Buenos Aires (VNA) - The April 30, 1975 great victory of the Vietnamese people sparked hope and the fighting spirit of revolutionaries worldwide, according to Patricia Abarzúa Muñoz, President of the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Association.

Recalling that time, she said in Chile, people were still living under the oppression of the military dictatorship, and the mainstream media provided very little coverage of the situation in Vietnam. However, news of the April 30 victory quickly spread from person to person, and the joy overwhelmed across the country.

Leaders at that time greatly admired the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh. The images of the President and General Vo Nguyen Giap became a source of inspiration and role models for liberation movements in Latin America and for people around the world who were fighting for the peace of Vietnam, stated Patricia Abarzúa.

She assessed that the ‘Doi moi’ (Renewal) process, which started in 1986, marked a turning point in the country’s difficult post-war reconstruction journey, with much improved economy, people’s higher living standards, better education, and flourishing tourism.

Becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), re-establishing diplomatic relations with the US in 1995, and joining the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 1998 paved the way for Vietnam to develop trade relations with countries around the world, practice diplomacy based on dialogue, peacefully solve disputes, and seek the best ways to contribute to economic growth. Today, Vietnam boasts diplomatic relations with 194 countries, about 170 cooperation agreements across various fields, and 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including the deal with Chile signed in 2011.

She expressed her belief that 2025, defined as the year of acceleration and breakthroughs, will continue to pave the way for the country's diplomatic efforts, expanding import and export markets, effectively contributing to stability, development, and economic growth, and bringing it closer to the status of a developed country that is fully integrated into both the regional and global arenas.

🦹 Today, the Chile-Vietnam Friendship Association continues to gather those who were once involved in the anti-war movement, and standing in solidarity with Vietnam, she said, pledging that it will create new relationships and activities to promote the progress and development of Vietnam in Chile, and vice versa./.