From the August Revolution to the revolution of streamlining apparatus (Part 8)

PART 8: DONG NAI ENTERS A NEW ERA TOGETHER WITH THE REST OF THE NATION

The August Revolution of 1945 was a glorious milestone in the history of the Vietnamese nation, marking the triumph of self-reliance, resilience, and the spirit of great national unity. Eighty years since those historic autumn days, our country has overcome countless hardships and challenges to achieve remarkable progress. The lessons learned from this great victory remain relevant today, serving as a lodestar for national renovation and development.

In Dong Nai – one of the most dynamic provinces in the country – with its recognized potential and advantages, creatively applying the lessons of the August Revolution holds special significance in realizing the aspiration to rise alongside the rest of the nation in this new era.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung (6th, from right) and delegates perform the inauguration ritual for Coherent factory at Nhon Trach 1 Industrial Park – a testament to the confidence of leading global technology corporations in Dong Nai’s investment environment. Photo: Vuong The

Affirming the Party’s leadership role in Vietnam’s revolution

In the context of ongoing renovation, integration, and the pursuit of fast and sustainable development, inheriting and creatively applying the lessons of the August Revolution is a mission of strategic importance, both in theory and in practice. In this process, the Party’s leadership plays a decisive and fundamental role and continues to be affirmed throughout the country’s renewal and development journey. This is also a consistent, overarching ideology and an immutable principle of the Vietnamese revolution.

The success of the August Revolution is a clear demonstration of the brilliant and clear-sighted leadership of the Indochinese Communist Party, the forerunner of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Analyzing the valuable lessons learned from the victory, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Dung, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Region II, emphasized: the Party identified the opportunity and, most importantly, seized it to lead the nation to one of the “resounding feats of arms with historic and epochal significance for Vietnam” in the 20th century. The success of the August Revolution did not come by chance; it resulted from 15 years of careful preparation.

“At that time, Vietnam had many parties, factions, and political tendencies. Yet only the communists could rally the strength of the entire people. The patriotism of the people was consolidated, forming an invincible force that led to victory,” Dr. Dung underlined.

95 years of accompanying the nation, the Party has gathered, organized, and harnessed the strength of the people, building a solid great national unity bloc that achieved historic triumphs. Beyond defeating two powerful imperialists and colonizers in the past, from a nation besieged, sanctioned, and devastated by war, the Party recognized both opportunities and challenges, seized new openings, and overcame shortcomings to lead the renewal process. As a result, Vietnam today enjoys solid foundations, capabilities, stature, and prestige on the international stage.

Seizing opportunities to lead the nation into a new era

If the August Revolution’s victory resulted  from the Party’s ability to assess the domestic and global situation and make timely, correct decisions, then today, our country once again stands at a historic turning point. The Party has identified and mobilized the people for a new “revolution” in the nation’s development journey. The goal of this new era is a prosperous people, a strong country, and a socialist society that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the world.

In a themed report on the nation’s new development era, Party General Secretary To Lam noted: “The world is undergoing a period of epochal change. The period from now until 2030 will be the most critical stage for shaping a new world order. This is also a period of important strategic opportunities, a decisive stage of the Vietnamese revolution to achieve the 100-year strategic goal under the leadership of the Party, setting the stage for reaching the centennial goal of the nation’s founding.”

Now is the time when the Party’s will is in harmony with the people’s hearts and minds in the aspirations for building a prosperous and happy country. It is also the moment when Vietnam’s combined strengths and advantages are coming together to propel the nation into a new era. For developing and underdeveloped countries, this is also a chance to seize the opportunities brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, to leapfrog ahead for considerable development.

After the merger, the new Dong Nai is standing at a historic opportunity to restructure its growth model toward fast and sustainable development. To realize this aspiration, the province needs to build a comprehensive policy framework. Between 2026 and 2035, close cooperation between authorities, businesses, and citizens will be the decisive factor for achieving the target of 10% annual GRDP growth or higher.

Dr. Bui Van Thach, Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council

 

The clear identification of timing and objectives to launch a new “revolution” demonstrates the sharpness in formulating the country’s strategic development path. The lesson of seizing and leveraging opportunities from the August Revolution becomes even more evident, reflected in many of the Party’s revolutionary policies and directions in the current period, with the interests of the nation, the people, and the country placed above all, first and foremost.

After the liberation of the South, former Dong Nai Province faced countless challenges in overcoming war consequences, stabilizing people’s lives, and reviving production. By quickly restoring operations at Bien Hoa Industrial Zone (now Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park)- the largest industrial zone in the South at that time- Dong Nai promptly aligned with the open-door economic policy, became a pioneer in attracting foreign direct investment, and soon turned into the “cradle” of Vietnam’s industrialization.

Despite being an industrial province, Dong Nai has been a frontrunner in building new-style rural areas, promoting modern, sustainable, and globally integrated agriculture. The lesson of promoting the spirit of great national solidarity has been effectively applied in Dong Nai, strongly inspiring the process of building new-style rural areas by mobilizing the people’s strength, winning their hearts, and fostering consensus across all social strata, thereby creating a more vibrant and livable countryside.

In the former Binh Phuoc Province – once known as the “capital of resistance” – remarkable transformations have taken place. By 2025, the province’s economic scale has increased 92-fold compared to 1997, with GRDP growth consistently outpacing the national average.

Veteran Dinh Ngoc Ngan, a resident of Phuoc Long Ward, recalled: “If we look back to the early post-liberation years, Binh Phuoc has truly ‘transformed,’ becoming modern, humane, and prosperous. The Party, authorities, and community of 41 ethnic groups have stood united, overcoming hardships, driving economic growth, and preserving cultural identity. This has significantly improved living standards and contributed to the development of this once war-scorched land, now flourishing.

On July 1, 2025, the merger of both former Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai into the new Dong Nai Province marked a historic milestone. This event has unlocked new opportunities with outstanding competitive advantages and vast development space. By capitalizing on this, Dong Nai can rise to become a new growth pole, creating a major ripple effect on the region and the country.

Facing new tasks and broader development opportunities, the motto “Solidarity – the truth of all times” has been thoroughly embraced at 99 Party Congresses across the province. This ensures unity from top to bottom, across all sectors, turning aspirations into reality.

According to Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Committee Vo Tan Duc: With favorable conditions described as “timely opportunities, geographical advantages, and social harmony,” along with open investment policies and decentralized governance under Party and State direction, Dong Nai will fully harness its potential for rapid and sustainable growth. By turning challenges into drivers, uniting as one, the province will build itself into a powerful growth pole, worthy of serving as a shining model of cooperation and development, significantly contributing to building a strong and prosperous Vietnam.”

By: Phuong Uyen

Transalted by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha