The construction of the all-people national defence which is a strategic and thorough policy from our Party and Government is fully comprehended and implemented by the party committee, the local government, people and the armed forces of Cao Bang province with many appropriate and comprehensive solutions, gaining many important results that contribute to the enhancement of the power of national defence and the firm protection of the area in the new situation

In recent years, thoroughly comprehending the Party’s resolutions and directions on the national defence, military affairs, especially the Resolution of the 8th Plenum of the Party Central Committee (11th tenure) on “Strategies to safeguard the Homeland in the new situation”, the provincial party committee and people’s committee of Cao Bang province have issued many resolutions, directions, plans and action programs on the construction of the all-people national defence and directed sectors, offices and unions at all levels to carry out them closely and effectively. All offices, units and local areas have been focusing on the education of national defence, security and the propaganda on the military and defence activities; the political systems at all levels which have been consolidated and enhanced have been operating effectively. Other tasks relating to foreign affairs, ethnic groups, religions, social welfare, policies for military families and gratitude repaying have been well carried out. The mechanism operation of the Party leadership, the governmental management, the military chairman in cooperation with other agencies, sectors and unions as the consultants in doing the military and national defence missions has become increasingly synchronous and effective. The overall quality, skills and combat readiness ability of the provincial armed forces have been continuously improved, playing a central part in missions of military affairs, national defence, fighting against natural disasters, rescuing, and maintaining the security and social safety in the area.

The provincial armed forces join hands in building new rural areas in the locality

Cao Bang, presently and in the following years, together with the whole country, has been overcoming difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in order to gain growth and create new momentums for development. However, due to the harsh conditions of a mountainous border province, which has low starting point, Cao Bang has still suffered from a slow growth of economy together with the danger of natural disasters and diseases. Also, the hostile forces and the special agencies from foreign countries have been continually establishing contacts, making illegal penetration into the area in order to accelerate their sabotage; criminals, social evils, illegal missions and entries have raised many new and sophisticated occurrences, etc. In order to maintain the stability of the politics, national defence, security and social safety for the fast, sustainable and rightly-oriented development of the economy, the provincial party committee and the provincial people’s committee have been focusing on leading and guiding the implementation of policies and solutions on the strong all-people national defence as follow:

Firstly, enhancing the leadership and guidance by the executive committee and the provincial government, the ability of administration and organisation for cadres, offices and unions at all levels in the construction of the strong all-people national defence. First and foremost, the Province needs to promote the implementation of Resolution No. 117-NQ/TU, issued on 15/7/2021 by the provincial party committee on leading the construction of the strong all-people national defence in the period of 2021-2015, which focuses on concretising the aims of: building the strong all-people national defence, the position of public popularity connected with the position of all-people national defence and the solid national security; firmly safeguarding the territorial sovereignty, national borders, maintaining the political security, social safety and avoiding the hot spots of national defence and security with practical solutions and missions. In order to achieve highly effective results, offices, departments and sectors need to closely grasp the situations, consulting with the provincial party committee and the provincial people’s committee for issuing directions, decisions and instructions on missions of military affairs, national defence, constructing the defense zones in the province and districts, the militia and self-defence force, the reserved forces, ensuring the national defence, military exercises on defense zones, etc. in order to meet the demands for protecting the areas in the new situation. Executive committee, local government and unions at all levels need to thoroughly comprehend and build programs and action plans which are practical with the areas and units. They should often strengthen and improve the effectiveness of committees, leading boards in military missions and national defence at all levels; adjusting the position of national defence together with boosting the socio-economic development to suit the rearranged and newly established administration units; issuing procedures and policies on important keys of socio-economy, national defence and security.

It is necessary to continuously enhance the construction and strengthening of party cells, cadres, the instruction of new party members at specific party cells and in the armed forces, focusing on the improvement of the ability of leadership and management for executive committees, local governments, the ability of consultancy and implementation organisation for military units, border guards, police and offices, departments and sectors in the construction of the strong all-people national defence. Also, it is a must to give the additional directions, compose the documents of military operations, plans of changing the area into the status of national defence, from the peace time to the war time according to the functions and missions of each level and branch, making sure they are operating well; holding exercises on the defence zones effectively, practically and safely.

