Over the past 91 years, under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam has overcome numerous difficulties to grow from a poor, colonial country into a strong, independent nation.

Vietnam’s Communist Party was founded on February 3, 1930 - the 5^th day of the 1^st lunar month in the Year of the Horse. 15 years later, that Vietnam led the Vietnamese people to the success of the August Revolution giving birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945.  The Vietnamese people celebrated the Lunar New Year of 1946 with the pride of masters of an independent nation. During 30 years of liberation struggles, the Vietnamese people fought against two different military and economic super powers – France and the US but they continued to celebrate each spring. Vietnam’s Dien Bien Phu victory in the spring of 1954 shocked the world and ended French rule in Vietnam. Spring of 1968 was marked by the General Uprising of the people in the south of Vietnam. Seven years later in the spring of 1975, the final great victory of the American war unified the nation.

In the spring of 1987, Vietnam entered a new period of national renewal realizing resolutions of the 6^th National Party Congress. In nearly 35 years of national renewal the Vietnamese people have overcome many further difficulties, established relations with nearly 200 countries, and raised Vietnam’s international status.

This year, the Vietnamese Party and people will welcome a new spring with new vitality, pride, and aspirations. The 13^th National Party Congress – an important political event for the Party, the nation, and the people, was milestone in the Party’s leadership. The Party will continue to lead the nation toward national renewal and international integration with Vietnamese Party members and other people confident in their path to happiness, wealth and prosperity.