Vietnam celebrates the 74th anniversary of Independence Day on 2 September. The sixth president of FIDE, first president of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov congratulated his Vietnamese friends on the country's main holiday. It reads as follows:

“I sincerely congratulate all my Vietnamese friends on Independence Day! Your country is famous for its rich traditions, friendliness, great history and great opportunities. Everyone knows the price the people of Vietnam had to pay for freedom. We remember this and understand well what the citizens of your Republic had to go through. Today, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a very beautiful, freedom-loving country with wonderful and kind people.