Secondly, promoting the renovation, improving the effectiveness of education, propaganda and public relations, improving the self-awareness and responsibility for cadres, party members and local people in the implementation of this important mission. In order to bring into play the revolutionary traditions and results of many years of renovation, offices, units and areas need to focus on educating and propagandising policies and guidelines by the Party on safeguarding the homeland in the new situation, laws and other leading documents relating to national defence, military affairs, ethnic groups, religions; exposing the schemes and expedients on “peaceful evolution”, “depoliticising” the army; highlighting the activities on military affairs, national defence, security, … with suitable forms for each participant. In order to improve the effectiveness, offices, units and areas, in the way of their implementation process, need to diversify the forms, methods of propaganda and education based on the speakers, communication media and social network, contributing to the direction of thought, the improvement of awareness in order to create the solidarity and nation-wide unity in building and protecting the homeland. Promoting the education on national defence and security should be connected to the education of responsibility and missions for cadres and party members in the construction of party organisations, local governments, unions and the strong all-people national defence; making sure the maintenance of disciplines, the readiness for mechanism strength and renovation, the improvement of quality and activity effectiveness of organisations, especially the ones in remote and border areas or the areas of ethnic groups. It should continuously implement the policies on ethnic groups, religions; guide and make conditions for religions to follow the regulations; and firmly fight against illegal activities separating the solidarity among ethnicity groups.

Thirdly, being active in mobilising the resources to enhance the socio-economic development together with improving and strengthening the national defence and security. On making use of the achievable results, and in order to create the material resources, increase the potentials for the construction of the strong all-people national defence, the province has concentrated on leading and directing the socio-economic development connected to the Project on building the defence zones within the province and districts in the period of 2021-2025; with the focus on increasing the quality of the planning and managing process of the schedule on the socio-economic development together with the consolidation of the national defence, operation plans in order to promote the investment in the socio-economic infrastructures, meeting the demands for the development. Among them, it is a need to prioritise specific fields to attract the investments; some multifunctional work; programs of national aims, key programs and contents in the term of 2020-2025. It is also necessary to renovate and improve the effectiveness in applying and transferring the scientific advances into the production and people’s life; sustainably develop the agricultural and forestry production, encourage the investments in expanding the production scales and diversifying the trading patterns; synchronously develop the features of culture, education, IT and media both in infrastructures, technology and human resources,… in order to increase job opportunities, develop the population and effectively implement the policies on social security and sustainable alleviation of poverty. At the same time, it is positive to mobilise resources to invest in the construction of multifunctional work, facilities, houses and technical means for the armed forces in order to both develop the socio-economy and meet the demands for missions of military affairs and security whenever situations arising.

Fourthly, building the strong armed forces together with building the potentials for national defence and security in order to meet the demands and missions. Together with adjusting the regular forces, the province has enhanced the implementation of the Plan on building the forces and regulations, policies for the militia and self-defence force in the period of 2020-2025; built the “strong and nation-wide” militia forces and the reserved forces which are at appropriate scales and suitable for missions of the local areas. They have organised the training with right and enough contents; increased the political education, maintained the disciplines, built the regular orders; organised the exercises on the defense zones practically and effectively,… making sure the armed forces to be strengthened in politics, thought and organisation ability, owning the high combat readiness competency and ability of consultation for the executive committee and the local government in their leading, directing and managing the national defence and military affairs. At the same time, they have suitably distributed the national budget to the construction of the military posture, activities in the defense zones, and to the reinforcement of barns, the maintenance of weapons and technical equipment. They have also well mobilised the resources to build the systems of ditches, fields, training and drill grounds at district and provincial levels for the purpose of training.

Alongside, the province has concentrated on leading and directing all levels, sectors and areas to well implement the Party’s external guidelines, the State’s and people’s foreign policies and defence foreign relations; promoting the foreign relations with the Zhuangzu autonomous region in Guangxi province, China and other border areas; well implementing 03 legal documents on the land borders between Vietnam and China. They have directed forces and regions to establish a close cooperation according to the Decree No. 03/2019/NĐ-CP by the Government, ensuring the active control, the effective counseling and solutions of the situations, avoiding the sudden occurrences. Also, they have effectively implemented plans and projects on preventing criminals, drug addiction, social evils, natural disasters, bush fires and campaigns on “the whole people protecting the homeland’s security”. Whereby, they could bring in play the general strength of foreign affairs, economy, culture, national defence and security in order to build the peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development, contributing to the construction of the strong all-people national defence in the area.

TRAN HONG MINH, Member of CPV Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee