Inheriting and developing the viewpoint of safeguarding the nation from early and afar, even before the nation is in danger, the Party Committee, authorities, armed forces, and people of Bac Ninh Province have resolutely and comprehensively deployed numerous undertakings and solutions to lead and direct the implementation of Resolution No.28-NQ/TW, dated October 25^th, 2013, issued by the Party Central Committee (the 11^th Tenure), on the Strategy for Fatherland Protection in the new situation.

Bac Ninh is a province located in the key economic region of Northern Vietnam. It serves as the gateway to the Northeast of the capital city, Hanoi, and is an area with vital transportation routes, numerous major industrial zones, etc. Thus, it holds a significant position in various aspects, especially in terms of economics, society, national defence, and security for both the capital region and Military Region 1. With a clear understanding of this, over the years, closely adhering to the superiors’ resolutions, directives, and guidance on defence and military work, particularly Resolution No.28-NQ/TW, dated October 25^th, 2013, issued by the Party Central Committee (the 11^th Tenure), on the Strategy for Fatherland Protection in the new situation, Bac Ninh Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee have grasped, disseminated and implemented resolutions, directives, plans, action programs in a way that aligns with the local characteristics and achieves practical effectiveness. Accordingly, along with promoting socio-economic development, Party building and retification, corruption and negativity prevention, and building of a robust grassroots political system, the Province has placed emphasis on leading and directing the tight coordination between socio-economic development programs and projects with enhanced national defence and security in both the master planning and sector-specific implementation. So far, the Province has reviewed and completed the general planning for the integration of defence arrangements with socio-economic development in different stages; the planning for shooting ranges and training fields; and the Scheme for constructing defence facilities in the defensive area in the 2015 - 2020 period. Furthermore, it has actively mobilised resources to invest in constructing agencies, military barracks, defence works in combat bases, rear bases, logistical-technical bases, weapon and equipment storage areas, shooting ranges, training fields, practice grounds, waterway terminals, and other dual-use infrastructure projects to ensure socio-economic development, serve civilian needs, and maintain the flexibility of forces and means in case of emergencies. The efforts have been highly appreciated by the Ministry of National Defence and MR1’s High Command.

Leaders of the Military Region 1 and Bac Ninh province stimulate troops in a drill

In the upcoming period, alongside the fundamental advantages, the Province will face numerous difficulties and challenges due to the urbanisation, economic restructuring, and tourism development, which might give rise to new issues concerning rural security and social management. Moreover, the complex and unpredictable developments of natural disasters and epidemics, coupled with hostile forces intensifying sabotage activities and promoting the “peaceful evolution” strategy to induce “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” within the country, aiming to disrupt political stability, order, and social security, among other things. To continue effectively implementing Resolution No.28-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee (the 11^th Tenure) on the Strategy for Fatherland Protection in the new situation, the Provincial Party Committee’s Standing Commission is determined to deeply uphold the Party’s military and defence doctrine and lead the efficient implementation of the Action Program for the 13^th Party Congress, the Resolution of the 20^th Provincial Party Congress for 2020-2025 term, etc. to establish a solid foundation and a favourable environment for the Province’s rapid and sustainable development.

Pursuing the defined objectives, firstly, the Province will reinforce dissemination and education to raise awareness among all levels, sectors, localities, armed forces, and the general public regarding the national defence and military tasks and Father protection in the new situation. Protecting the Fatherland from early and afar is the core ideology of the Party, a vital long-term strategic mission of the entire nation, necessitating the involvement of the entire political system and the population. To achieve high consensus in both awareness and action towards this crucial task, the Party committees at agencies, units, and localities across the Province need to consistently and deeply grasp the resolutions and directives of the Party, the Central Military Party Commission - Ministry of National Defence, and the Province regarding national defence and military tasks and Fatherland protection with a particular focus on the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress and various military and defence strategies. Based on these foundations, it is paramount to formulate specific plans, programs, and directive documents in alignment with practical demands and tasks of localities and units and cultivate a contingent of resilient and politically steadfast cadres and Party members who always remain entirely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland, and the people, uphold the Party’s ideals, clearly understand the objects and partners in the new context, and have a revolutionary spirit and high political determination to readily accept and excel in every assigned task.

Secondly, the Province will relentlessly strengthen the political system at all levels, enhance the leadership capabilities of Party committees, as well as the management and operation of local authorities in economic development and defence consolidation. By grasping and implementing Resolution No.18-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee (the 12^th Tenure) on “Some issues on continuing to renovate and rearrange the organisational apparatus of the political system towards streamlineness, efficiency, and effectiveness”, Resolution No.19-NQ/TW on “Continuing to innovate the organisation and management system and improve the effectiveness of the operation of public non-business units”, and the practical context, in the coming period, the Province will prioritise the innovation of approaches, improvement of leadership capacities and combativeness of Party organisations, and streamlining of the administrative apparatus as a breakthrough. In the short term, the focus will be on leading and directing the review, adjustment, and supplementation of functions and tasks of departments, agencies, and units; adjustment and approval of the cadre staffing plans at all levels in the 2025 - 2030 period; completion of the organisational structure of specialised agencies and merge of organisations with similar functions and tasks as scheduled; strengthening of the operational roles of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations and the advisory roles of agencies at all levels. To achieve the highest effectiveness in the implementation process, the organisations, units, and localities must uphold the leadership principles of Party and emphasise the roles and responsibilities of Party committees and leaders in conducting inspection and supervision and integrate the inspection and supervision of Party committees with state inspections and the oversight and feedback mechanisms of the Fatherland Front and other political-social organisations. Concurrently, to enhance the efficiency of state administration, the Province will actively mobilise resources to invest in construction and effectively apply information technology in administrative reform and enhance the roles of socio-political organisations and military and police agencies at all levels.

