Faced with the increasingly demanding task of protecting security and sovereignty of the sea and islands, the Party Committee and Command of Coast Guard Region 4 have been synchronously implementing many solutions to lead, direct and improve its overall quality, combat power, and law enforcement capability. In particular, the Region considers building political zeal for its officers and soldiers the measure of primary importance.

Coast Guard Region 4 is equipped with different kinds of ships and boats, and modern command information system, which enables it to conduct patrol, inspection, control and management of the waters and islands in the Southwestern sea of the country. Besides, it is also capable of carrying out timely and effective search and rescue in offshore waters under complicated weather conditions. Over the past 25 years of construction, growth and development, its officers and soldiers have always shown unity, strong will and determination to overcome difficulties and fulfil their tasks. This is shown in the steady progress in leadership capacity, combat strength of the Party committees and organisations; the enhanced quality of training and combat readiness; the close coordination with forces in the area to manage and firmly protect national sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over seas and islands. At the same time, it also actively fights against crime and law violations at sea, especially violations of IUU fishing; actively participates in disaster prevention and relief, search and rescue; wholeheartedly accompanies fishermen at the sea, and performs well defence foreign affairs. For its important contributions, the Regional Command was honoured with the Third Class Fatherland Protection Order by the State President. Many collectives and individuals of the region have been commended and awarded with certificates of merit and noble prizes by the Government, the Ministry of National Defence, the Coast Guard Command, and local Party committees and authorities.

A seminar on promoting the qualities of Uncle Ho's Soldiers held by the Region

In the coming time, it is forecast that crime activities, especially drug-related crimes, smuggling, trade fraud, illegal entry and exit, will still see complications, posing new requirements for the task of protecting sovereignty and enforcing law at sea. In order to complete the assigned tasks, the Party Committee and Command of the Region determine to continue implementing many solutions to lead and direct all aspects of work, focusing on building political bravery for its officers and soldiers, creating motivation to improve its overall quality, combat strength, law enforcement capacity for firmly protecting sovereignty and security of the country’s seas and islands.

First and foremost, strengthening political and ideological education for its cadres and soldiers is the most important solution, directly contributing to building their political will to overcome all difficulties and hardships, and the determination to successfully complete their tasks. Bearing this in mind, the Region’s Party Committee and Command decide to continue to foster the core moral values of "responsibility - discipline - rightousness" for its officers and soldiers. Emphasis is placed on building the bravery, faith and personality of revolutionary soldiers in task performance; their love for the sea, enthusiasm for work, and the readiness to receive and complete tasks well in all circumstances. At the same time, it focuses on educating its soldiers to firmly grasp the theory of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought on building the Army and defending the socialist Fatherland; the Party's guidelines and views on military and defence; the Strategy for national defence in the new period in light of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, dated October 22nd, 2018 on "Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045"; the good tradition of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers and Coast Guard Soldiers". To make it effective, the Region promotes the implementation of the Project "Renewing political education work at the units in the new period"; Project "Propaganda and dissemination of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard in the 2019 - 2023 period" to make its officers and soldiers firmly grasp the partners and objects of struggle of Vietnam’s revolution and the region; resolutely and persistently handle cases of violations in the waters under its responsibility in accordance with the legal process. In addition, it continues to promote the learning and following of Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style in association with the implementation of the Drive to promote tradition, dedicate talents, and deserve the title of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period; brings into full play the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", resolutely counters individualism in the new situation; strengthens the movement of "Four good, four no, four against" in the whole Region. Its agencies and units are required to strengthen internal political protection, firmly grasp the social relationships of soldiers to prevent the enemy from setting up their secret network; actively grasp and resolves ideological issues; promptly provide information for public opinion orientation; raise vigilance and resolutely fight against wrong, ambiguous, and off-guard views and ideas.

Improving the leadership capacity and combat strength of the Party committees, party organisation and the quality of cadres and party members has always been valued by the Region’s Party Committee and Command. Accordingly, agencies and units of the region continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Conclusion of the Fourth Plenum of the Party Central Committee (13th tenure) on accelerating the building and rectification of the Party and political system; resolutely prevent, push back the degradation in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, manifestation of "self-evolution", "self-transformation"; create a positive breakthrough in awareness and responsibility of Party committees, party organisations, party cadres and members, contributing to building a strong unit in politics. Focusing on fostering and improving the leadership style and capability in Party building for members of the Party committees at all levels; at the same time, improving the leadership capacity of party committees at all levels, the role of the secretary, serving as the core in ideological orientation and building political bravery for soldiers. The Party Committee of the Region requires all levels of Party committees and organisations to strictly observe the Party's principles, rules, regulations and operational regimes; promote democracy, collective intelligence, initiative, creativity, enterprise, and accountability of heads of party committees, agencies and units. Closely combine the enhancement of qualifications and practical capacity with the training of political qualities and revolutionary ethics for the contingent of cadres and party members; resolutely fight against wrong views, maintain the ideological ground, and unity in each party committee and organisation.

The Party Committee and Command of the Region focus on improving the training quality, creating a basis for building political determination for cadres and soldiers. Focus on weapon training; raising the level and capacity to perform professional work and law enforcement for officers and soldiers. The region requires its agencies and units to focus on innovating training contents, forms and methods, suitable to their functions, tasks, weapons, equipment, means and characteristics of the area. In weaponry training, the units adhere to the motto of "Basic, practical, firm"; attach importance to synchronous and intensive training for all kinds of vehicles; taking the goal of "Protecting the sovereignty of the sea, islands and continental shelf of the country", building a "regular, elite and modern" region as the goal of training. Combine training with patrolling, inspection and control tasks at sea. Along with that, it focuses on improving the quality of professional training to raise the capability for the law enforcers at sea. Since then, officers and soldiers build their will, determination, confidence in weapons and equipment, ready to receive and successfully complete all tasks in any situation.

Due to the large number of forces operating at sea for long hours and in difficult conditions, the Region performs well the work of mass mobilisation, policy, and takes good care of the troops’ families. Together with doing well the mass mobilisation, special propaganda, building a solid "people's heart and mind posture", the Region focuses on implementing favourable policies for cadres and soldiers of the units and their families; paying attention to and ensure regimes and policies for people with meritorious services to the revolution, wounded and sick soldiers, families and relatives of martyrs, and policy families in their stationing areas. Doing this helps building strong units and areas; making its cadres and soldiers stick closely with the people, accompany fishermen at sea, ... contributing to building the region strong in politics and ideology with enhanced overall quality combat strength, and law enforcing capability for firmly maintaining security and sovereignty over the seas and islands of the Fatherland.

Major General NGUYEN VAN DUNG, Political Commissar of the Region