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Speech by the President of Russia at the gala reception

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade To Lam, friends,

First, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Vietnamese friends for their hospitality and the warm welcome accorded to our delegation, for a constructive and candid dialogue, and for our fruitful joint work.

This is my fifth visit to Vietnam, and I can see how dynamically your country is developing and how confidently it is achieving success in strengthening the national economy, industry, infrastructure and the social sphere. It is with good reason that Vietnam has become a respected development leader in the Asia-Pacific Region.

We pointed out many times today that this visit coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on the Principles of Friendship and Cooperation between Vietnam and Russia, which we marked on June16. The treaty opened up new horizons for our bilateral ties, but their history goes back to the mid-20th century, when the heroic Vietnamese people embarked on the difficult path of fighting for their freedom and independence. We are proud that during that difficult time, we helped our Vietnamese friends achieve the long-awaited victory and that afterwards we contributed to the post-war revival of their country. It was in that period that we laid the foundations for a lasting friendship and mutual support, which our countries are using today to address the most challenging goals.

Ho Chi Minh, a great Vietnamese statesman, once said: “In any endeavour, put your compatriots and your nation first, not yourself. Take the lead during challenging times, but be humble when it is time for recognition.” We will certainly heed this wise advice in our relationship with our Vietnamese friends. All our joint efforts are focused on improving the well-being of our citizens. We will continue to work together in the interests of our nations and for the sake of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

I would like to propose a toast to stronger friendship and closer mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Vietnam, to prosperity and the further development of our relations, to the health of Comrade To Lam and all Vietnamese leaders, and to the people of Vietnam.