Vietnam: Thousands of Vietnamese gathered in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, with a vibrant celebration hailed by the country’s top leader as a “victory of justice over tyranny.”
The milestone event, held on April 30, featured a large military parade and a dramatic airshow of Russian-made fighter jets and helicopters.
Citizens, many waving red flags and dressed in national colors, filled the streets singing patriotic songs as the nation commemorated its reunification in 1975 when North Vietnamese forces captured the then-Saigon, ending two decades of conflict.
Highlighting improving diplomatic ties with Beijing, a contingent of 118 Chinese soldiers marched alongside Vietnamese troops and police.
The fall of Saigon marked the collapse of the US-backed South Vietnam regime and paved the way for the formal reunification of the country a year later. The city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in tribute to the revolutionary leader.
“To Lam, Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, described the day as a reaffirmation of national unity, quoting Ho Chi Minh: ‘Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth will never change.’”
The war claimed around three million Vietnamese and nearly 60,000 American lives. Diplomatic relations with the US were restored in 1995 and reached a new high in 2023 during a visit by former President Joe Biden.
Yet, the relationship now faces strain, with the Biden administration’s successor Donald Trump announcing potential 46 percent tariffs on Vietnamese exports- measures currently on hold pending negotiations.
Despite its engagement with Washington, Hanoi maintains strong ties with Moscow- its primary arms supplier- and has deepened economic relations with China, now a key investor and supplier for Vietnam’s export industries.
The US was represented at the parade by Susan Burns, its consul general in Ho Chi Minh City, underlining the enduring complexity and evolving nature of Vietnam’s global partnerships.
