Party work and political work play a very important role in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam towards the Army, and represent a fundamental work aspect of party committees, political commissars, junior commissars and commanders at all levels in order to maintain and strengthen the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party over the Army, ensuring that the Army maintains the working-class, people-ness and nation-ness nature; be absolutely loyal to the Party, Fatherland, and People, ready to receive and successfully complete all assigned tasks. In response to the requirement and task of building the Army, protecting the Fatherland in the new situation, it is necessary to strengthen leadership and direct the improvement of the quality and efficiency of this important work.

Recognising the correct position and role of party work and political work, over the years, the party committees, commanders, political commissars, junior commissars of agencies and units in the whole army have focused on leading and directing the strict implementation of the Party's lines and views and the requirement of building the Military politically strong. Party work and political work have thoroughly grasped the resolutions and directives of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, the General Political Department; closely followed the military and defence tasks and the practical situation; regularly renewed the content, form and method; closely combined ideological work with organisation and policy work; promoted the combined strength of organisations and forces; closely coordinated with central and local agencies in implementation. Grasping the spirit of “where there are soldiers, there will be party and political work”, the whole Army has implemented this work in a comprehensive and synchronous manner with foci on key issues, breakthrough, thereby successfully completing its tasks both regular and irregular in which number of tasks have been excellently completed, being highly appreciated by the Party, State and the People.

However, compared to the mission requirements and facing new problems posed, the quality and efficiency of party work and political work have yet to meet expectation at times. The contents and forms of operation in a number of agencies and units have not seen much innovation and creativity. The capacity of some cadres to conduct party work and political work, especially at grassroots levels, is not on par with requirements, etc.

Dicussing at the conference on party work and political work 2019

In the coming time, the world, regional and East Sea situations are forecasted to be complicated and unpredictable. Hostile forces and political opportunists will try to promote their subversive activities against the Party, the State and the Army in a more aggressive, open and direct manner, especially in terms of ideological and political areas. The tasks of building the army, consolidating the national defence and defending the Homeland have had new developments with higher demands. The entire army strives to successfully implement the Resolutions of the XIII National Congress of the Party and the XI Military Party Congress, in an attempt to create a solid premise for building a modernised Army from 2030 onwards. The restructuring of Military organisations and the negative impacts of the society have had adverse effect on the ideology and psychology of a number of cadres, soldiers and employees. This situation requires synchronous implementation of solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of party work and political work; continue to maintain and strengthen the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party over the Army, and build a politically strong Army, serving as a basis for improving the overall quality, combat strength, successfully completing all assigned tasks. In particular, attention should be paid to the following solutions:

Firstly, to regularly educate and raise consciousness about the position and role of party work and political work; strengthen the leadership of the party committees and party organisations for this activity. In the face of the high requirements of the current task of building the Army and defending the Fatherland, it is necessary to continue to thoroughly grasp, making each officers, party member, especially the leading cadres at all levels properly aware of the necessity to further improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of party work and political work. In addition, party committees and organisations should strengthen their leadership, direction, and ensure that political and party work are always carried out in the right political direction, with high persuasiveness. The content of leadership must be comprehensive, but focus on doing well the tasks of Party building, political education, ideological leadership; promote the role of party work and political work in key tasks, especially new, difficult and complex ones, such as: combat readiness, training, exercising, protecting the sovereignty of border, sea and islands; formality construction, discipline management; organisational restructuring; prevention and control of natural disasters, epidemics, environmental incidents, search and rescue; construction and operation of defence zones; joining the UN peacekeeping missions, defence external affairs, etc. The leadership resolutions of the party committees and the party organisations must properly assess the current operations of party work and political work, and set out the sound policies and measures; associate the responsibilities of cadres with the results of leadership, direction and implementation of party work and political work.

