International media reports on Vietnam's grand April 30th ceremony

Thousands of Vietnamese celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of war on Wednesday, in what the country's communist leader said was a "victory of justice over tyranny".

Celebrations culminated in a grand parade in Ho Chi Minh City with thousands of marching troops and an air show featuring Russian-made fighter jets and helicopters, as Vietnamese waved red flags and sang patriotic songs.

"It was a victory of justice over tyranny" - To Lam, Vietnam's Communist party chief and the country's top leader, said on Wednesday, citing one of Ho Chi Minh's mottos: "Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth will never change."

AP

Vietnam celebrated the end of the war with the United States and the formation of its modern nation 50 years ago Wednesday with a military parade and a focus on a future of peace.

Thousands camped overnight on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City — once known as Saigon — to watch the parade, drinking strong black coffee and having their faces painted with the Vietnamese flag.

The parade included a float that carried the Lac Bird, Vietnam’s emblem, another carrying a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh and finally one that represented 50 years of reunification between North and South Vietnam.

Chinese, Laotian and Cambodian troops marched behind Vietnamese army formations, including some wearing uniforms similar to what was worn by northern Vietnamese troops during the war. 

Helicopters carrying the national flag and jets flew over the parade near Independence Palace, where the war ended when a North Vietnamese tank smashed through its gates.

Pham Ngoc Son is a 69-year-old veteran who was an army truck driver bringing troops and supplies from the north to the south through the Ho Chi Minh trail - the secret route used by North Vietnam. 

He’s on a weeklong tour of the city, which he remembers entering as a part of the northern troops that took over.

He said he cherished those memories and couldn’t describe the joy he felt at that moment. But now there was "only space for peace and friendship” between the U.S. and Vietnam.

Nguyen Thi Hue, a resident of Ho Chi Minh city, agreed. “The war has ended and we shake hands for development. Now it’s time for peace. Peace is the dream that everyone in the world wants" - Hue said.

Xinhua reports with a photo series capturing moments of the night of April 29th, on the eve of the April 30th grand ceremony:

Khmer Times

Cambodia has dispatched 119 personnel of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) to Vietnam to take part in a military parade marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975–2025).

The event, set to take place in Ho Chi Minh City, also includes the participation of troops from China and Laos – marking the first time foreign armed forces have joined a Vietnamese national parade.

The Cambodian delegation is attending at the official invitation of the Vietnamese government. Senate President Hun Sen, who is also President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP),  leads a high-level Cambodian delegation to the celebration.

Vietnamese media reported on Sunday that parade rehearsals were held in preparation for the commemorative event, which highlights the close and long-standing ties between Vietnam and its neighbours.

Brigadier General Eng Hy, spokesman for the RCAF, confirmed that Cambodia’s participation marks a historic first.

“This is the first time the RCAF has sent troops to participate in a Vietnamese military parade celebrating the reunification of Vietnam,” he said.