Building a strong all people’s national defence is a strategic and permanent line of the Party with the aim of strengthening defence might and firmly protect the Fatherland in any situation. Given the current complicated context of the world and regional security and political situations, this mission is becoming more important and necessary.

Building the all people’s national defence is, by nature, to build a strong material and mental foundation for national defence cause to successfully protect the Fatherland. In practice, thanks to the implementation of the all people’s defence line, our revolution has gained important achievements. At present, the world, regional and domestic situations are seen with latent complications, setting out new requirements for the cause of Fatherland protection. Therefore, building the all people’s defence holds a crucial position to defeat the “peaceful evolution” and disruptive schemes of hostile forces while strengthening defence might and enhancing the capability to defend the country and defeat all plots of invasion. Building the all people’s national defence consists of several contents, but the main issue is to build political, economic, military, socio-cultural potentials to create firm foundation for protecting the Fatherland in the new situation.

Building political potential is an important content, deciding the strength of the all people’s national defence. The Vietnam’s National Defence Strategy for the new situation clearly specified that: “Persistent with the lines of all people’s national defence and people’s war associated with building strong political systems”. As such, building the political foundation of the all people’s national defence is, first and foremost, to build the political system, focusing on the Party building. Facing the new requirements and missions, it is necessary to resolutely and persistently implement the Central Resolution No. 4 (XII tenure) on Party building and rectification, and attach importance to the work of building the Party strong in politics, ideology, structure and morality, enhance the expertise and combativeness of the entire Party and each cadre and party member, especially the key leading ones. Strengthen the Party’s leadership over the cause of building the all people’s national defence and Fatherland protection. Build the socialist rule of law State which is truly of the people, by the people and for the people to enhance the efficacy and effectiveness of governmental management and operations. Renew the contents and modes of operations of the Fatherland Front and people’s unions and exercise democracy, social supervision and criticism. Strengthen the national unity bloc, generate and promote the synergy for Fatherland protection.

Together with building the political system, it is necessary to focus on building the “people’s heart and mind posture” to create solid base for building the all people’s national defence and the people’s security. Emphasis should be placed on building and consolidating people’s belief in the Party, State and socialism, stimulating their patriotism, national pride, and responsibility.

Building economic potential for the all people’s national defence is to build a material foundation for the cause of all people’s national defence and Fatherland protection. Firstly, develop the socialist oriented market economy to generate plenty of goods and material for the economy and increase the reserve level for defence cause. Perfect the system of laws, mechanism, and policies for mobilising forces and vehicles from the economy to serve the defence missions as well as build the people’s defence in the private-owned and FDI enterprises. Ensure socialist-orientation and avoid derailment during the economic growth. Safeguard the independence and autonomy of the economy; widen international economic cooperation to mobilise external sources in the building of the defence posture and protect the Fatherland soon and from afar.

The core contents of building economic potentials are to combine socio-economic development with defence and security consolidation; develop the posture and forces of the all people’s national defence in the socio-economic development. To have synchronous and unified combination between economy and defence right in the making of policies and master plans from the Central to local levels; make adjustments in the plans to suit each locality, strategic and crucial region in defence and security.  Foster the establishment of dual-use projects; combine the planning of focal economic region with defence, especially in the national strategic defensive areas. Facilitate the socio-economic development in border areas together with strengthening defence, security and external affairs; develop marine economy together with firmly protecting the sovereignty over seas and islands. Develop and integrate defence industry with the national industry, and gradually establish high-tech dual-use defence cooperation. Accelerate the exploitation of scientific-technological achievements in the production of military hardware, focusing on the missile systems, auto-command, cyber-warfare, etc. to ensure modern military platforms, meeting the requirements and mission of Fatherland protection.

Building the military strength is to build the basic, special and core foundation of the all people’s national defence and the cause of Fatherland protection. The first thing in building military strength is to build military forces and the all people’s forces. These are important factors for a people’s armed insurrection when necessary. Build the people armed forces, the core force of the all people’s national defence to meet the requirements and mission of Fatherland protection in the new area. Build the Vietnam People’s Army “revolutionary, regular, seasoned and gradually modern” with some forces being developed straight forwards to modernity. They are supposed to have high political merit, overall quality, and combat power and always be a faithful and reliable combat and political force of the Party, State and People.

In addition to building military might, it is necessary to study and have adjustments in the disposition of forces to lay out well-established order of battle all across the country and in each direction and theatre. Build the provinces and cities into firm and inter-connected defensive zones in the order of battle of the military zones. Continue to build key defence and military structures with priorities are given to the ones on seas, islands, border areas, and in strategic areas, in eco-defence zones and in strategic directions. Foster the research and development of military science, technology, social sciences and Vietnam’s arts of people’s war. Combine closely the building of defence with defence struggle; regularly grasp the situations and have the right anticipations, particularly strategic anticipations; stay vigilance and opportunely deal with defence and security situations successfully.

Building the socio-cultural potentials is to build the mental foundation of the all people’s national defence. In the defence and military fields, it is necessary to pay due attention to building a healthy cultural environment, strengthen education about the nation’s tradition, history and culture. Attach importance to the young generations; preserve and protect the nation’s cultural identity; resolutely counter and prevent the cultural dependence and invasion. Strictly manage the operations of journalism, propagation, press, etc. to ensure security, information safety. Actively provide accurate information to guide the public opinion and neutralise the bad and harmful information.

Building the political, economic, military, socio-cultural potentials for the all people’s national defence is to build the very basic elements of the all people’s national defence. When conduct, it is necessary to exploit strength of time through external affairs; build the all people’s national defence posture associated with the people’s security posture to generate and promote the synergy for firmly safeguarding the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

Lt. Gen. Tran Thai Binh