Bac Ninh provinical armed forces participate in the defensive area drill in 2022

Thirdly, the Province will vigorously promote socio-economic development while reinforcing and enhancing defence and security capabilities. Grasping and firmly implementing Decree No.164/2018/NĐ-CP, dated December 21^st, 2018 by the Government, on combining socio- economic development with national defence and security, and vice versa and Resolution No.30-NQ/TW, dated November 23^rd, 2022 by the Politburo on “Socio-economic development and ensuring defence and security in the Red River Delta region by 2030, with a vision to 2045”, the Province will focus on leveraging its comparative advantages through regional integration and international integration for economic development and continue to develop harmoniously across three sectors: industry, agriculture, and services, aiming for rapid and sustainable development. In particular, the Province will consider industry as the primary driving force for growth, aiming to become a centre of high-tech industrial and service activities, the hub of intelligent production in Vietnam and the Southeast Asia region, and the logistics hub for the capital region.

As a locality with limited area, a dense population, and undergoing rapid urbanisation, to ensure that each step of economic development strengthens its national defence and security capabilities, the Province will continue to direct its sectors and localities to closely follow the Plan for development of Bac Ninh Province in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. Based on this, it will review, appraise, and supervise the zoning and planning of economic zones, industrial zones, and new urban areas that are integrated with national defence and security planning to make timely adjustments and supplementations. In particular, the focuses will be on industrial development, small-scale industries, trade and services, tourism, and agriculture; linking planning with economic structural transformation and infrastructure construction in a unified plan; further researching and refining mechanisms and policies to mobilise resources for national defence and security; encouraging and creating favourable conditions for organisations and enterprises to invest in socio-economic development in alignment with legal provisions, suitable for the Province’s development guidelines, policies, and plans; enhancing the effectiveness of state leadership and management in national defence and security at all levels through the implementation of plans, targets, and organising measures; strictly maintaining a leadership mechanism for construction and activities in the defensive area; regularly strengthening, perfecting, and enhancing the effectiveness of organisations within the defensive area, especially the Steering Committee for Defensive Area Construction; leveraging the core role of military and police agencies in advising, guiding, and implementation; actively mobilising and encouraging resources from localities and society for defensive area construction; and regularly supplementing and improving the economic mobilisation plan to be ready to convert potential resources into actual defence capabilities, and transitioning the locality from peacetime to wartime to ensure high scientific feasibility.

Finally, the Province will build, elite, compact, and strong armed forces with a high level of combat readiness. Grasping and implementing Resolution No.05-NQ/TW, dated January 17^th, 2022 by the Central Party Committee (the 13^th Tenure) and Resolution No.230-NQ/QUTW, dated April 2^nd, 2022 by the Central Military Party Commission regarding the leadership of the implementation of the Vietnam People’s Army organisation in the 2021-2030 period and beyond, the Province will focus on leading and directing the construction of local armed forces that are “elite, compact, and strong” and maintain a balanced and rational composition between regular forces, reserves, and self-defence forces. Specially, priority will be given to forces for mobile tasks and combat readiness and the development of a comprehensively strong, “examplary and typical” contingents of cadres and military organisations at all levels; directing to build, adjust, supplement, and improve the combat documents and plans for coordination and agreements between the military and police forces according to Government’s Decree No.03/2019/NĐ-CP; and conducting combat training and exercises in defensive area at provincial, district, and commune levels, flood and storm response, search and rescue, and local-level defensive combat, in accordance with regulations to enhance the organisational proficiency, command and control capabilities at all levels, as well as cooperative combat abilities between agencies, departments, units, and localities and build a solid and resilient military posture and defence capability in the Province’s defensive area.

In addition to the aforementioned tasks and solutions, relevant departments and localities will continue to grasp and effectively implement Resolution No.71-NQ/TU, dated August 29^th, 2022 by the Provincial Party Committee Executive Commission on building and developing culture and people in Bac Ninh until 2030, building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture rooted in national identity, and fostering a healthy cultural environment within organisations, localities, and units, aligned with the movement entitled “The whole people are united to build cultural life”; pay attention to ensuring social welfare and implementing policies for contributors; vigorously constructing new rural areas alongside developing villages, communes, and clusters of villages and communes within the defensive area; and actively implement national programs and objectives in education, training, healthcare, labour, and sustainable poverty reduction; effectively carry out policies related to ethnic minorities, religions, and grassroots democracy to strengthen unity among the people and create comprehensive strength to expedite the transformation of Bac Ninh into a centrally governed city towards modernity and civilisation, contributing actively to the successful implementation of the Strategy for the Fatherland protection in the new situation.

NGUYEN HUONG GIANG, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee