III. Determined to join hands and unite with the people to develop a “green, sustainable, and comprehensive” Northwest

To realise the Party’s policy of building a “green, sustainable, and comprehensive” Northwest, and to get rid of being an “underdeveloped” region and a “core of poverty” in the country, the Northwest armed forces consistently promote the noble traditions and qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”. Moreover, they foster unity, cohesion, and close collaboration with the party committees, authorities, and the people of ethnic groups in the region while demonstrating a steadfast determination to constantly innovate and seize every opportunity and advantage to overcome all difficulties and challenges to successfully fulfil the defined objectives.

President Vo Van Thuong and leaders of the Ministry of National Defence visit the Museum of Military Region 2

Arousing self-reliance, resilience, and the desire to progress among the ethnic groups in the Northwest

Developing a “green, sustainable, and comprehensive” Northwest requires high material and spiritual motivations. However, these motivations are not inherent or naturally acquired, they are formed based on stimulating intellect, passion, and resources of the collective, the political system, and each individual residing in the region. Meanwhile, some people have resigned to their current lives, feeling inferior and lacking the will to progress. Besides, hostile forces seek every means to propagate, incite, and lure these individuals into their influence. Therefore, the Northwest armed forces must persistently stay close to the people and their communities, employing appropriate forms, methods, and means tailored to specific areas and subjects. Leveraging the advantages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation combined with traditional methods, the Northwest armed forces have organised groups, teams, and exchange activities and promoted propaganda and mobilisation efforts. The content of the propaganda should not only convey the Party’s guidelines and policies and the State’s laws to the people but should also enhance awareness for officers, party members, local party committees, and authorities. It is crucial to build a spirit of solidarity, harness the collective intellect, and unleash the creativity of the people, not relying solely on the support of the state and all-level authorities but having the determination and self-reliance to progress. Encouraging and motivating officers, party members, and people from various strata to actively engage in revolutionary movements, transforming knowledge and belief into enthusiasm and action. Igniting the motivation, being ready to overcome any difficulties and challenges to realise the defined objectives. Intensifying the dissemination of exemplary models of economic, social, national defence, and security development to facilitate learning among the people, thus creating a ripple effect and fostering competition within the community and between regions. Focusing on propaganda to eliminate outdated habits and practices in both daily life and production that are deeply rooted in the people, including officers and party members. Additionally, grasping the thoughts, desires, opinions, and suggestions, especially those related to the legitimate rights and interests of the people. Identifying limitations and shortcomings related to mechanisms and policies to advise and propose improvements to the local party committees, authorities, and the Party and State to further refine the socio-economic development policies for the Northwest region. Moreover, steadfastly combating erroneous allegations, thwarting the subversive plots and tricks of hostile and reactionary forces. Through these efforts, the Northwest armed forces can encourage officers, party members, and the ethnic communities to overcome complacency and rekindle their patriotism, revolutionary spirit, proactive mindset, creativity, self-reliance, and desire to progress, refusing to accept poverty and inferiority compared to other regions.

Being dedicated, staying close to the area and the people, and joining hands with them to develop the socio-economy rapidly and sustainably

Developing the socio-economy rapidly and sustainably and improving the material and spiritual life of the people are the central tasks of the party committees, authorities, organisations, forces, and the people of the Northwest provinces. That requires the armed forces to continue to grasp the Party’s resolutions and directives, the State’s laws and policies, and local situations and proactively coordinate with departments and sectors to propose to the party committees and local authorities the policies and measures to innovate growth models associated with promoting economic restructuring towards green and circular economy. Effectively executing the appraisal of economic development projects, ensuring a close combination of socio-economic development with the reinforcement of national defence and security in every sector, every field, and every locality.   

