Given demands of safeguarding the Fatherland, especially the Capital in the new situation, the Ha Noi Capital Command has been taking initiative in proposing drastic, synchronous solutions for the Municipal Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee to build a strong armed forces, which possesses comprehensive quality, high combat power, and ability to bring into play its core role in performing military, defence missions and firmly protect its area of responsibility in any situations.

Over the past few years, on the basis of grasping the Party’s standpoints and guidelines on national defence and military as well as directions for building the armed forces of Ha Noi Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee, the Capital Command Party Committee and Capital Command have led and instructed their departments, units, and schools to do their work in every aspect and successfully accomplish all assigned tasks to meet mission requirements in the new situation. In the time to come, the missions of building and defending the Capital and Fatherland witness new developments. Meanwhile, hostile forces continue to perform their acts of sabotage by many increasingly subtle, cunning plots. This reality requires the Capital Command Party Committee and Capital Command to further unite, tap into their intelligence, overcome difficulties, do their work in all aspects, and successfully complete all assigned tasks. Building of a robust armed forces, on a par with missions of the new era, is a vital content and achieved by means of scientific, synchronous solutions as follows:

First, make the armed forces politically strong, providing a solid foundation for improving its comprehensive quality and combat power. Party committees and commanders of departments, units, and schools are to carry out the Project on reforming political education in units in the new period creatively and effectively; attach importance to learning from weaknesses during the implementation process in order to promote quality of political education and legal popularisation. They must cultivate a corps of cadres and soldiers who have political steadfastness, clear career paths, high resolution and responsibility, sense of morality, healthy lifestyle, educational levels, scientific knowledge, military qualification, good health and working style, and ability to proactively deal with difficulties to complete all assigned tasks. It is necessary to expedite the Determination-to-Win Emulation Movement in association with the Patriotic Emulation Movement of Ha Noi Capital; successfully conduct propagation about military, defence missions and traditions of the country, People’s Army, and the Capital, especially the tradition of determining to sacrifice everything for the birth of the Fatherland; leverage fine dignity of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in connection with cultural beauty of the Capital soldiers. There needs to proactively struggle against hostile, false viewpoints to firmly protect the Party’s ideological front in each department and unit, resolving to prevent hostile forces from distortion and penetration. The Regulation on grassroots democracy, mass mobilisation, policy work, internal political protection, etc., must be realised well in order to build a truly politically strong armed forces, laying the foundation for enhancing its comprehensive quality and combat power.

Commander of Hanoi Capital Command visits training equipment in 2022

Second, further reform the armed forces in an adept, compact, strong direction. On the basis of previous experience in leading and directing force organisation in the 2017-2021 period, the Capital Command continues to advise Ha Noi Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee to disseminate and realise the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress and the Resolution of the 11th Military Party Congress in an effective, drastic manner, most notably the Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW, dated 17 January 2022, of the Politburo, the Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW, dated 2 April 2022, of the Central Military Commission (CMC) on the organisation of Viet Nam People’s Army (VPA) in the 2021-2030 period and beyond in association with implementing the Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW, dated 5 May 2022, of the Politburo on the directions and missions of developing the Capital through 2030 with a vision for 2045. Accordingly, there needs to focus on building an armed forces, which have comprehensive quality, high combat power, proper structure between the standing force, the reserve, and the militia and self-defence force conducive to functions, missions, weapons, equipment, ways of fighting, characteristics of the locality, and the Capital defence posture. It is necessary to speed up building the standing force in a revolutionary, regular, elite, modern direction with an adept, compact, strong organisation and staffing. Priorities are given to streamlining of the Command’s departments and increased strength of units in charge of training and combat readiness, and military commands at district and commune levels.

