Combining national defence with socio-economy and socio-economy with national defence is a consistent viewpoint in the Party's line of building and defending the Fatherland, which was further affirmed by the 13^th National Party Congress with specific guidelines and solutions. This point of view needs to be studied, grasped and effectively implemented.

With the development of thinking about the task of protecting the Fatherland "from early and afar", the combination of socio-economic development with strengthening national defence and security nationwide as well as in each locality, ministries and sectors in recent years has seen new changes in both awareness and implementation with many important results. All levels have led and directed the construction and promotion of the core role of 28 economic - defence zones; participated in socio-economy development in strategic areas with special difficulties along land borders, at sea and on islands. In addition, “defence and security industry is further invested and developed, hence has been able to produce several types of vehicles, equipment, weapons, supporting tools for defence and security tasks, and many other equipment, machinery and civil products and gained a firm foothold in the market”. Production and business activities of enterprises have enjoyed stable growth, contributing to the country's economic development, ensuring social security, strengthening national defence and security, notably: the Military Industry - Telecommunications Group (Viettel); Saigon Newport Corporation; Vietnam Helicopter Corporation; Military Joint Stock Commercial Bank, etc. In each locality and branch, economic development plans are associated with the building of solid defence areas. However, “The combination between socio-economy development and defence and security in a number of fields and areas has yet to be effective”. Therefore, faithfully and creatively applying Marxism-Leninism to the conditions of Vietnam revolution and the nation's traditions, inheriting the views of the previous congresses, the 13^th National Congress of the Party continued to affirm: "Closely and effectively combine economy, culture, society, foreign affairs with national defence and security, and between national defence, security with economy, culture, society and foreign affairs”.

Thus, the Resolution emphasised that this combination must be "tight" and "effective" to successfully implement the two strategic tasks of building socialism and firmly defending the Vietnam socialist Fatherland. Contents of the combinations must be identified in the socio-economic strategies; on each region, strategic area, border, sea, island, key economic zones and industrial parks; in economic sectors and fields, with a master plan on the arrangement of national defence combined with socio-economy. At the same time, exploit all resources, potentials and strengths to build defence and security potentials associated with economic, cultural and social development, thereby, creating a strategic disposition throughout the country, building provinces and cities into solid defence areas, meeting the requirements of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation.

In order to well accomplish this important goal, first of all, all levels and branches need to thoroughly grasp and raise the awareness that this combination is a fundamental and long-term task and an objective necessity. It is also the promotion of the precious traditions of building and defending the country, taking care of building a great national unity block; both developing the economy and strengthening defence capability to protect the Fatherland. At the same time, it is necessary to understand that this combination is the cause of the entire people, of all branches, all levels, and all economic sectors led by the Party and managed by the State, with a system of competent and responsible advisory agencies and a synchronous legal system, relevant to the new era.

All levels and branches need to diversify forms of propaganda and education on national defence and security, focusing on key cadres of all levels, ministries, branches and mass organisations from central to local, grassroots levels with appropriate contents and programs, thereby, raising their awareness and responsibility for defence and security strengthening while not missing any opportunities for economic development; creating a consensus of the whole political system and all classes of people in implementation.

Second, strengthening the leadership of the Party and the state management of governments at all levels. Each level must properly perform its functions and tasks according to the provisions of law and the Government's decrees promulgated; formulate and direct the implementation of long-term and annual plans for combining socio-economy development with strengthening national defence and security in their respective branches, ministries, localities and establishments; innovate and improve the administration processes and methods of governments at all levels from planning in all phases of the combination; promote the role of the heads of party committees and authorities at all levels in leading and inspecting, and the role of military agencies at all levels in advising and appraising socio-economy development projects and plans; strictly implement regulations on combining socio-economy development with defence and security strengthening in the defensive areas according to Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW, dated September 22, 2008 of the Politburo (10^th tenure); Conclusion No. 64-KL/TW, dated October 30, 2019 of the Politburo (12^th tenure) on the defensive area.

Third, perfecting the legal system, mechanisms and policies related to the combination. Being well aware of this issue, over the past years, the Party and State have paid attention to leading and directing the improvement of the legal system, such as: Law on National Defence, dated June 8, 2018; Decree No. 164/2018/NĐ-CP, dated December 21, 2018 of the Government on "Combining national defence with socio-economy and socio-economy with national defence"; Decree No. 22/2021/NĐ-CP, dated February 19, 2021 of the Government on "Economic - Defence Zones". However, facing the new requirements, the Party and State need to continue to lead and direct the improvement of the legal system on this content in a full, timely, synchronous, uniform, feasible, open, transparent, and stable manner for effective and efficient management and implementation throughout the country. Mechanisms and policies should be developed towards the view of all-people national defence and people's security; taking the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses as the core; well solving the correlation between economic growth and ensuring national defence and security, ensuring that every step of socio-economy development is a step to strengthen defence potential.

 Fourthly, bringing into play the role of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence in leading and directing the construction and improvement of the operational efficiency of the defence industry and economic zones. The Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress determined that: "Adjusting, supplementing and building economic - defence zones in accordance with the strategy and project on national defence and security, creating synergy to maintain socio-political stability; firmly defending the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland;…”. Accordingly, agencies and units need to actively and closely coordinate with relevant ministries, branches and localities to develop and complete detailed plans and implementation plans in each stage, suitable to the conditions of each locality and each economic - defence zone. At the same time, make careful plans of the projects; effectively mobilise, manage and use resources, invest in the order of priority; continue to implement the national programs on new rural construction, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, etc. by appropriate measures. In addition, continue to implement synchronously and effectively the Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, dated July 16, 2011 of the Politburo (11^th tenure), the conclusions, schemes, programs and plans of the Party, State, Government, Central Military Commission, Ministry of National Defence on the development of defence industry in the direction of self-reliance, modernity and dual-use, making it an important part and the spearhead of national industry, contributing to improving the defence and security potential and strength of the country.

Combining economic, cultural and social development with defence and security strengthening is a law of the country's existence and development, an objective necessity in the historical process of the revolution. It is necessary to drastically implement the above solutions, making the combination really close and effective, making an important contribution to the successful implementation of the national development strategy set out by the 13^th National Party Congress. .

Senior Colonel, Dr. NGUYEN VAN THANH, National Defence Academy