Implementing Directive No. 03/CT-BTL, dated January 10, 2021 of the High Command of Military Region 5, Directive No. 05-CT/TU, dated March 4, 2021 of the Standing Board of the City Party Committee, recently, Da Nang held a defensive area drill with the theme: turning the armed forces into combat readiness state; turning the localities into defence state; conducting the preparation and practice of defensive warfare, firmly defending the city. This is a large-scale exercise, involving a large number of participants, facilities and equipment, and with many new contents, in which, mobilising civilian human resources, ships and means for protecting the sovereignty and sovereign rights of sea and islands is an important content.

Taking place amid the complicated development of the Covid-19 epidemic, but thanks to the careful preparation, the exercise was successful, thereby, properly assessing the combat readiness level, the readiness to mobilise civil human resources, ships and means for protecting the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the city's seas and islands, serving as a basis for continuing to supplement and complete documents and plans, and improve the quality registration, management and training in the coming time.

A ceremony to hand over personnel and ships for sea and island protection

Through the exercise, a number of issues need to be further researched and applied in leadership, direction, organisation and implementation for further improving the quality of the mobilisation of civil human resources, ships and means for protecting the sovereignty, sovereign rights, seas and islands of the City.

Firstly, strengthen the leadership, direction, raising awareness and responsibility of the committees, departments, agencies, mass organisations and people in the mobilisation. Thoroughly and strictly implementing Decree No. 30/2010/NĐ-CP, dated March 29, 2010, Decree No. 130/2015/NĐ-CP dated December 18, 2015 of the Government and Circular No. 153 /2016/TT-BQP, dated September 30, 2016 of the Ministry of National Defence on mobilising human resources for civil ships and means for the protection of the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the seas of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; concretise by synchronous and effective guidelines and measures at all levels. Regularly consolidate the Steering Committee to assist the City People's Committee in directing and administering issues related to registration, management of mobilisation resources; hold training, drills and practice of mobilisation as planned.

Secondly, improve the quality of planning and guidance for implementation; agencies, units and localities closely coordinate and cooperate. The Municipal Military Command and Border Guard Command have thoroughly grasped and deployed many documents and instructions for agencies and units to strictly implement the directives, orders and instructions of the above levels on handling combat situations to protect the assigned seas and islands. Guide the registration for management of mobilised resources, training and drills closely; conduct surveys, appraise the value of the mobilised assets and means. However, the practice of preparing and practicing mobilisation of civil human resources, ships and means for the protection of sovereignty and sovereign rights of sea areas always poses new problems. Therefore, departments, branches and localities need to closely follow the functions, tasks and actual situation of the City in order to develop plans that are close to reality and feasible, and issue specific guiding documents; shorten the intermediate time and stage in the practice of mobilising when ordered.

Thirdly, perform well the selection, registration, resource management, reception and handover of civil human resources, ships and means in accordance with regulations; improve the quality of training and exercises of the mobilised forces. Every year, relevant departments, branches and localities need to thoroughly grasp the above guiding documents; conduct surveys, register closely the mobilised sources; focus on reviewing the registration and management of ships with large capacity to meet the requirements of combat missions at sea. Regularly coordinate, firmly grasp the operating position of the means, and timely provide two-way information on the current situation and exploitation of fishermen at sea. Propose the promulgation of sanctions regulating the daily communication regime between captains of offshore fishing vessels operating at sea and the guard stations of the Border Guard; promote the sharing of information or the integration of the monitoring equipment of ships' journeys with the coast guard stations of the Border Guard to make it easy for monitoring, managing, mobilising and handing over the vehicles right at sea. Strengthen coordination with vehicle owners to grasp the hired fishermen coming from other localities. Department and branches actively coordinate with the Command of Naval Region 3 to organise the handover closely, ensuring confidentiality and safety; welcome and receive human resources and ships after task accomplishment in a thoughtful manner to create solidarity between the army and the people and showing the concern of the party committees and local authorities to the fishermen.

Complete the training content and program framework; organise training for subjects according to plans. Forces, according to their functions and tasks, should actively hold training courses to foster and raise task awareness, search and rescue skills, and tactical skills in sea and island warfare for fishermen. The Municipal Border Guard Command should increase training and awareness raising about the enemy's plots and tricks and the objects of sea and island warfare, the Party and State's guidelines and policies on the protection of maritime sovereignty, as well as agreements, treaties, laws and related legal documents. The Municipal Military Command should well prepare the location for training and retraining of Military and Border Guard officers before mobilising according to the plan of the 3^rd Naval Region Command.

Finally, perform well the work of logistics, technical and financial supply for each stage and step in the performance of tasks. The Municipal Military Command and Border Guard Command should actively coordinate with relevant departments, agencies, branches and localities to inspect and determine the actual quality of ships; quantity and quality of equipment and technical status of each vessel. On that basis, they are to make a document on distraint of assets in accordance with procedures and principles before task performance. The People's Committees of districts shall provide funds to ensure food supplies for boats and vehicles according to prescribed standards and quantities. The Municipal Military Command shall assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the City's Department of Health in conducting military medical work on ships under the guidance of the Military Region; carry out the review and arrangement of the reserve forces for the field hospital, ready to expand the scope of treatment to serve as the rear of the 3^rd Navy Region according to the above orders. At the same time, well direct the storage of logistics materials for the mobilisation according to the guidance No. 50/HD-CHC, dated May 30, 2014 of the Logistics Department, Military Region 5.

With a sea area of more than 22,000 square kilometers, a sea border line of 34 km, and a coastline of more than 90 km according to the coastal water's edge, Da Nang has a particularly important strategic position in the defence of the Military Region 5 and the whole country from sea direction. Full aware of this, fishermen in Da Nang city not only actively stick to the sea, fishing grounds, and economic development operations, but also actively participate in flood and storm prevention and control, search and rescue, ready to participate in the struggle to protect the country's sovereignty and sovereign rights over seas.

Senior Colonel NGUYEN QUOC HUONG, Member of the Standing Committee of Da Nang Municipal Party Committee, Commander of Da Nang Military Command