When developments of the East Sea issue became complicated, there appeared an incitement saying that “not being in alliance with any countries against the third country is an act of self-constraint and unpractical. The opinion is right on the surface, but in fact going against our Party’s viewpoints and guidelines. Thus it is really wicked and dangerous.

What is the purpose of “that call”? Why do they zealously request our Party and State for joining a military alliance with one country to fight against another at any rate? Who are they? Do they want to show their “sincere concern for the country and the people”? It is not difficult to find out the answers since their plots are to derail Vietnam’s defence diplomacy of independence and self-reliance to protect the Homeland, both in land and at sea and island, serving their dangerous intent.

In the world’s military and war history, military alliance is a popular phenomenon for invasion or counter-invasion. Military alliance might last in a short or long time. In general, its permanence depends on the world’s situations and the participation of each nation in the alliance.

Concerning political purposes, a military alliance could be just or unjust; regarding certain form and time, it could be temporary or permanent.

Vietnamese history of protecting the country has proved that the self-defensive, peaceful, and just nature of military alliance, and military alliance is an effective mode for Homeland protection at certain times.

Since its reunification, Vietnam has consistently pursued a national defence policy with the main contents as follows:

First, Vietnam follows a national defence policy of self-defence, neither using force nor threatening of using force. Second, Vietnam builds its national defence power on the basis of the overall strength of the whole nation, of the great solidarity of the masses, of the whole political system led by the Communist Party of Vietnam, combining the strength of the nation and the strength of the time, the strength of military forces and the all-people defence posture with the strength of people’s security forces and posture. Third, Vietnam’s national defence is always closely linked to the CPV and the State’s guideline of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development in external affairs, and the foreign policy of openness, multilateralization and diversification in international relations. Through its diplomatic activities, Vietnam has consolidated mutual understanding and trust with peoples and governments of other countries, laying the firm foundation for expanding cooperation and resolving differences in order to prevent and repulse the dangers of armed conflict, contributing to the maintenance of a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world. Fourth, on implementing the independent, self-reliant national defence policy, Vietnam build national defence power  mainly upon its own resources and external resources through international cooperation. Fifth, Vietnam advocates implementing the national defence strategy through a spectrum of political, diplomatic, socio-cultural, and military activities aiming at eradicating the causes of armed conflicts and wars. Sixth, Vietnam’s consistent policy is to solve both historical and newly emerging disputes over sovereign territory in land and at sea  through peaceful means on the basis of international laws. As for disputed sovereignty rights at sea, though there is sufficient historical evidence and legal foundation to prove Vietnam’s undeniable sovereignty over water areas and islands in the East Sea, including the Paracels (Hoang Sa) and the Spratlys (Truong Sa), it is always ready to negotiate with all parties concerned to find peaceful solutions to those disputes in conformity with regulations of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Vietnam consistently advocates neither joining any military alliances nor giving any other countries permission to have military bases or use its soil to carry out military activities against other countries.

Thanks to implementation of a sound national defence policy, Vietnam’s national defence power, over the past years, has been relentlessly consolidated, effectively contributing to the objectives and tasks of Homeland protection, maintaining peaceful and sustainable environment for developing the country, preventing armed conflicts and wars, strengthening peace, security, and building up friendship among countries in the region and the world. Therefore, Vietnam is highly appreciated by most of the countries and the international community.

In the world, one of the main causes of the wars and conflicts in South Europe, South Asia, Middle East, and North Africa over the past decades was that the governments and ruling parties of those countries followed the internal and foreign policies that lack independence and self-reliance. The disobedience to the rule of independence and self-reliance was also the cause of the civil war in Syria, the conflict in Ukraine, and the military escalation in Iraq. The governments and a number of people in those countries always expect “support” from external forces. They did not know that behind the actions that seemed to be uncalculated are the major countries’ ambitious plots relating to their strategic interests. The consequences for those countries are not only the destroyed socio-economic development and backwardness, but also the division and devastation with internecine killings.

Historical lessons withdrawing from its own and human beings’ losses are still valid at present. Nevertheless, there are some people who always “expect” and “urge” the government and the people of Vietnam to join a military alliance with other countries to contain or cope with another country in order to protect its independence, sovereignty, and territory. However, they seem not to calculate the potential risks. It would be “a change in Vietnam’s policy of human rights and democracy”, “the removal of Vietnam Communist Party’s leadership over the country and the Army”; or “a change in Party Platform abandoning the guideline of socialism” to follow Western-style nationalist and democratic path. It is easy to realize their incentive and sincerity. Their call for our government to join a military alliance is, in fact, going against the Party’s viewpoints and guidelines, aiming to weaken the Party’s leadership. This is a consistent objective of the hostile forces with a view to abolishing the Communist Party of Vietnam’s leadership and the socialist regime in our country. Thus, we must remain vigilant and keep fighting to refute this wicked and dangerous argument.

 Col., PhD. Nguyen Van Quang

Institute for Military Social Sciences and Humanities, Ministry of National Defence