Third, achieve breakthroughs in reforming training work aimed to enhance combat readiness of the armed forces. The training contents and methods are further renewed according to the Conclusion No. 60-KL/QUTW, dated 18 January 2019, of the Central Military Commission on continuing to implement the Resolution No. 765-NQ/QUTW on “improving training quality in the 2013-2020 period and beyond”. Attention is paid to breakthroughs in training an elite standing force. The standing force is trained to have high tactical, technical expertise; be professionally proficient; and have creative thinking. There needs to focus on synchronous, in-depth, close-to-combat training; training in mastering new, modern weapons and equipment; physical training to enhance soldiers’ agility and mobility. It is necessary to promote cadres’ command and control of training at all levels; continue to improve the training management mechanism according to a centralised, united, synchronous, effective direction without overlapping; successfully conduct training support in a timely, effective, scientific manner; step up application of science and technology to training, exercises, and competitions. The training quality of the reserve and militia and self-defence force is to be reformed and enhanced. Training is associated with exercises to practise combat plans to protect targets, political security, and social order in the area.

The Capital Command will continue to advise the City on directing increased quality of training and exercises at all levels. Importance is attached to scenario-based exercises within the area of responsibility; integrated tactical exercises with live firing and mass mobilisation aimed at raising command and control of party committees and authorities; command, staff, and coordination between military commands and local departments; combat readiness of the armed forces.

Drill conducted by militia and self-defence forces in 2022

Fourth, promote discipline compliance and successfully carry out policies to create drivers of building strong armed forces. On grasping the motto: “Discipline is the VPA’s strength,” departments and units continue to adopt drastic, synchronous solutions to tighten ideological control and discipline; timely draw lessons from violations and safety losses in the entire military in order to work out measures to educate, control, and train soldiers. The strict maintenance of learning, working regulations; working according to duties; acting according to military regulations; increased self-awareness and self-discipline in compliance with military discipline and State law contribute to enhancement of the armed forces’ power.

Additionally, departments and units need to pay attention to implementation of policies towards the armed forces, especially the standing force, the reserve, the militia and self-defence force, which serves to encourage their active, responsible participation in defence, military activities in localities. There needs to proactively research, propose, and supplement legal documents in order to create favourable policies for the armed forces to devote themselves to the cause of defending the Fatherland.

Fifth, provision of timely, sufficient technical, logistical support to contribute to strengthening of the armed forces’ combat power. Departments, units, and schools are requested to further reform their methods to provide logistical support in association with complying with new regulations on financial management provided by law; focus on providing timely, sufficient logistical support for combat readiness, protection of key targets and political events, disaster and epidemic prevention and response training and exercises. Programmes and projects of the military logistics are to be implemented effectively in accordance with characteristics and missions of each department and unit. Departments, units, and schools also have to combine their military budgets with those provided by local authorities to invest in building and upgrading headquarters, barracks, and infrastructure, ensuring a “bright, green, clean, beautiful environment.” There needs to speed up animal and fish raising, vegetable farming, epidemic prevention and response, providing medical care to strive for 98.5 per cent of healthy soldiers, contributing to accomplishment of all assigned tasks.

Besides, the Capital Command Party Committee and Capital Command attach regular importance to technical support, especially the provision of weapons, equipment, and vehicles for both regular and unplanned missions. Departments, units, and schools need to draw lessons learnt from weaknesses of 15 years’ implementation of the Resolution No. 382-NQ/DUQSTW, dated 29 November 2007, of the Central Military Party Committee (the now Central Military Commission) on leading technical work in the new situation; continue to renew contents and methods to timely provide high-quality, sufficient weapons and technical equipment for missions; step by step procure modern equipment for forces in charge of undertaking A2 task; promote ability to master new weapons and equipment. They are also requested to successfully carry out the Campaign of good, enduring, safe, economical management and use of weapons and equipment, and traffic safety”; strictly comply with safety regulations at work, controlling fire and explosion risk, and ensuring absolute safety of warehouses, stations, and workshops; collaborate with relevant forces, especially the Public Security, to ensure traffic safety for major political events and reception of international guests, contributing to building Ha Noi into a civilised, smart, modern capital, deserving to be the hub of the country.

Lieutenant General NGUYEN QUOC DUYET, Member of Hanoi Municipal Party Committee, Commander of Ha Noi Capital Command.