The year of 2016 marks the first year we have implemented the 12^th Resolution of the Party and party resolutions at all levels. Besides advantages, the military and defense work in general and the party and political work in particular in the Military are being carried out under the influence of various challenges. The Party and political work in the Military have briefed and directed seriously the implementation of directives, resolutions of the Party, State, Central Military Commission (CMC) and the Ministry of National Defense; stuck to the practice, renovated methods of leading, directing, managing and implementing; accomplished all the contents, programs, plans, contributing to building the Military politically strong, improving the overall quality, combat strength and successfully fulfilling the assigned tasks.

Over the past year, the whole military has actively grasped and implemented the Resolution of the 12^th National Party Congress, Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress; and has been sensible and opportune in political education and ideological orientation; fostered the studying and following Ho Chi Minh thought, moral and style and the Drive of “Promoting the tradition, dedicating talent, deserving to be Uncle Ho soldier”; upheld the effectiveness of the Steering Board 94, proactively combating wrongful and hostile viewpoints and “peaceful evolution” scheme in the fields of ideology, culture, and protected the ideological ground and the Party’s renewal lines in the Military. Actively propose to the CMC, and directed party committees at all levels to issue, supplement and implement programs, regulations on party building, and on leading crucial works, such as: personnel, military power, finance, construction, investment; advised, directed, guided and implemented effectively the works of personnel, inspection, security, public relation, policy, emulation and commendation. Activities of mass organizations have been facilitated with different models and gained realistic results. The Party and political work in the tasks of training, combat readiness, disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, etc have been carried out effectively. Political and ideological situation in the whole military remain stable; cadres and soldiers are all politically steadfast and absolutely loyal to the Party’s leadership, highly responsible, ready to take and fulfill all assigned tasks.

Snr Lt Gen Luong Cuong addressing at the conference on party work and political work (photo: qdnd.vn)

In 2017, the world and regional security and political situation; territorial dispute are anticipated with complications and unpredictable evolutions. Domestically, besides advantages, we are faced with a number of challenges, namely: climate change, calamities, environmental pollution, economic depression, social evils; living standard of a number of cadres, soldiers and people remains low; hostile forces will continue their act of sabotage against the Party, State and Military with the strategy of “Peaceful evolution”, “self evolution”, “self transformation” and “military apoliticalization” more drastically, particularly in political and ideological fields. The adjustment of organizational structure, downsizing, restructuring and renewing of military enterprises will have a deep impact on the awareness, ideology, and affection of a number of cadres and soldiers. The mission of Homeland protection in the new situation is increasingly demanding. To meet the requirements, the party and political work should focus on the following tasks:

First, continue to grasp, study and implement thoroughly the directives, resolutions of party committees at all levels to make cadres and soldiers fully aware of their tasks. It is necessary to clarify new and basic contents of the Resolution of the 12^th National Party Congress, the 4^th Resolution of the Party Central Committee (12^th tenure) on “Strengthening the Party building and rectification; preventing and controlling the degradation in political ideology, moral, lifestyle, the signs of internal “self evolution”, “self transformation”, the  Resolution of the X Military Party Congress; the Resolution of the CMC on leading the implementation of military and defense tasks, building Military Party and directives, plans of the party and political work of the General Political Department in 2017, etc. In particular, it is necessary to pay due attention to educating, grasping and thoroughly implementing the Directive 05-CT/TW of the Politburo and the Directive No. 87-CT/QUTW of the Permanent Office of the CMC on furthering the studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s thought, moral and style; Resolution of the CMC on enhancing training quality in the new situation; restructuring organization and staff and military enterprises; orders on training, combat readiness, exercises, disaster prevention and control and directives on conducting the party and political work in each particular mission.

Second, enhancing the leading capability and combativeness of party organizations and committees, upholding the vanguard and exemplary role of party members. Basing on the orientations and solutions for party building that have been pointed out the 10^th Military Party Congress, all levels should thoroughly screen, consolidate, concretize functions and missions of each party organization to meet the requirements of each aspect of operation; enhancing the quality of the party meeting and the implementation of resolutions, particularly in focal, new and difficult tasks. Seriously adhering to the party principles on organization and meeting, particularly the principle of democratic centralization; strengthening inspection and supervisory work, fostering self criticism and criticism and taking positive measures to overcome shortcomings and limitations in the party building so that the set out goals are to be realized.

Third, build a sufficient staff of cadre meeting the requirements of building the Military revolutionary, regular, seasoned and gradually modern, particularly for the forces which have been straightly modernized. Pay attention to build cadre staff in both quality, quantity and structure; enhance the political steadfastness, sense of responsibility, working capability and method, words accompanying with actions, exemplary, active and creative in work. Together with planning and sensitive appointment of cadre, party committees and cadres in charge should have  thorough evaluation, management, training and rotation of cadres; combine in service training with full time training in military and civilian schools. Training should focuses on enhancing practical capacity in military and defense fields, the standard of directing and implementing the party work and political work of commissars and junior commissars and political agencies al all levels in new units and combat models. Training content should be comprehensive and targeted at developing command and advisory skills and the capacity to conduct the party and political work for cadres at all levels, particularly cadres at grassroots level, and political agencies and cadres in local military offices. Beneficial policies should be issued for cadres to encourage and stimulate them to do their best at work.

Fourth, continue to have renewals in the method and model in order to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the party  and political work. All levels should uphold the leadership and direction roles of party committees; build political agencies truly strong; improve the responsibility, standard and capacity of cadres and party members, firstly cadres in charge, in implementing the party and political work. Regularly carry out theoretical study and practical review, attach to the military and defense tasks to have suitable renewals in content, model and method; actively collaborate with other forces and organizations to bring about synergy for the work. Renewals should inherit and uphold the effective existing models and methods, meanwhile studying and proposing new and suitable ones, making positive changes in all aspects of the party and political work of the following missions: training, combat readiness, defense diplomacy, disaster and environmental pollution prevention and control, search and rescue, etc.

Fifth, actively combat to defeat all plots and schemes of “peaceful evolution”, “self evolution”, “self transformation”, “military apoliticalization” of hostile forces. The whole military should strengthen education to make cadres and soldiers always vigilant and resistant to those dangerous plans. Besides, party committees and organizations should lead and direct the implementation of internal political security work; coordinate with local party committees and authorities to grasp the situation, timely have measures to deal, prevent and defeat all plots, schemes and acts of sabotage of hostile forces.

The year of 2017 is the second year we have implemented the Resolution of the 12^th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress, the 4^th Central Resolution (XII tenure) on the party building and rectification with several important tasks. We believe that with the effort and strong determination of cadres, soldiers and defense employees, firstly party committees and commanders at all levels, the whole Military will successfully accomplish the party and political work to build the Military politically strong and contribute to successfully fulfill the military and defense tasks and the mission of Homeland protection in the new situation.

Senior Lieutenant General Luong Cuong

Member of the Party Central Committee

Permanent member of the CMC

Director of the General Political Department, VPA