Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang speaks at a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory in France (Photo: Thu Ha/ VNA)

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang spoke of international solidarity, in particular the French people’s support for Vietnam during its struggle for national independence and peace, as a firm foundation for friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He said he hopes the two peoples will carry forward this tradition.

At an earlier roundtable, Professor Pierre Journoud of Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University said, that the Dien Bien Phu victory was the result of military tactics conceived by the Politburo and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

"It was an effective combination of politics, military force, and diplomacy. The victory is a symbol of national unity, not only among soldiers but also among all social strata, who sacrificed themselves to transport ammunition, food, and medicine and repaired roads.”