To that end, all levels of Party committees and organisations must be built clean, strong in politics, ideology, organisation and morality; improve their comprehensive leadership capacity, combat strength. Promote Party building and rectification in the spirit of the Central Resolution 4 (Session XII), associated with the implementation of Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo (XII tenure), Directive No. 855-CT/QUTW of the Standing Office of the Central Military Commission on the implementation of the Campaign of Promoting tradition, dedicate talent, deserving “Uncle Ho's army” in the new period. Enhance the education and training of cadres and party members, especially the presiding ones about exemplary role, ethical qualities, lifestyle, capacities, methods, manners, meeting requirements and duties.

Second, to improve the implementation capacity of party work and political work for the contingent of political commissars, junior commissars, political agencies and political cadres at all levels. First of all, all levels need to thoroughly grasp and implement the Political Bureau's Regulation No. 236/QĐ-CT dated February 21, 2019 on the functions, tasks and working relationships of political commissars, junior commissars; functions, duties, and working relationships of political agencies at all levels in the Vietnam People's Army. Party committees at all levels need to pay attention to the number and the quality of the contingent of political cadres at all levels, serving as a basis for promoting the core role in directing, guiding and implementing. Further foster and improve the quality, capacity, ability to conduct party work, political work for the contingent of political commissars and junior commissars at the grassroots level; conduct review to discover and solve arising problems. The decisive issue is that the contingent of political cadres, political commissars and junior commissars must raise awareness, responsibility, self-discipline to study, cultivate and train themselves in all aspects, especially the ability to conduct party work and political work. Based on their responsibilities and tasks, each political officer makes a study plan, determines the target for striving and measures for implementation in each stage; regularly self-examine and evaluate, together with the supervision of the commissars, political agencies and superiors to perfect themselves and well fulfill their assigned functions and tasks.

Thirdly, to thoroughly grasp the practical situation, renew the contents, forms and methods of conducting party work and political work suitable to the subjects and tasks. To successfully implement this solution, it is required that organisations and forces conducting party work and political work must always follow the ideological situation, activities of cadres and soldiers, social, world, and regional situations, mission requirements, issues affecting the military in politics, etc. Thereby, proposing to the party committees, party organisations relevant and sound guidelines and measures for leadership; promptly orient, encourage and promote positive factors, limit negative impacts, prevent and eliminate negative effects on the consciousness and morale of troops and fighting strength of the Army. On the basis of grasping and strictly implementing the leadership, direction and guidance of superiors, commissars, political agencies, political commissars and commanders at all levels should promote dynamism, creativity, boldness and accountability in conducting party work and political work; closely combine ideological work with organisational and policy work, educational and administrative measures, political and military training, technical expertise, and taking care of the material and spiritual life of troops.

Fourth, promoting the synergy of organisations, forces and means in conducting party work and political work. Party committees, commanders, political officers, political commissars of agencies and units should closely coordinate and promote the role of the departments, ministries, central branches, commissars, authorities and agencies at all levels, the Fatherland Front, mass organisations at the grassroots political system, their areas of operation; mobilise all resources, material and technical means to conduct party work and political work; pay attention and improve material and spiritual life for troops and implement Army’s rear policies to encourage troops to emulate and perform well their tasks. At the same time, to promote the role of the contingent of commanding cadres at all levels, advisory, logistics and technical agencies in the unit to participate in conducting party work and political work. Pay attention to ensuring necessary materiel and fund; reform and improve the quality of cultural institutions at the grassroots level; attach importance to the work of preliminary review, review, theoretical research on party work and political work in the face of the increasingly high development of military construction and national defence.

The military and defence tasks in the coming time will pose high requirements for party work and political work, so the party committees, political commissars, commanders, political agencies, political cadres at all levels need to raise the sense of responsibility, grasp and implement synchronously guidelines and solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of party work and political work, considering it the decisive factor in building a politically strong Army, contributing to improving the overall quality, combat strength and successfully completing all assigned missions.

Sr. Lt. Gen. DO CAN, Vice Chairman of the General Political Department