Vietnamese and Cambodian soldiers protect Angkor Wat in June, 1982. (Source: Quang Thanh/VNA)

In December 1978, responding to the call of the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation and the Cambodian people, the Vietnamese army and people coordinated with the Cambodian revolutionary armed forces to launch an operation against the Khmer Rouge to completely liberate Cambodia.

Helping with an impartial and pure spirit

From 1979 to 1989, Vietnamese experts, sent to aid the Cambodian revolution, successfully completed their important international tasks with an impartial, pure, and noble spirit without precedent in global external affairs. They helped Cambodian friends complete a miraculous national revival.

“In response to the call of the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation, Vietnam sent a big force to stop Pol Pot. We liberated Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979, and pushed Pol Pot's army into the western mountains of Cambodia. Some American scholars praised Vietnam's actions to save Cambodia from genocide,” said Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Manh Ha, former Director of the Institute of Party History of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Immediately after liberating Cambodia, Vietnam helped the neighboring country organize a new government, sent technical experts to renovate and build a new Cambodia, prevented the return of the genocidal regime, and protected the revolutionary achievements of the Cambodian people.

“Our slogan is ‘When friends don't know something, we do it for them. Once friends start knowing how to do it, we do it with them. When friends grow up and are able to do it, we just help.’ This is a special mission. We decided that helping our friends is helping ourselves,” said Nguyen Van De, former Vietnamese expert sent to Cambodia.

Every year, when Cambodia celebrates the day it escaped the Pol Pot regime, the leaders of the Cambodian Party and State express their gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, people, and volunteer forces. Former Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hunsen has repeatedly said that Vietnam's great merits will forever be remembered in Cambodian history.

Cambodian people call Vietnamese volunteer soldiers the "Buddhist soldiers" and the army of justice. (photo: VNA)

International solidarity spirit promoted today

Since the historic milestone, the spirit of international solidarity and Vietnam’s humane and charitable tradition have continued to be promoted by specific actions.

In February 2023, an earthquake caused devastation in Turkey and Syria. Vietnam was one of the first countries to send search and rescue teams to Turkey and provided emergency support worth 100,000 USD to both Turkey and Syria.

When an earthquake and tsunami caused great damage in Japan’s northeastern provinces in 2011, the Vietnamese government sent 200,000 USD to the Japanese people, plus donations worth 7.8 million USD from Vietnamese organizations and individuals.

In November, 2023, Vietnam contributed 500,000 USD to the UN’s humanitarian relief for Palestinian people affected by the Gaza conflict.

So far, Vietnam has sent 790 officers to UN peacekeeping missions. At a farewell ceremony for doctors and soldiers departing for UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and Abyei on June 29, President Vo Van Thuong said, “Your luggage is national pride, solidarity, creativity, professionalism, and the noble qualities of ‘Uncle Ho's soldiers’ in the new era.”

“With the companionship of the United Nations and friendly countries, and the support of international partners, you will make effective and practical contributions to regional and global peace and security. You will also help enhance Vietnam’s position and prestige, and promote the image of a responsible Vietnam with peace-loving people who are aware of their global duty and have a desire that all people around the world live in peace, stability, safety, and prosperity,” he said. 

A global trend in international cooperation relations is to place peace, compassion, and people at the center. That’s a goal that Vietnam always upholds in international volunteer missions.