Building defence capability is a major guideline of our Party and State, aimed to prepare and mobilise all resources and strengthen defence strength to protect the socialist Fatherland firmly. This pivotal matter continues to be mentioned in the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on the Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation with higher demands, thereby requiring thorough grasp and effective implementation at all echelons, branches and the whole society.

Defence capability is a core element of the all-people national defence and a fundamental factor in national power. In the Viet Nam Military Encyclopedia, defence capability is defined as the material and spiritual power at home and abroad that a country can mobilise to protect itself, preserve peace, prevent any plots and acts of aggression, and readily defeat wars (should they occur). This indicates that defence capability occupies an extremely important position and is an indispensable part of national power. Currently, the unified connotations of defence capability are political capability, social, cultural, economic capability, military capability, scientific and technological capability, and diplomatic capability. In the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on the Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation (thereinafter referred to as the Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation), our Party continues to be consistent with the guideline of establishing and promoting national capability and defence capability that are readily mobilised in an effective, timely, rapid manner to successfully carry out defence missions in any situations. More importantly, the mission and solution part of Strategy emphasises the importance of establishing defence capability, force, and posture as well as preparing national resources. This is the first time in a strategic document our Party affirms that defence capability is a vital part closely linked to national capability and overall power, creating an organic relationship and close connection between the two strategic tasks of building and protecting the Fatherland. This strategic thinking and vision of our Party, which contribute to increased national capability and overall power in every aspect, direct strengthening of defence strength, and firm protection of the Fatherland in the new situation, are manifested in the following key issues.

Training at Regiment 937, Division 370 under the Air Defence and Air Force

Building political capability is a matter of utmost importance and key to the ability to establish and mobilise other capabilities to successfully fulfil defence, military tasks and protection of the Fatherland. The Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation affirms the steadfastness in and effective application and development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought about safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation. This is a foundational confirmation that aims to strengthen and promote socialist ideology; morality, quality, and ability of the Party and political system; superiority of the socialist regime; traditional, cultural values; and people’s confidence in the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland under the leadership of the Party. Accordingly, effective building of political capability, first and foremost, requires comprehensive Party building and rectification in terms of politics, ideology, morality, organisation, and cadre. It is vital to develop the corps of cadres at all echelons, especially those at the strategic level and in the leadership positions, with quality, competence, and prestige on a par with mission requirements. In current situation, together with robust reform of leadership style, the Party must resolutely and persistently struggle against hostile, false perspectives; prevent and repel “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” within its organisations; effectively combat corruption, shortcomings, localism, factionalism, and group interest. It must also establish and perfect the law-governed socialist state of the people, by the people, and for the people; closely align law development with law enforcement, social management via law provisions, and building of a digital government. The Party needs to bring into play strength of the great national unity, socialist democracy, and people’s right to mastery, regarding this as the decisive capability that can be readily mobilised to carry out defence missions well. Moreover, it is vital to regularly reform operational content and form of the Fatherland Front and sociopolitical organisations; realise the perspective of relying on the people and taking people as the root as well as the motto: “the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people examine, the people supervise, and the people enjoy”; establish strong “people’s heart and mind posture.” The Party and State must care for people’s spiritual, material life; narrow the gap between rich and poor among areas, regions, and walks of life; well carry out policies on social security, ethnicity, and religion in areas that are of strategic importance, remote, and inhabited by ethnic minorities as well as in the border, at sea, and islands; arouse the aspiration for building a happy, wealthy country, thus generating consensus about undertaking security, defence mission and protection of the Fatherland.

Social, cultural, economic capability is always the vital spiritual, material foundation of the country in general and of the all-people national defence in particular. As a result of this importance, the Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation makes clear that “there is a need for building a self-reliant, independent economy; promoting industrialisation, modernisation, and national development in a sustainable, comprehensive, rapid manner; and closely combining socio-economic development with strengthening of defence and security.” This is a fundamental guidance for the whole Party, people, military, echelons, branches, forces, and political system to establish one of the most important elements of defence capability – economic capability. After all, economics determines defence strength. Development of economic capability is to prepare the country economically that is readily mobilised to carry out defence missions. Therefore, to achieve operationalisation of this concept requires us to further perfect the socialist-oriented market economy, promote industrialisation and modernisation of the economy, enhance national digital transformation, develop the digital economy and society, closely combine socio-economic development with strengthening of defence and security, attach importance to establishment and development of defence industry and dual-use products, and step up economic development in connection with protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity, borders, waters, islands, and national interests.

Furthermore, the Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation attaches special importance to cultural development, considering culture the endogenous strength and momentum for building and defending the Fatherland. The strategy emphasises leverage of fine traditions of the country, activation of the aspiration for building a happy, prosperous country, and establishment of national value system, cultural value system, and Vietnamese people standard. The digital cultural environment must be built in accordance with the digital economy, society, and citizens. It is vital to promote preservation, improvement, and leverage of cultural values deeply imbued with national identity, tangible and intangible culture of regions and ethnic minorities; absorb the cultural quintessence of humanity; and establish the cultural industry. Additionally, it is necessary to proactively disseminate national culture among international friends, which serves to attract them to Viet Nam and contribute to enhanced strength of peace and effective implementation of defence, security missions. These are matters of utmost importance, which directly relate to the spiritual foundation of the society, thus deserving serious perception with high responsibility.

