stages of development marked by economic policy shifts, state management reforms, and particularly, the transition toward a socialist-oriented market economy.

He noted that changes in development perspectives, along with policy adjustments under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, enabled Vietnam to achieve significant development outcomes such as poverty reduction, longer life expectancy, and improved living standards.

“With the poverty rate now at a very low level, the Vietnamese people today enjoy a happy life, with full freedoms and the ability to determine their own future,” he emphasized.

Dr. Eng Kok Thay also praised Vietnam for fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals earlier than many other ASEAN countries, and for its continued commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals through 2030. He expressed admiration for the industrious and creative spirit of the Vietnamese people, which has contributed to maintaining peace, adapting to climate change, fighting pandemics, and addressing global challenges. According to him, achievements in improving the lives of ethnic minorities and preserving cultural and spiritual spaces demonstrate Vietnam’s inclusive and harmonious development.

“Vietnam today has become a model nation for ASEAN countries, as well as Asia and the international community,” Dr. Eng Kok Thay said.

Dr. Nadia Radulovich, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Salvador (Argentina):

Vietnam Affirms Its Standing through Human-Centered Development

According to Dr. Nadia Radulovich, the Vietnamese people demonstrated great strength and resilience during the wars of resistance, achieving national reunification in 1975, before embarking on Doi Moi in 1986, which triggered profound socio-economic transformation. She cited the fact that Vietnam’s GDP rose from 8 billion USD in 1986 to more than 476 billion USD in 2024, while per capita income increased from under 700 USD to about 4,500 USD.

Festival drum performance at the rehearsal for the military parade and march, August 30, 2025. (Photo: Dan Tri Newspaper)

She emphasized that a human-centered development policy is a hallmark of Vietnam’s development model, reflected in the adoption of a multidimensional poverty standard and social welfare policies. The forthcoming tuition-free education for students from preschool through public high school, starting from the 2025-2026 academic year, is a clear step that highlights the priority of human development and equal access to education.

According to her, the journey from 1945 to the present demonstrates Vietnam’s harmonious combination of national independence, decisive economic reforms, and a commitment to human development - through which Vietnam has risen to become a reputable middle power in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

Head of the External Relations Department of the Communist Party of Chile, former Ambassador of Chile to Vietnam Claudio De Negri:

Vietnam Values Social Welfare and People’s Participation in Doi Moi

In an interview with Nhan Dan Newspaper, Ambassador Claudio De Negri stated that a strength of Vietnam’s Doi Moi process lies in the genuine participation of the people, deriving from the principle of “the people as the foundation,” identifying nationwide economic challenges, and ensuring that every Vietnamese citizen feels proud to be an active participant in each step of progress.

Head of External Relations of the Communist Party of Chile, former Ambassador of Chile to Vietnam Claudio De Negri. (Photo: VOV)

Vietnam has transformed from an agricultural economy into one of the most dynamic markets in the world, with a system that places people’s welfare at its core, enabling them to contribute to reforms and to overcoming limitations and shortcomings.

Vietnam’s Doi Moi is a typical example of how, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the management of the State, the country has integrated the role of the market and foreign investment into its economy while still maintaining socialist principles.

Vietnam has balanced economic growth with environmental protection and sustainable resource management, placing national development and people’s welfare at the center. This is also the driving spirit behind the current streamlining of the state apparatus, aimed at fostering a more direct and effective connection between the State and the people.

Former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak:

From the Ashes of War, Vietnam Became a Success Story

Nili Barak, spouse of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, taking a photo of him in front of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh during their visit to Vietnam in August 2022. (Photo: Tuoi Tre News)

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak said he felt in Vietnam “a special energy, focus, unity, and a clear aspiration for development.” According to him, Doi Moi was not merely a policy, but a strategic transformation that reflected the spirit of reform and the courage to overcome dogma to move forward - a difficult task for a country building a socialist-oriented market economy while preserving political traditions.

He stressed that since 1986, Vietnam has proven that with the right strategy, commitment to change, and courage, even a difficult starting point can lead to extraordinary success. “From the ashes of war, you have built a dynamic, competitive economy based on education, technology, and reform-minded leadership,” he said.

Ehud Barak affirmed that Vietnam has risen to become a typical success story in development, lifting millions of people out of poverty, and is now striving to become a high-income nation within the next two decades. He expressed confidence that by the time of the 100th National Day, Vietnam will be a fully developed country, with a truly grand celebration worthy of its achievements.

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