The great national unity based on the foundation of the class alliance between the working class, the peasantry, and the intellectuals under the leadership of the Party is the vital core of Vietnam’s revolutionary strategy. It represents the main power source, primary driving force, and the decisive factor ensuring the victory in the cause of national liberation, construction, and defence of the Fatherland. During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh paid particular attention to national unity, and he affirmed it in his testament: “Unity, unity, great unity. Success, success, great success”.

Being deeply imbued with that perspective, over the years, to perform its functions of “an army for combat, an army for work, and an army for production”, the Vietnam People’s Army has consistently and comprehensively grasped and set an example in implementing the Party’s guidelines and orientations as well as the State’s policies and laws regarding the construction of the great national unity bloc, with a focus on Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW dated March 12, 2003, by the Party Central Committee (9^th tenure) on “Promoting the collective strength of the great national unity for a society of prosperous people, strong nation, justice, democracy, and civilisation”, thus achieving significant outcomes. Over the past 20 years, agencies and units, especially those stationed in strategic, remote, ethnic minority, religious, border, and island areas, have closely coordinated with central committees, ministries, sectors, local party committees, authorities, and organisations to stay close to the people and the localities, adhering to the principle of “four togethers” to disseminate and mobilise the people to implement the Party’s guidelines and orientations and the State’s policies and laws. The entire Army has placed emphasis on effectively carrying out mass mobilisation work, actively participating in building clean and strong grassroots political systems in localities, promoting grassroots democracy, and fostering a high level of consensus among the people. In addition, agencies and units have actively and proactively participated in movements, campaigns, and national target programmes related to socio-economic development, poverty reduction and hunger eradication, new-style rural construction, healthcare, and raising intellectual standards. They have implemented social welfare policies and carried out acts of gratitude through various appropriate models and approaches, which are highly regarded by local party committees, authorities, and people. During the 2003 - 2022 period, these entities collaborated in renovating, repairing, and upgrading 145,636 km of rural roads (including 5,058 km of new roads); 202,305 km of infield canals (including 1,250 km of new canals); renovating 3,879 km of the power grid; constructing 5,855 cultural centres and 17,926 policy-based houses for merit holders and the impoverished; building 1,072 bridges of various types and 934 clean water projects; and removing nearly 3,000 temporary or dilapidated houses. They provided support exceeding 4,200 billion VND to localities for economic development, undertook over 100 economic development projects with a total capital of 2,038 billion VND, etc. Furthermore, agencies and units across the Army have closely collaborated with the standing forces in their respective areas to actively grasp the situation, provide strategic counsel, and actively direct the successful handling of national defence and security situations. They have been proactive and sharp in combatting and thwarting the subversive activities of hostile and reactionary forces, taking the initiative, and leading in disaster prevention and control, epidemic control, and search and rescue operations, particularly in the prevention, control, and containment of the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring a peaceful life for the people.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 148, Division 316 doing mass work together with ethnic people in Tuyen Quang province (Photo credit: tuyenquang.dcs.vn)

With a high level of political responsibility, through rich, practical, and effective practical activities, the Army has made significant contributions to consolidating, strengthening, and promoting the power of the great national unity bloc, generating momentum for socio-economic development, and ensuring national defence, security, foreign affairs, etc. Consequently, the construction of a solid “people’s hearts and minds posture” has been further fortified, and the people’s trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist regime has been increasingly elevated, thus brightening the noble qualities of the “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new period.

