Vietnam needs patriotic entrepreneurs to thrive

Stories about Binh Chuan and its owner Bach Thai Buoi are recorded in books, newspapers and documents that exist to this day.

When most of the maritime trade was controlled by French shipping lines, Buoi dared to start a business in the spirit of " Vietnamese goods for Vietnamese people," competing fairly with the colonial government and winning the trust of his compatriots with the quality of his services.

Now, in an era when global changes are affecting every economy, the patriotism of entrepreneurs is not only a valuable moral quality but also a core driving force that helps a country overcome challenges and affirm its position.

Vietnam is entering a new era, having completed 50 years of reunification.

This is a vital time to awaken nationalism in entrepreneurs.

Modern history has repeatedly showed that in many countries, during the most difficult times, entrepreneurs have joined forces with their governments, helping changing the destiny of their countries.

After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. In that situation, Lee Byung-chul, founder of Samsung, did not choose to import consumer goods, but invested heavily in industry and technology.

With the motto of using industry to drive the country forward, he and his company laid the foundation for the miraculous revival of the Korean economy.

In 1998, when South Korea was in a serious financial crisis and was forced to borrow nearly US$60 billion from the IMF, the government launched a campaign to collect gold from its people to pay off the national debt.

More than 3.5 million South Koreans contributed some 227 tons of gold (estimated to be worth more than $2 billion at that time).

Among them were businesspeople, ordinary citizens, the elderly, and children, with many voluntarily taking off their wedding rings, necklaces and family heirlooms to hand over to the State.

This was considered a shining symbol of the patriotism and community spirit of the Korean people during a difficult period.

After World War II Japan was devastated.

In the rubble, Morita Akio founded Sony with the desire to restore national honor through quality and innovation. He once said: "We are not just making products. We are regaining respect for Japan."

Sony became a symbol not only of technology but also of Japan's indomitable spirit.

In China, the Deng Xiaoping government a few decades ago had a policy of calling on successful Chinese businesspeople abroad to return and build the country.

People like Ren Zhengfei (Huawei) and Ma Yun (Alibaba), despite being under a lot of pressure from both the market and politics, always put national interests first, aiming to master technology and protect digital sovereignty.

In Vietnamese history, when the country was still under the yoke of colonialism, many businesspeople chose the arduous path of not only building a career for themselves but also the nation.

People wave Vietnam's national flags as they gather in downtown Ho Chi Minh City to watch a military parade to celebrate the country's 50th reunification anniversary in April 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Buoi, known as the "king of ships" of Vietnam in the early 20th century, not only started a successful business in the transportation industry but also competed with French shipping companies in Vietnam's rivers.

Buoi once hung a slogan on each of his vessels: "Our people will use our ships" - a proud call and awakened patriotism in the people.

Trinh Van Bo, a Hanoi capitalist who contributed nearly 5,000 taels (37.5 gm each) of gold to the Ho Chi Minh administration in the early days of the resistance war against France, made an important contribution to helping the young government overcome the financial crisis.

He considered business not just a tool to get rich but also a means to serve the country.

Such patriotic businesspeople have become inspirational examples for subsequent generations.

It is impossible not to mention the Vietnamese businesspeople who struggled in Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany... in the late 20th century.

They were all people who started their business from scratch during the subsidy period, stood in flea markets, carried goods, worked for hire in foreign countries, and saved all money earned abroad with the hope of returning to build their homeland.

Many of them later became pioneers in opening factories, creating jobs, bringing technology back to the country, and contributing to the modernization of the Vietnamese economy in the early years of doi moi.

They brought not only capital, but also the will and national spirit forged in foreign lands.

They did business not just for profit but also as a way to help the country escape poverty and accompany it in its journey toward its destiny.

The responsibility of businesspeople to their country does not end with making eloquent statements but is instead demonstrated by their actions like investing in domestic production, competing fairly with foreign enterprises, building Vietnamese brands in the international arena, creating jobs for people, and contributing to the nation's development.

In the context of Vietnam's gradual integration into the global economy, green transformation, digital transformation and improvements in productivity and value chains are vital goals.

To achieve them, the country needs a generation of entrepreneurs who are not only talented but also have a strong national spirit.

The 50th anniversary of national reunification is a time to remember that patriotism does not exist only in the trenches but also in factories, the marketplace and every Vietnamese brand that reaches out to the world.

*Dinh Hong Ky is a businessman and vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Businesss Association.