By thoroughly observing the Party's military and defence guidelines and firmly grasping the local characteristics, Bac Giang Province has been implementing drastically and synchronously multiple solutions to build an increasingly solid provincial defence area, particularly strengthening military potentials and posture to meet the requirements and task of building and protecting the Fatherland. 

Bac Giang serves as a “fence” of the ancient Thang Long Citadel and Hanoi Capital today, where many fierce battles against foreign invaders of the nation took place such as Xuong Giang, Can Ga, Ho Cat, etc. Currently, thanks to its diverse natural geographical conditions, convenient roadway, railway, and river systems, large industrial parks, and the Province’ on-going comprehensive development process, it holds an important position in several aspects, especially in terms of socio-economy, defence, and security of Military Region 1 and the whole country. Fully aware of the situation, over the past years, besides socio-economic development, the Provincial Party committee, People's Council, and People's Committee have always focused on leading and directing the good implementation of military and defence work and building of an increasingly solid defence area. Especially, consolidating and strengthening military potentials and posture is one of the key contents and tasks.

Following their own functions and tasks and the superiors’ resolutions, directives, and guidelines on building the defence area, over the past time, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Military Command have closely coordinated with the functional authorities in advising the Provincial Party Committee to develop Provincial Party Committee’s Action Program No.59-CTr/TU,  dated June 2^nd, 2014, on implementing the 8^th Party Central Committee Resolution (the 11^th tenure) on the Strategy for Fatherland protection in the new situation; Provincial Party Committee Standing Commission’s Directive No.19-CT/TU, dated April 7^th, 2015, on leading the building of Bac Giang Province’s defence area in the 2015 – 2020 period, etc. Thereby, they have reviewed and completed the master planning of defence arrangement combined with local socio-economic development in each period; planning of shooting ranges and training grounds; and the Project on building defence works in the defence area in the 2015-2020 period. At the same time, they have actively mobilised resources to invest in building agencies and barracks at all levels; defence works in combat bases, rear bases, and logistics-technical bases; weapons hiding areas, equipment, shooting ranges, training fields and grounds, and launch berths; and some dual-use items to serve socio-economic development, people's needs, and mobilisation of forces and means upon incidents. In particular, the Province has completed the Development plan for the 2021 – 2030 period with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister. This is an important basis for the Province to continue mobilising resources to invest in building an increasingly solid military posture in the defence area.

Commander of the Provincial Military Command encourages new recruits

In the coming time, beside favourable factors, the Province also faces many challenges due to urbanisation, economic restructuring, and tourism development that have given rise to new difficulties in social management; meanwhile, natural disasters and epidemics are complicated and unpredictable. On the other hand, the Province is also an area where hostile and reactionary forces take advantage of “ethnic” and “religious” issues, intensify their anti-sabotage activities, etc. In that context, along with comprehensively implementing all aspects of work, the Province advocates to continue focusing on leading and directing the good implementation of military and defence work, particularly building and consolidating the military potentials and posture in an increasingly solid defence area.

First of all, to strengthen propagation and education to raise awareness and sense of responsibility of all levels, branches, and people for the task of building the defence area in general and military potentials and posture in the defence area in particular. Building the military potentials and posture, one of the core contents in building the provincial defence area, is both an urgent and basic long-term task that requires huge funding and human resources. Therefore, to create a high unity of awareness and actions of the Party committees, authorities, armed forces, and the whole people for this important task, the agencies, units, and localities throughout the Province should continue thoroughly observing the Party and the State’s resolutions and directives on building the defence area, particularly Conclusion No.64-KL/TW issued on October 30^th, 2019 by the Politburo (12^th tenure) on accelerating the implementation of Resolution No.28-NQ/TW issued on September 22^nd, 2008 by the Politburo (10^th tenure) on “Continuing to build centrally-run provinces and cities into solid defence areas in the new situation”; Decree No.02/2016/NĐ-CP issued on January 5^th, 2016 by the Government on civil defence; Decree No.21/2019/ND-CP issued on February 22^nd, 2019 by the Government on defence areas, etc. Accordingly, it is to strengthen education and propagation to make all levels, branches, forces, and localities fully aware of the need for planning and building potentials and posture of the Provincial defence area in general and  the military posture in particular; clearly understand the position and role of this important content in ensuring national defence and security, maintaining political and social stability, and being ready to effectively handle incidents to facilitate the Province fast sustainably development.