In the upcoming period, the task of building and defending the Fatherland is likely to pose higher requirements with opportunities, advantages, difficulties, and challenges intermingled. The adverse impacts of the market economy, the wealth gap during the development process, shortcomings within certain party committees and authorities in social management and addressing emerging issues, the recession on the political ideology, ethics, and lifestyles among some officials and party members, coupled with the fierce subversion from hostile forces, will have a considerable impact on the construction of the great national unity bloc. This situation requires all levels, sectors, forces, the entire political system, and the whole people, especially the Army, to thoroughly grasp and better implement the Party’s guidelines and orientations as well as the State’s laws and policies on unleashing the strength of the great national unity bloc. In this regard, there should be a strong focus on effectively implementing the key aspects as follows:

Firstly, deeply comprehending the Party’s resolutions and directives, the State’s laws and policies; and enhancing the awareness and responsibility of organisations, forces, officers, and soldiers in building the great national unity bloc. Building and promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc is a critical and regular task and an urgent and long-term requirement in the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation. It should be comprehensively implemented in various aspects, such as economy, politics, culture, society, national defence, and security, influenced by the multidimensional impact of social life as well as the domestic, regional, and international situation. Therefore, agencies and units need to continue to thoroughly grasp and comprehend the resolutions, directives, and regulations of the Party and the State regarding the great national unity, laying the foundation for proposing policies and measures for effective leadership, direction, organisation, and implementation. Enhancing education, raising awareness, and instil a sense of responsibility in officers and soldiers about the construction of the great national unity bloc, making them realise that it is not only a political function, task, responsibility, and emotion of officers and soldiers in the armed forces, but also a contribution to strengthening the social consensus, which tightens the relationship between the Party, State, Army, and the people, thus creating a massive source of motivation in the cause of national construction and defence. Concurrently, it contributes to building a politically strong Army, consolidating the sources of strength for the Army to excellently fulfil all assigned tasks. Hence, each officer and soldier consistently upholds the responsibility and serves as a model in adhering to the Party’s guidelines and orientations and the State’s laws and policies in general and the great national unity in particular. They serve as the nucleus of unity and the reliable fulcrum of the people.

Secondly, strengthening the leadership and direction of party committees (party cells), political commissars, junior political commissars, commanding officers, and political organs at all levels; enhancing propaganda and mobilisation of the people from different classes in building the great national unity bloc. This is a top priority, aiming to identify the appropriate and timely directions and practical measures in building the great national unity bloc at each agency and unit in the new situation. Accordingly, party committees and party organisations at all levels should base their decisions on the situation of the respective agencies, units, and local characteristics to determine appropriate and effective leadership approaches and measures. Political commissars and junior political commissars at all levels should elevate their responsibility, actively communicate, and collaborate with commanding officers, and direct relevant agencies in formulating and implementing plans rigorously. Political organs at all levels need to effectively perform their roles as advisors, guides, monitors, and enforcers, leveraging the comprehensive strength of organisations and forces in the implementation process. Continuing to enhance mass mobilisation work, attaching to the people and the localities, and flexibly applying forms and methods to propagate and mobilise the people, fostering consensus in implementing the Party’s directives and orientations and the State’s laws and policies. Propagating so that people could grasp the economic, cultural, social, national defence and security developments, the ethnic and religious issues as well as the plots and tactics of hostile forces in exploiting issues of democracy, human rights, ethnicity, and religion for subversion. Therefore, encouraging the people to heighten their sense of pride and national identity, actively engage in production, live “a good life with good morals”, and show mutual respect and assistance in building increasingly developed residential areas, villages, and hamlets. Besides, the people should not succumb to the instigation and provocation of malicious and hostile forces. Additionally, focusing on the dissemination and mobilisation for the people to comprehend and correctly exercise their rights, duties, and responsibilities as citizens; to understand, respect, and strictly abide by the laws; to enhance people’s rights to mastery in all fields according to the motto “People know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, and people enjoy”. However, resolutely combatting manifestations of abusing freedom and democracy to jeopardise security and order, affecting social consensus and the strength of the great national unity bloc.

Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Gau checks mass work at Ha Tinh province (Photo credit: qdnd.vn)

Thirdly, actively participating in socio-economic development while ensuring national defence and security, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of the people. One of the significant policies of our Party and State to enhance the great national unity bloc is to promote socio-economic development to improve people’s standards of living, linking economic growth with the advancement of a progressive and equitable society. Therefore, agencies and units should continue to respond and effectively implement various programmes, projects, and patriotic movements initiated by the Party, the State, the Fatherland Front, organisations, sectors, and localities through diverse and practical activities. They should uphold the spirit of overcoming difficulties, being ready to sacrifice and standing with the people in dealing with and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, epidemics, search and rescue operations, thus contributing to stabilising and improving people’s lives. Economic - defence units should deeply grasp their tasks, enhance the quality and efficiency of their operations, and effectively combine strengthening national defence and security with economic, cultural, and social development, especially in strategic areas of the country.