One of the most crucial and unique factors of defence capability is military capability, thus requiring comprehensive development in terms of human, weapons, and equipment. The Strategy to Safeguard the Fatherland in the New Situation emphasises the need to persistently, seriously, and effectively carry out the guideline on all-people national defence and people’s war in the context of adversaries’ high-tech wars. This is a consistent direction throughout the revolutionary cause of our Party and people. It is also the factor that is key to creating and bringing into play the overall power and deterrent power and the prerequisite guarantee of stability in every aspect, especially in politics – a condition for sustainable, rapid development of the country. Accordingly, together with strengthening the Party’s direct, absolute leadership of the People’s Army, People’s Security, and the cause of national defence, security, and protection of the Fatherland, the strategy stresses the need for enhancing education and training of defence and security knowledge among various subjects and people, providing people with necessary military knowledge, and readily arming the whole people in critical defence contingencies, especially in the face of a war. The People’s Army must be built into a gradually modern, elite, regular, revolutionary force. Of note, priority is given to modernisation of some services, arms, and forces, striving for making the People’s Army revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern by 2030. In the near term, it is vital to successfully adjust military organisation in a strong, compact, adept direction in connection with rearranging forces, improving quality of human resources at all echelons, and issuing suitable polices aimed at attracting the high-quality human resource to the military. The reserve is to be built into a robust force while militia and self-defence force is to become extensive and highly qualified. Investment should be made in research, improvement, production, and procurement of increasingly modern, better weapons and equipment, especially the standoff weapons, high-altitude weapons, unmanned weapons, and equipment in support of night-time combat and operations under complex, difficult conditions. Key defence, military structures must be built in association with socio-economic development, especially those used for defending seas, islands, borders, and strategic areas. It is necessary to proactively assess and predict situations, which lays the basis for proposing sensible measures for the Party and State to successfully deal with defence contingencies and disputes; prevent and undermine the risk of conflict and war, thereby safeguarding the Fatherland from afar without falling into passivity and surprise.

Scientific and technological capability is the most important driver of developing productive forces and modern production. It is also the core factor in modernisation of the military. Thus, the establishment of this capability is clearly mentioned by the strategy. Accordingly, it is necessary to focus on developing some sciences and key technologies that make direct contribution to resolution of urgent issues and are suitable to conditions and resources of the country. Of note, priorities are given to transfer and application of scientific and technological advances to socio-economic, cultural fields, people development, national defence, and security. Investment is to be made in developing science and technology in defence sector. The national industry must be built in a dual-use, robust, modern, self-reliant direction. Priorities are given to development of some key industries, high technology, and mobilisation of civil industry for defence industry. In the near term, it is vital to research and apply achievements of international, national science and technology to military sector, which aims to modernise weapons and technical equipment, especially those used for forces advancing straight to modernity as well as key military fields. Moreover, there is a need to step up conducting research and development in the art of Viet Nam people’s war and operational, strategic levels of war that are suitable for new operational conditions in the war to safeguard the Fatherland. Attention is paid to studies on new concepts of operations and the ways to conduct campaigns in the sea, island, border directions as well as in strategic areas. Preparations must be made carefully in every aspect to ensure rapid, effective mobilisation for operations should the war occur.

Diplomacy plays a vital role in framing and preserving a stable, peaceful environment conducive to national building and development. Therefore, to establish diplomatic capability, the strategy stresses the need for developing diplomatic policies and people in charge of diplomatic work in peacetime and readily shifting diplomatic activities to wartime. To obtain this target requires consistently implementing the diplomatic guideline of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation for development, multilateralisation and diversification of relations, and proactive and active international integration. It is also vital to ensure top national interests; firmly preserve a stable, peaceful environment and mobilise external resources for national development; and ceaselessly enhance capabilities, position, and international prestige of the country. There is a need to foster sustainable, stable, in-depth, bilateral relationships. Of note, priority is given to diplomatic ties with neighbouring countries, regional countries, major powers, traditional friends, and others. Contradictions are proactively resolved by peaceful means in line with international law. In defence sector, diplomacy and defence diplomacy must put firm protection of independence, sovereignty, unification, territorial integrity, and a stable and peaceful environment; prevent and repel risks of conflict and war; and safeguard the Fatherland from afar first. Moreover, it is vital to proactively train the people responsible for diplomatic work; make every preparation of instruments in support of diplomatic work and foreign policy; readily mobilise diplomatic activities in defence, security situations.

The Political Report of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) asserts that “Our country has never had such fortune, position, potential, and international prestige as it does today.” To turn defence capability into a fundamental, core element and national defence strength requires a close linkage among the above-mentioned capabilities within a unitary whole. Additionally, many effective, creative, synchronous solutions must be adopted, contributing to building of a strong all-people national defence and firm protection of the Fatherland in the new situation.

Lieutenant General, Associate Professor, Doctor TRAN THAI BINH