Economic - defence units need to robustly innovate and elevate the quality and operational efficiency, successfully accomplishing both military and national defence tasks while contributing to the development of the region, particularly the organisation and arrangement of residential areas, sedentary farming, and settlement in border areas; participating in the construction of essential infrastructure, such as transportation, irrigation, schools, clean water, community cultural houses, etc. contributing to breakthroughs and redefining the infrastructure landscape in the region. Concurrently, in collaboration with relevant agencies and units, the armed forces mobilise forces to implement the “3 attaches” and “4 togethers” principles, steadfastly and devotedly assisting people in applying science and technology, facilitating digital transformation; transferring production technologies, progressively replacing low-value crops and livestock with high-yield and economically efficient ones. Establishing agricultural and forestry promotion models and providing support for production development. In addition, coordinating with functional sectors to leverage the role of local enterprises in finding outlets for products, improving production and business efficiency, and promoting the development of household economies, thus ensuring that people can escape poverty and achieve prosperity within their residential areas. Furthermore, the Northwest armed forces have actively innovated and enhanced the effectiveness in participating in national programmes and goals related to poverty reduction, movements, campaigns such as “All people join hands to build new-style rural areas and civilised urban areas”, “Gratitude” activities, healthcare for people, social security policies, thus ensuring progress and social justice. The armed forces continue to intensify programmes, namely “Accompanying children to school”, “Adopted children at border guard posts”, and opening literacy classes while effectively implementing vocational training for discharged soldiers and other individuals, contributing to improving people’s knowledge and skill level for the local workforce. Enhancing propaganda and mobilisation of people to preserve and promote the cultural identities of ethnic minorities, combat harmful cultural practices, abandon outdated customs and superstitions, resist illegal religious evangelism, repel social evils, adopt civilised lifestyles, and build civilised villages and families.

Armed forces of Military Region 2 help local people in agricultural production

Active participation in building a robust political system

Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW of the Politburo defines the building of a clean and robust party organisation and political system and enhancing the leadership capacity of the party committees, party organisations and the effectiveness of management of governments at all levels are pivotal factors determining the development of the Northwest. The armed forces are committed to thoroughly grasping the resolutions and directives regarding party building and the establishment of a clean and robust political system, especially the situation and quality of party committees and party cells at the grassroots level, thus helping them to well implement policies and measures to build and rectify the party and the political system. Through military recruitment, the establishment of self-defence militia and reserve forces, agencies and units focus on creating a pool of party members for localities, which eliminates the issue of “non-affiliated” party members in villages and hamlets, contributing to enhancing the percentage of leaders at the grassroots level. Importance is attached to constructing and enhancing the quality of military cells at the commune, ward, and township levels to truly exemplify cleanliness and robustness, thereby contributing to improving the leadership capacity of party organisations. Increasing the number of officers and party members of the armed forces participating local party committees and people’s councils at all levels; emphasising the importance of responsibility, intellect, moral qualities, lifestyles, and collaborating with the party committees and authorities at all levels to propose policies and measures to lead, direct, and well implement socio-economic development tasks, ensuring national defence and security. Coordinating with various forces, sectors, and departments to train, foster, and improve the quality of activities of the Fatherland Front, youth unions, women’s unions, veterans’ associations, farmer’s unions, labour unions, socio-political organisations, etc., effectively fulfilling their functions and tasks, particularly in building and promoting the national unity bloc and strengthening the relationship between the people and the local party committees and authorities.

A foundation for people’s settlement and livelihoods

Maintaining political security, order, and social safety, thwarting subversive activities by hostile forces, combatting social evils and crimes, and creating a favourable environment for ethnic people in the region to live, work, and produce remain crucial tasks of the Northwest armed forces. To fulfil these tasks, the armed forces should thoroughly grasp local situations, proactively detect the subversive plots and tactics of hostile forces, the conflicts arising among the people, as well as the limitations and shortcomings in the implementation of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s laws and policies within the region. Therefore, they collaborate with local party committees and authorities to propose effective guidelines and measures. The Northwest armed forces continue to stay close to the people and the areas, especially remote, far-flung, border, and extremely difficult areas to propagate and mobilise the people to recognise and not fall for the cunning plots and tricks of hostile and reactionary forces. Besides, they closely coordinate with the Public Security to intensify the fight against all kinds of crimes, resolutely eliminating opium poppy cultivation points and timely addressing complex issues to prevent the formation of “hotspots” at the grassroots level. Furthermore, the armed forces attach importance to building a comprehensively strong, “elite, compact, and robust” force with high-quality combat strength, building a robust and widespread militia and self-defence force as well as a strong reserve force. These forces serve as the backbone in fulfilling military and national defence tasks. Attention is paid to building a solid “people’s hearts and minds posture”, establishing a foundation for building the all-people national defence and the people’s security. Simultaneously, they enhance the quality and effectiveness of defence foreign affairs while building peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developmental borders between Vietnam and Laos and Vietnam and China, thus creating a favourable environment for building a “green, sustainable, and comprehensive” Northwest.

DUC PHU - HOANG TRUONG - VIET VUONG