(VOVWORLD) - Alongside the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu, the signing of the Geneva Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities 70 years ago, on July 21, 1954, established Vietnamese diplomacy on the international stage. This event made Vietnam an indispensable factor in consolidating peace and development in the modern world. After 70 years, the Geneva Conference and its historic agreement have left behind valuable lessons, including those on the importance of promoting stature and force in diplomatic activities.
President Ho Chi Minh said on December 26, 1945, "We have to rely on our strength. Once we have a strong force, diplomacy will win. Strength is the gong and diplomacy is the sound. If the gong is large, its sound will be loud." His statement was applied in Vietnamese diplomacy during struggles for national liberation, exemplified by the Geneva Agreement, an important milestone in Vietnam's diplomatic history.
Geneva Agreement not purely a diplomatic event
Professor Vu Minh Giang, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences, says the Geneva Agreement was not just a diplomatic event, it was the culmination of a persistent struggle for national independence, starting from the August Revolution through nine years of resistance against the French and culminating in the globe-shaking Dien Bien Phu victory.
Giang said: “The Geneva Accords reflected the success of a great resistance. Before this agreement, no other had affirmed our right to independence and territorial integrity. Only with the new position and force established by the Dien Bien Phu victory could the right to self-determination and national independence be stated in the Agreement. For the first time, Vietnam was recognized by an international treaty with the participation of major powers, reflecting and affirming Vietnam's position on the international stage.”
The Dien Bien Phu victory resonated globally, significantly impacting the Geneva Conference and bringing Vietnam to multilateral negotiations with world powers for the first time. Vietnam attended the Geneva Conference as a victorious nation, compelling the opposition to recognize its basic national rights.
Former Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam Vu Duong Huan said: “The Dien Bien Phu victory was a decisive factor that shook France's entire strategy. Without this victory, we could not achieve high results in the Geneva negotiations. The victory spurred the anti-war movement within France, shocked the French Government and Parliament, and created a turning point for Vietnam's position and power at the negotiating table.”
Valuable historical experience in promoting position and strength in diplomacy
Seventy years on, the Geneva Agreement’s valuable lessons on combining and harmoniously coordinating the "sound of the gong" of diplomacy with the "gong" of real revolutionary power continue to be significant. They are also lessons on coordinating diplomacy with politics and the military so that the "gong" resonates far and wide against stronger opponents.
Associate Professor Nguyen Duc Hoa of Saigon University said: “The significance, impact, and influence of the Geneva Agreement are profound and must be promoted. The world learned about a glorious heroic Dien Bien Phu victory and it should also see a strong and prosperous Vietnam. This will make the memory of Dien Bien Phu's heroism remain vivid in the hearts of Vietnamese people and the global community.”
Today, as Vietnam enjoys peace and extensive international integration, the "gong" for foreign affairs is the country's position and strength in the international arena. When he was alive, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that a solid position in diplomatic activities requires strong real power, forged by the combined strength of the entire nation, not just material strength. Vietnam's international reputation, built through its just struggles for liberation, the achievements of the current renewal process, and its tradition and identity, have created a substantial diplomatic position for Vietnam.
Vietnam continues to promote a foreign policy built on the lesson of combining position and force learned from the Geneva Agreement 70 years ago and the "Vietnamese bamboo" diplomacy in order to enhance comprehensive national renewal and deep international integration to build a strong nation.