Thoroughly grasping and implementing the Party’s viewpoint on building and promoting the “people’s hearts and minds posture” as well as consolidating the all-people national defence posture and the people’s security posture, the Party Committee and the High Command of the 1^st Naval Region (1^st NR) have synchronously applied measures in implementing this viewpoint, thus promoting the synergy and firmly protecting the sacred national sovereignty over seas and islands.

The 1^st Naval Region is the core force in the management and protection of national sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over seas and islands, being ready to participate in the prevention and control of natural disasters, search and rescue missions and other irregular tasks. Being aware of its assigned responsibilities, over the years, along with building a “revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern” unit, the 1^st NR’s Party Committee and High Command have attached importance to leading and directing agencies and units in coordinating closely with local party committees and authorities as well as relevant forces to effectively implement measures to build a solid “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with building the all-people national defence posture at sea. Adhering to higher echelons’ resolutions, directives, and instructions and the characteristics and tasks, the 1^st NR effectively developed and implemented the Coordination Plan in the organisation of the “Vietnam Navy as a foundation for fishermen to reach out to seas” programme. During this programme, it combined organising information with distributing leaflets to increase the frequency and effectiveness of propaganda about seas and islands; organising health check-ups and consultations, providing free medicines, and giving national flags, lifebuoys, and life jackets to fishermen. The 1^st NR paid visits to fishing households with difficulties to encourage, give gifts and saving books on national holidays and Tet. By doing so, the local people’s affection and trust in the Party, State, regime, Army, and local party committees and authorities are cultivated. In particular, it has made the relationship between the 1^st NR’s officers and soldiers and fishermen increasingly closer, sticking together through thick and thin, thus fulfilling tasks and developing the socio-economy, contributing to building a solid “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with the all-people national defence posture at sea.

Presenting gifts for fishing people at Dragon Eyes Fishing Port

In the near future, the task of defending the Fatherland in general and the sovereignty over seas and islands in particular is setting higher requirements for the 1^st NR. However, the NR has an inadequate force while it has a wide protection area, and the risks of destabilisation in the seas are high, etc. To successfully fulfil the assigned tasks to firmly protect the national sovereignty over seas and islands in the new situation, the 1^st NR’s Party Committee and High Command advocate strengthening leadership and directing on the building of an increasingly solid “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with the national defence posture at sea, in which, importance is attached to carrying out several tasks and measures as follows:

Firstly, stepping up propaganda and education to raise the awareness and responsibilities of officers and soldiers about this important policy and task. The aim of this is to clarify the importance of building the “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with a solid all-people national defence in protecting the national sovereignty over seas and islands. Additionally, it clarifies the position, role, responsibilities, and authority of the 1^st NR in implementing that policy as well as the difficulties, challenges, and the complex and sensitive nature of this task in the current context. Moreover, the nature, plots, and tricks of other countries infringing in our seas and islands as well as the plots of hostile forces taking advantage of sea and island issues to cause division and oppose the revolutionary path of our country, etc. are also explained. Besides, actively updating content, ensuring topical, scientific, and appropriate propaganda and education; supplementing the legal basis and historical evidence affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over seas and islands; supporting the Party’s viewpoints, the State’s policies and laws on the protection of national sovereignty over seas and islands. To achieve high efficiency, agencies and units need to focus on renewing forms of organisation and methods of propaganda and education in the direction of being in-depth, practical, effective, and suitable to subjects, tasks, and the characteristics of localities. Resolutely fighting against wrong and distorted viewpoints, thoughts, and actions on the policy of building the “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with a solid all-people national defence posture in protecting the national sovereignty over seas and islands and avoiding war. Promoting the role of localities in propaganda and solving problems related to military and defence tasks of the 1^st NR.