Fourthly, promoting the role of the Army in building a strong grassroots political system. Agencies and units must thoroughly grasp the resolutions and directives of the Party and Government on building a strong grassroots political system. Based on this, they should effectively coordinate with local party committees and authorities to effectively implement these resolutions. Firstly, it is necessary to excel in developing, training, and nurturing party members, thus building teams of grassroots cadres. By training and sending cadres and party members to participate in commune-level party committees and meetings in party cells within villages and hamlets, especially for communes in remote, distant, border, island, ethnic minority, newly separated, and newly merged areas, they contribute to improving the leadership capacity and combat strength of party organisations as well as the effectiveness of administration and operation of local authorities. Besides, providing counsel and assistance to local party committees and authorities in building a robust Fatherland Front and mass organisations, improving their operational efficiency, thus being truly the place to gather and mobilise the masses to participate in patriotic movements and campaigns, awakening the potential and creativity of the people in the revolutionary cause. Moreover, units actively participate in building and strengthening social relations and revolutionary movements at the local level; effectively carry out the recruitment work and coordinate to find employment for demobilised soldiers; focus on building a strong reserve force and a widespread militia and self-defence force; and promote the role of military party cells in communes, wards, townships. These serve as the core in building the great national unity bloc at the local level.

Fifthly, strengthening the grasp of the situation and resolutely fighting to prevent and combat “peaceful evolution”, thwarting the subversive plots and sabotage activities of hostile forces. Disrupting the great national unity bloc and sowing division between the people, the Party, and the armed forces, especially in strategic areas, is a constant focus of subversion by hostile forces. Therefore, agencies and units emphasise the responsibility of cadres, party members, Steering Committee 35, and specialised forces to enhance the struggle against the distorted and subversive arguments of hostile forces. On the basis of firmly grasping the situation, it is necessary to coordinate closely with party committees, local authorities, and organisations, especially the Public Security, to maintain political security, public order, and social safety, thus preventing and combatting crimes. Agencies and units must be well-prepared in terms of plans, forces, and training; coordinate and cooperate to address “hotspots” related to security and social order in a timely and effective manner, following the principles. Besides, agencies and units must effectively implement Conclusion No. 21-KL/TW, dated October 25, 2021, of the Fourth Conference of the Party Central Committee (13^th tenure) on Promoting the building and rectification of the Party and the political system; resolutely preventing, pushing back, and strictly handling cadres and party members who show signs of ideological, ethical, and lifestyle degradation, as well as manifestations of “self-revolution” and “self-transformation”, linked to promoting the learning and following of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics, and style, the Movement entitled “Promoting traditions, devoting talent, deserving to be “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new period”, Resolution No. 847-NQ/QUTW dated December 28, 2021, of the Central Military Commission on Promoting the qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”, resolutely combatting individualism in the new situation, etc. Through these efforts, clean, strong, and exemplary party organisations and comprehensively strong “typical and exemplary” units and agencies are built. Officers, party members, and soldiers show no signs of ideological, ethical, and lifestyle degradation, “self-evolution”, “self-transformation”, maintaining internal unity and the tie between the army and the people, being ready to receive and effectively fulfil all assigned tasks.

Upholding the nearly 80-year tradition of building, fighting, winning, and developing the heroic Vietnam People’s Army, officers and soldiers continue to effectively implement the directives and measures to build the great national unity, contributing to enhancing consensus within the society, and further strengthening the relationship between the Party, the State, the Army, and the people. Consolidating the source of strength, together with the entire Party and people, to successfully carry out the cause of building and firmly defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the new situation.

Lieutenant General NGUYEN VAN GAU, Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Chief of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People’s Army