Overview

• Communist Party chief To Lam opened the Hanoi parade with a pledge to defend Vietnam's independence and territorial integrity down to every inch of land.
• Around 40,000 troops and civilians took part as tanks, drones, missile batteries, helicopters and jets rolled and flew past Ba Dinh Square before tens of thousands of spectators.
• Honor guards from China, Russia, Laos and Cambodia marched, with senior figures including China’s Zhao Leji, Cambodia’s Hun Sen and Cuba’s Miguel Díaz-Canel in attendance, and the United States sending an embassy representative.
• State-run firms, notably Viettel, showcased 'Make in Vietnam' systems such as air defense vehicles, artillery, communications gear and drones, reflecting a multi-year push for defense self-reliance after reliance on Russian arms.
• The government paired the festivities with a one-time 100,000 dong payment to each citizen and an amnesty for 13,920 prisoners, and also staged a televised naval parade off Cam Ranh featuring submarines and frigates.