Emblem of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

On February 3, 1930 the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded in Hong Kong under the leadership of the legendary leader of the Vietnamese people Ho Chi Minh. Then called the Communist Party of Indochina, it was founded at a time the people of Vietnam were facing the most brutal oppression and exploitation under French colonialism. Vietnamese patriots were killed, incarcerated or exiled when they organized in the anti-colonial anti-imperialist struggle to overthrow the French. The resistance was heroic but not successful because it lacked competent leadership and revolutionary theory based on the conditions of Vietnam to guide it. It was Ho Chi Minh who summed up the striving of the Vietnamese people’s anti-colonial struggle against the French colonizers and concluded that without a Communist Party with a Marxist-Leninist theory and outlook to guide the movement, the Vietnamese people would continue to face great difficulty in crowning their anti-colonial struggle with victory.

At the time of the founding of the Party Ho Chi Minh gave the call:

The Indochinese Communist Party has been founded. It is the Party of the working class. It will help the proletariat lead the revolution waged for the sake of all oppressed and exploited people. From now on we must join the Party, help it and follow it in order to implement the following slogans:

1. To overthrow French imperialism and Vietnamese feudalism and reactionary bourgeoisie;

2. To make Indochina completely independent;

3. To establish a worker-peasant-soldier government;

4. To confiscate the banks and other enterprises belonging to the imperialists and put them under the control of the worker-peasant-soldier government;

5. To confiscate all the plantations and property belonging to the imperialists and the Vietnamese reactionary bourgeoisie and distribute them to the poor peasants;

6. To implement the eight-hour working day;

7. To abolish the forced buying of government bonds, the poll-tax and all unjust taxes hitting the poor;

8. To bring democratic freedoms to the masses;

9. To dispense education to all the people;

10. To realize equality between man and woman.

Under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam, the people of Vietnam drove out the French and Japanese militarists, proclaimed their republic in September 1945, and then organized the people to defeat the efforts of the French (aided by the U.S., Canada and other Anglo-imperialist states) to recolonize Vietnam, and then those of the U.S. imperialists when they took up where the French had left off. The Communist Party of Vietnam, at monumental cost and sacrifice, made a historic contribution to the anti-colonial anti-imperialist struggles of the world’s peoples for peace, and laid the foundation of the new Vietnam. In all of this the Communist Party of Vietnam was steeled and seasoned to be the instrument of the Vietnamese people’s striving for independence, self-determination and prosperity.

In his “Testament” of 1969, the year of his death, Ho Chi Minh again highlighted the decisive role of the Communist Party of Vietnam as the organizer and mobilizer of the people to defend their interests:

“First about the Party — Thanks to its close unity and total dedication to the working class, the people and the Homeland, our Party has been able, since its founding, to unite, organize and lead our people from success to success in a resolute struggle. Unity is an extremely precious tradition of our Party and people. All comrades, from the Central Committee down to the cells, must preserve the unity and oneness of mind in the Party as the apple of their eye.

“Within the Party, to establish broad democracy and to practice self-criticism and criticism regularly and seriously is the best way to consolidate and develop solidarity and unity. Comradely affection should prevail.

“Ours is a party in power. Each Party member, each cadre must be deeply imbued with revolutionary morality, and show industry, thrift, integrity, uprightness, total dedication to the public interest and complete selflessness. Our Party should preserve absolute purity and prove worthy of its role as the leader and very loyal servant of the people.”

The legacy of the Party that Ho Chi Minh founded s expressed and strengthened in the Communist Party of Vietnam today as it continues to find its bearings under complex conditions and in all circumstances. Vietnam has successfully dealt with the external challenges in the world, the rivalry of big powers, the crisis in the imperialist system of states by strengthening and consolidating the Communist Party of Vietnam. Its successful 13th Congress held at the end of January 2021 strengthens the optimism and confidence of the Vietnamese people that the future of revolutionary Vietnam shines bright.

The glorious history of the Communist Party of Vietnam in leading the Vietnamese people in building a prosperous and modern socialist society is a vivid example of the indispensable role of the Communist Party in uniting the people to build a society for the benefit of all. In this way, Vietnam has also succeeded in taking its place in the world as a highly respected nation which is a force for peace, freedom and democracy at home and internationally.

These facts refute the imperialist propaganda against communist parties which comes from those ruling circles which are trying to cover up the fact that it is the system of liberal democracy with its multi-party system and constitutional disorder which is the most hegemonic and oppresses the working class and people and prevents the society from moving forward.

As we celebrate the anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, it is important to use this opportunity to study and reflect on the role of the communist party in modern society to organize and unite the people to sort out the problems they and humanity face.

The living links between the Canadian and Vietnamese people were forged when tens of thousands of Canadians across Canada, particularly the youth, stood with the Vietnamese people in their struggle to defeat U.S. imperialism and reunify their divided nation. They also vigorously opposed Canada’s sale of weapons and armaments, including warheads, bullets, and chemicals to make napalm, and other war materials to the U.S., which were in turn used against the Vietnamese people. The ties between the Vietnamese people today are enhanced with visits by Canadians to Vietnam to get to know and appreciate that country, and other bilateral ties, and the contributions made by Vietnamese students studying in Canada. The Canadian people will always stand with revolutionary Vietnam.

Significant Milestones in Vietnam’s
National Construction and Development

(TML Archives)