I have always been happy to be a Vietnamese, says Professor Ha Ton Vinh

DNHN - Professor Ha Ton Vinh's sharing with Enterprise & Integration Magazine on the occasion of the Tiger New Year: “I believe that Vietnam possesses sufficient strength to develop industrially and become a powerful country. I've visited over 90 countries. Nobody knows where they are from, because they believe Vietnam has not yet made a strong impression on their subconscious. However, regardless of where I am, I am always proud to be Vietnamese.”

Reporter: Sir, the Vietnamese people's greatest virtue is their determination to be self-sufficient, independent, and invincible. We have triumphed over numerous adversarial forces throughout history. The Vietnamese ethnic group, on the other hand, continues to lag behind the global average. Although we must recognize the Vietnamese people's intelligence and willingness to make sacrifices for the country's survival and advancement. What, in your opinion, should we do to ensure that Vietnam remains a strong nation after the war?

Professor Ha Ton Vinh:

Three key points must be considered while discussing Vietnam, its strength, and national pride.It is the result of a synthesis of history, geography, and culture. Our country's history spans thousands of years, from its inception through its defence and progress.We build a nation from the ashes of a group, nation, or tribe. And we have kept our so-called national identity and spirit throughout thousands of years of history. We remain Vietnamese, speak Vietnamese, and are infected with the Vietnamese spirit.Culture is the adhesive that has held the diverse peoples, tribes, and races together from their inception.Vietnam offers a beautiful landscape and a strategic location, spanning hundreds of kilometres from north to south across the sea.Our country controls the lion's share of the South China Sea.Military alliances have been formed throughout the world to ensure and protect the security of the East Sea's southern and northern regions.

However, no country is economically or militarily powerful enough to occupy the East Sea's epicentre.Vietnam is a robust country that benefits from a favourable geographical location.In 2019, Vietnam adopted a three-no strategy, which has since been expanded to a four-no strategy, which includes the following: not joining a military alliance; not aligning with one country to fight another; not allowing foreign countries to establish military bases or use Vietnamese territory to fight other countries, and not using or threatening to use force in international relations.We already have three outstanding components in place to construct the country; the fourth is economic.In 2045, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam will celebrate its centennial, renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.24 years are remaining, which is a brief window of opportunity for us to expand the country.We are missing a paradigm, asynchronous development method, and scalability.We have succeeded in defending the country, forming the nation, and securing a geographically unique place.However, when compared to other nations experiencing similar conditions to ours, such as Korea and Japan, their economy has grown significantly.While many claims that Vietnam is fast expanding economically, the country falls behind several other countries in terms of potential.

Reporter: Our goal is to keep the things that we already have, like history and geography. We also want to keep growing the economy. For economic growth, what are the most important things to keep in mind?

Professor Ha Ton Vinh:

The state must shape the strengths of each region and province.Only the national economy is supported by four solid pillars: history, geography, culture, and economics.Until 2045, our objective should be economic growth.Economics serves as a springboard for pursuing loftier goals.Rural and urban areas must coexist peacefully.The countryside cannot remain impoverished, while the metropolis cannot remain excessively prosperous.Similar to Vietnam, nearly 80% of Americans farmed 150 years ago. However, they bring science, economics, and technology to rural areas.Although Americans farm at a rate of less than 1.3 per cent, they are the world's largest agricultural exporter.It's the technology; it's the strategy.We need to rebalance the countryside and the city since agriculture employs 70% of our country's population, with 30% living in cities.The government leverages US expertise to ensure Vietnam's food security.

Agriculture, rural areas, and farmers must play a critical role in the country's development.We need to bring technology, people, and money to rural areas so that farmers can reap the benefits of agriculture while remaining in rural areas to produce. Agriculture employs 3% of the population and is the world's largest exporter of agricultural products.It's not about the technology; it's about the approach.

Reporter: We are all aware that no country or institution is perfect at its inception. An entire country works diligently, struggles, builds and grows through a series of steps. There are groups of people who lack resources, live in unhealthy environments, and even live in colonial countries. They gradually built a country with a strong economy and an efficient government. How do you feel about the narrative surrounding how to build a strong country?

Professor Ha Ton Vinh:

First, I replied, build the human economy.We need skills and leaders.The Entity must take the initiative, develop strategies, and invest in people and resources. Their functions and places in government, state agencies, from the federal government down to the villages are utilised.We aim to choose 5 million individuals from the remaining 93 million, who are good, have hearts, and are highly trained.What can I do to make use of their skills and not waste them?What will these individuals do for the nation, for the common progress, if they are not given a voice or decision-making power?Nobody expects to be exploited by the state or the government and I call it a waste of time. When it comes to human resources, there are four things to do: locate talent, employ talent, treat talent, and retain talent.Leaders don't have to be perfect but require boldness, courage to speak, honesty, and timing.For a leader, two things are required: guts and talent-employ The nation must grow, and Party members can accomplish things that non-Party members cannot.Many individuals can do it but don't say anything, therefore it can’t spread.Leaders must first recognize the issue, then recruit and place skilled individuals.Not only do but lead on solutions.

Reporter: And you still focus on using talented people?

Professor Ha Ton Vinh:

I think Vietnam has enough strength and resources to become an industrially developed country.

Reporter: To build a strong Vietnamese nation, the self-respect, responsibility, and morale of the business community must be cultivated with both passion and excitement.

Professor Ha Ton Vinh:

How to make the country more developed, that is the responsibility of businesspeople.Entrepreneurs must be responsible for themselves, their businesses, their workers, society and the country.And then become a global international entrepreneur.When it comes to Panasonic, Honda, and Sony, everyone knows Japan, and when it comes to Samsung, everyone knows Korea.We not only need to become an enterprise with Vietnamese and Asian brands but also international brands.But what do we say about Vietnam, should we keep talking about the brand of war, fighting against the US to save the country.We have passed the stage of nation-building and nation-building, to the stage of nation-building and national development, we must have something.At some point, there must be a business to rise above, to become a world enterprise, a world brand.We need sustainable development.Covid-19 is a test, to see if we can survive in difficult times, can we live, or we have to start all over again.

Because wealth belongs to the society, I'm just the keeper, I hold it to help the development, now I give it back to society so that others can continue to develop.For many people in many countries, the beginning of spring is always an opportunity to look back, to set goals for striving, to move forward.Setting a goal now for Vietnam to become a powerful, sustainable country by 2045 is essential and nothing is out of reach for all of us.

Reporter: Thank you so much!

Ngat Do