Reflecting on President Ho Chi Minh’s Revolutionary Journey in Guangzhou, China

Vietnamese Consul General in Guangzhou Nguyen Viet Dung and the delegation of Vietnamese press and media agencies visit the exhibition "Comrade Ho Chi Minh in Guangzhou". (Photo: Thu Trang)

The "Red Journey" following President Ho Chi Minh's footsteps is particularly significant as it coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the Vietnam-China Year of People-to-people Exchange. For Vietnamese press and media agencies, this event is even more meaningful as it marks the birthplace of the newspaper Thanh nien, which heralded the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary journalism 100 years ago.

"Red Address" marking his footsteps

In a space filled with historical milestones, the delegation was introduced by the Site Management Board to the history and value of the site in Vietnam's revolutionary process and the friendship and solidarity between the two Parties and peoples of Vietnam and China.

President Ho Chi Minh's journey to find a way to save the nation cannot be mentioned without his activities in China.

On November 11, 1924, the young Nguyen Ai Quoc arrived in Guangzhou, China, from Moscow (Soviet Union) under the alias Ly Thuy, working as a translator for Soviet advisor Mikhail Markovich Borodin. At that time, Guangzhou was the political center of the Chinese Revolution and a hub for several Asian revolutionaries.

Exhibition "Comrade Ho Chi Minh in Guangzhou". (Photo: Thu Trang)

With the assistance of the Chinese Communist Party, Nguyen Ai Quoc prepared theoretical, communication, organizational work, and cadre training, laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam and facilitating his return to lead Vietnam's revolutionary movement. During this period, he participated in activities of the Chinese Communist Party, building deep friendships with the Chinese people in the revolutionary struggle.

In Guangzhou, he disseminated Marxist-Leninist theories on national liberation movements. In June 1925, Nguyen Ai Quoc founded the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League based on the Tam Tam Society. This was Vietnam's first revolutionary organization guided by Marxist-Leninist theory.

Located at what is now 248 and 250 Wenming Road, Guangzhou, the site was the former location of the Vietnamese Youth Political Training Class and the headquarters of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League (the precursor to the Communist Party of Vietnam) led by President Ho Chi Minh.

Here, Nguyen Ai Quoc opened three political training classes, training 75 Vietnamese revolutionary cadres, and served as the main lecturer.

The first course, which provided initial revolutionary knowledge, had only five students and was opened in 1925, including Pham Van Đong, Vietnam's first Prime Minister.

His lectures were compiled and published as "Duong Kach menh" (Revolutionary path), a handbook for the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League, one of the first theoretical documents of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

In 1971, during a visit to Guangzhou, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai officially recognized the house as a historical site that must be preserved and restored. The site is managed by the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum and has been classified as a national cultural and historical relic of China.

The historical site located at what is now 248 and 250 Wenming Road, Guangzhou. (Photo: Minh Duc)

For many years, the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum and the Guangzhou Cultural Bureau have preserved and promoted the value of this historical site. (Photo: Thu Trang)

For many years, the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum and the Guangzhou Cultural Bureau have preserved and promoted the value of this historical site.

The exhibition structure of the site includes: The first floor hosts the "Comrade Ho Chi Minh in Guangzhou" exhibition; the second floor features two areas with seating and bookshelves, equipped with LED screens to display welcome messages for visiting delegations, along with photos of high-level Vietnamese leaders visiting the site, an event chronology of the site (establishment, restoration), and a map of Chinese revolutionary sites around the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League Headquarters; the third floor recreates the activity spaces of Ho Chi Minh and members of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League (the Thanh nien newspaper printing room, meeting room, classroom, dormitory, outdoor balcony).

The Thanh niên newspaper printing room. (Photo: Thu Trang)

In a space filled with historical imprints, the delegation was introduced by the Site Management Board to the history and value of the site in Vietnam's revolutionary process and the friendship and solidarity between the two Parties and peoples of Vietnam and China. (Photo: Minh Đuc)

Testament to Vietnam-China Friendship

During the State visit to China in August 2024, at the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League Headquarters site, General Secretary and President To Lam wrote in the memorial book: "The delegation of the Party and State of Vietnam is deeply moved to visit the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League Headquarters - where our beloved President Ho Chi Minh spent revolutionary years, where the first steadfast generations of Vietnamese communists were trained, and where the selfless, pure international communist sentiment and traditional friendship, solidarity, and bond, 'both comrades and brothers', between the two Parties, two countries, and peoples of Vietnam and China were witnessed. Vietnam-China friendship will forever flourish and endure!"

General Secretary and President To Lam wrote in the memorial book in the State visit to China in August 2024. (Source: Consulate General of Vietnam in Guangzhou)

As a researcher and history teacher, Dr. Truong Thi Bich Hanh, Vice Principal of the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and a member of the "Vietnam-China Friendship Journey", was deeply moved to visit historical sites like the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League Headquarters.

Dr. Truong Thi Bich Hanh emphasized that this site is crucial, witnessing a significant turning point in Vietnam's revolution. Here, Nguyen Ai Quoc directly prepared politically, ideologically, and organizationally for the later establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Also here, through Nguyen Ai Quoc's political training classes, many outstanding Vietnamese youths received correct revolutionary theories, becoming "red seeds", future leaders of Vietnam's revolution.

Dr. Truong Thi Bich Hanh, Vice Principal of the High School for Gifted Students in Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, shares her thoughts on visiting the site. (Photo: Thu Trang)

For Dr. Truong Thi Bich Hanh personally, returning to the site at 248-250 Wenming Road (Guangzhou) is even more meaningful and emotional as she feels that, over 100 years, the site has been well preserved.

"Every room and simple object reflects the beautiful journey of Vietnamese patriotic youth towards ideals and also testifies to the friendship between the two countries. In this 'Vietnam-China Friendship Journey', traveling with journalists from both countries, I hope this meaningful 'red address' will become more widely known to the public," Dr. Truong Thi Bich Hanh shared.

Visiting the site for the first time, Li Jinling, a doctoral student at Sun Yat-sen University, expressed her impression of President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities in Guangzhou. During this period, he actively established friendships with the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people. According to Li Jinlinh, Comrade Ho Chi Minh was not only a great leader of Vietnam but also a friend deeply respected and remembered by the Chinese people.

Li Jinlinh, a doctoral student at Sun Yat-sen University, is impressed by Comrade Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary journey in Guangzhou. (Photo: Thu Trang)

Consul General NguyenViet Dung and members of the 'Vietnam-China Friendship Journey' take a commemorative photo. (Photo: Minh Đuc)

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