Secondly, proactively participating and coordinating in building a comprehensively strong local political system. It serves as an important measure since the party committees, authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and other socio-political organisations are the ones who directly lead, direct, manage, propagate, mobilise, and participate in activities to build the “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with a solid all-people national defence posture, thus protecting the national sovereignty over territories, seas, and islands. To implement this measure, the 1^st NR directs agencies and units to proactively develop coordination plans with departments and branches of provinces and cities in working, in which, importance is attached to building the political system, especially the party organisations and the grassroots administration with high leadership capacity and combat strength. At the same time, proactively organising and deploying groups and teams to actively participate in building strong party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organisations, which are the core forces in mobilising the great unity bloc of the whole people; actively coordinating with local party committees, authorities, and mass organisations to well implement the Regulations on Grassroots Democracy, ensuring that the people “know, discuss, do, inspect, supervise, and benefit” as well as the policies for military’s families, ethnicities, and religions, etc.

Additionally, the 1^st NR continues to coordinate with functional agencies to effectively organise the “Vietnam Navy as a foundation for fishermen to reach out to seas” programme, the coordination programme to exchange information about seas and island, and the “The Navy sponsoring fishermen’s children” in the following years, creating consensus and support of the people in every decision of the authorities. Agencies and units should strengthen coordination with local party committees and authorities to implement training programmes to improve knowledge of the seas, islands, and law for grassroots officers, especially local propagandists. Enhancing coordination and inspection as well as organising more exchanges, preliminaries, experience drawings, thus improving the quality and efficiency of coordination after each activity; actively mobilising and guiding the people to participate in national defence and military tasks, especially in protecting the national sovereignty over seas and islands. Thereby, consolidating trust and consensus of the people, mobilising resources and synergy to protect the national sovereignty over seas and islands, maintaining political stability, building strong localities, agencies, and units, thus successfully fulfilling all assigned tasks.

Thirdly, improving the efficiency of participation in socio-economic development and the material and the spiritual life of people living along the coast and on islands under the management of the NR. This is vital content that can create motivation and a solid basis for building the “people’s hearts and minds” posture in association with an increasingly solid all-people national defence posture at sea, meeting the requirements of protecting the Fatherland and the national sovereignty over seas and islands in the new situation. Therefore, based on the practical conditions of each locality, the 1^st NR’s Party Committee and High Command attach importance to leading and directing agencies and units to coordinate with local party committees and authorities in socio-economic development, ensuring the material and spiritual life of local people, especially those living in areas of difficulties and on islands, ensuring logistics and fishing techniques for fishermen, and conducting search and rescue activities. Implementing mass mobilisation work, strengthening the kinship between the people and the army; effectively participating in programmes and projects that combine national defence with economy; guiding and helping people to apply scientific and technical advances into aquaculture; building a cultural environment and taking care of people’s health while eliminating social evils. Organising visits for agencies, units, and local authorities to encourage soldiers and people living at sea, especially those on northeast and border islands, thus sharing, cheering, and encouraging officers, soldiers, and the people to have a firm will and determination in protecting the national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Fourthly, actively and proactively improving synergy and combat readiness, well preparing the naval posture in the localities and the common defence posture in the region. First, focusing on leading and directing the renewal of contents, forms, and training methods, improving capability and combat readiness to timely and effectively handle unexpected situations. Regularly reviewing, adjusting, and supplementing a new system of documents, plans, and short-term and long-term combat plans as well as organising training and drills; being ready to organise drills in a short time; regularly raising vigilance to successfully handle situations and tasks. Strictly maintaining order, commanding and combat readiness regimes under regulations; organising for forces to master steps to change the states of combat readiness, with priority being given to units possessing surface ships and shore-based missiles and the marines.

Furthermore, the 1^st NR continues to coordinate with relevant forces, especially the Coast Guard, the Fisheries Surveillance, and the Border Guard to patrol and scout to firmly grasp the airborne and marine situations, promptly approach, and repel infringing foreign ships, thus firmly managing and protecting the sovereignty over seas and islands. Coordinating with the naval forces of neighbouring countries to strictly implement the joint patrol plan at sea, maintaining a peaceful environment, promoting synergy, and thus firmly protecting the sacred national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Rear Admiral NGUYEN VIET KHANH, Commander of the 1^st NR