Along with that, the Province attaches great importance to promoting the advisory role of departments, branches, and unions, especially military agencies at all levels, in implementation organisation to ensure the right direction and practical effects of the leadership and direction of building the military potentials and posture in the defence area. Thoroughly grasping the Party’ view that “Socio-economic development is the centre. Party building is the key. Cultural development is the spiritual foundation of society. Ensuring national defence and security is an important and regular task” and closely following the Planning for developing Bac Giang Province in the 2021 - 2030 period with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister, the Provincial Military Command continues coordinating with departments, agencies, and sectors and functional authorities of Military Region 1 in researching and advising the Provincial Party Committee, People's Committee, and Steering Committee of the Provincial Defence Area to review and complete the Master Planning for defence arrangement combined with socio-economic and development in the area. In particular, attention is paid to developing in the Planning for military posture in the defence area in the 2021 - 2030 period and the Project on “Building defence works in Bac Giang Provincial defence area in the 2021 - 2030 period” and adjust the Planning of land used for defence purposes in the 2021 - 2030 period with a vision to 2050 to create a basis and foundation for building an increasingly solid all people's defence posture associated with the people's security posture in the area. To do that, the sectors and localities need to review, appraise, and carefully supervise the zoning and planning of economic zones, industrial, parks and new urban areas associated with national defence and security planning for timely adjustment and supplementation to ensure that each step of economic development is a step to enhance military potentials and posture of provincial and district defence areas. Based on approved planning, plans, and projects, the Provincial Military Command advises the Provincial People's Committee and localities to mobilise fundings to gradually invest in building defence works under defined roadmaps. In the immediate future, importance is attached to advising the Provincial People's Committee to invest budgets in repairing, upgrading, and building basic command headquarters, monolithic tunnels, and firepower fortifications... in combat bases, rear bases, and key defence areas. In the implementation process, it is necessary to thoroughly grasp and well implement the motto: Mobilising multiple resources; concentrating on focuses and key points; gradually strictly implementing; and associating with close management and protection.

Building a continuous, solid, and in-depth military posture in the defence area is a matter of strategic significance in building and protecing the Fatherland. To achieve the set goals and requirements, in the coming time, the Provincial Military Command will continue advising the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committees to lead and direct the building of military works in the defence area in a close and appropriate manner, from survey, planning, plan development, project formulation, appraisal, and approval to implementation, supervision, inspection, and acceptance to put into operation of each work item and strengthening the state management of  national defence, especially the management and appraisal of socio-economic development investment programs and projects related to the building of the military posture in the defence area. Accordingly, by mastering the defensive combat determination to protect the locality, the Provincial Military Command continues advising the Provincial People's Committee to review, approve, and transfer natural land; gradually plan the military works under a unified intention; and form defensive directions and areas in the common defence posture of the Province and Military Region. This is a very important issue that requires careful research and review and close implementation under scientific and appropriate roadmaps and steps. In addition, it is necessary to focus on surveying and firmly grasping the capacity of local industrial mobilisation establishments, selecting industrial enterprises that are capable of producing and repairing equipment for the Army, and developing plans on industrial mobilisation to ensure adequate weapons and technical equipment for training, drills, combat readiness, and combat.

Along with doing well in planning and investing in building military works in defence areas, the province strengthens its leadership and direction in building the local armed forces with reasonable quantity and structure, general quality, and high combat power.  In particular, importance is attached to building the armed forces that are strong in terms of politics, thoughts, ethics, organisation, and personnel; adjusting the forces towards “elite, compactness, and strength” with balanced and reasonable structure among the standing force, mobilised reserve, and self-defence militia; directing the agencies and units to promote the implementation of “3 breakthroughs” to create solid changes in discipline, improve the quality of training, and strictly manage weapons and technical equipment; developing, adjusting, and completing combat documents, plans for coordination and cooperation between the Military and the Public Security under the Government's Decree No.03/2019/NĐ-CP; and organising training  and drills of provincial and district defence area operations, flood and storm prevention, search and rescue, and commune, ward, and township defensive combat exercises in a strict manner as prescribed. Thereby, it is to further improve the level of organisation and management of defence area activities of leaders and commanders at all levels and the ability to coordinate operations among agencies, departments, units, and localities and build the military potentials and posture in the provincial increasingly solid defence area to meet the requirements and tasks of building and protecting the Fatherland.

Senior Colonel LE VAN THANG, Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Commission, Commander of the Provincial Military Command