Enhancing education to raise awareness, promoting socio-economic development, and strengthening the armed forces alongside a robust military posture within the province are key aspects of building an all-people national defence. These priorities have been the focus of Nam Dinh Province’s leadership, implemented through decisive and comprehensive measures.

Located on the shores of the Gulf of Tonkin in the southern part of the Red River Delta, Nam Dinh Province boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage, alongside significant potential and advantages for developing a diversified economy, including coastal industries, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and traditional crafts. Notably, in recent years, Nam Dinh has emerged as one of the provinces with a well-integrated transport infrastructure spanning road, rail, and waterways, particularly with an expanding network of seaports. This infrastructure forms a crucial foundation for accelerating socio-economic development while reinforcing national defence and security in a strategically vital area within Military Region 3 and the northern region of Vietnam. Recognising the strategic significance and vast potential of the province, the Provincial Party Committee, the People’s Council, and the People’s Committee of Nam Dinh have consistently prioritised leadership and direction at all levels. Their policies aim to drive socio-economic growth while simultaneously strengthening national defence and security. In this strategy, building a strong all-people national defence is regarded as a fundamental objective, ensuring political stability, public security, and social order. This, in turn, creates favourable conditions for the province to achieve rapid and sustainable development.

Self defence forces practise drill

Through the implementation of scientific and synchronised solutions, coupled with the decisive involvement of the entire political system, various sectors, and most notably the armed forces, the awareness and responsibility of cadres, Party members, and the general public regarding the mission of national construction and defence have steadily improved. The province has maintained a rigorous and continuous approach to education and training in national defence and security knowledge. Defence potential has been consistently reinforced, while the armed forces have been comprehensively strengthened, possessing high overall quality and combat readiness. The all-people national defence posture, closely integrated with the people’s security and regional defence arrangements, has been progressively fortified. This solid foundation enables the province to accelerate socio-economic development and enhance the quality of life for its residents.

However, certain challenges persist. At times, propagation and education efforts on national defence, military affairs, and the mission of safeguarding the Fatherland have not been sufficiently in-depth. The awareness and responsibility of a segment of cadres, Party members, and citizens regarding the development of an all-people national defence remain somewhat incomplete. In some sectors and localities, the integration of socio-economic development with national defence and security reinforcement has not always been seamless. Additionally, mobilising and allocating resources for the construction of military infrastructure within defensive zones continues to face obstacles.

In the coming period, while the overall situation in the province is expected to remain stable and witness further development, emerging challenges must be addressed. Key concerns include rural security, religious security, industrial zone security, and cybercrime. Moreover, hostile and reactionary forces continue to escalate activities aimed at subversion and sowing division within the national unity bloc, posing significant challenges to efforts in consolidating national defence, security, and socio-economic progress. Given these circumstances, the Provincial Military Command must continue to provide strategic counsel to the Provincial Party Committee, the People’s Council, and the People’s Committee. It is imperative to strengthen leadership and coordination at all levels, ensuring a robust all-people national defence that firmly safeguards the province. This, in turn, will create a stable and favourable environment for rapid and sustainable development. To achieve this, several key measures must be prioritised:

Firstly, efforts must be intensified in propagation and education to raise awareness and responsibility among cadres, Party members, and the general public in building an all-people national defence. This is a fundamental and crucial measure to harness the collective strength of the entire political system, various levels of administration, sectors, and the wider population in establishing a robust national defence. Accordingly, the Provincial Military Command must take a leading role, closely coordinating with relevant agencies to advise the Provincial Party Committee, the People’s Council, and the People’s Committee in directing departments, agencies, organisations, socio-political institutions, and localities to strengthen propagation and education efforts. The aim is to ensure that cadres, Party members, and citizens fully understand the significance, importance, and necessity of building a strong all-people national defence in the current context. This, in turn, will enhance awareness, consciousness, and responsibility in fulfilling this critical mission. The content of propagation and education must be broad in scope yet focused and strategic, ensuring that information is accessible, memorable, and appropriate for each locality and community. Priority should be given to disseminating key resolutions and directives from the Party, the Government, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, Military Region 3, and the province regarding national defence consolidation and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new era. Additionally, efforts should be made to promote Nam Dinh’s proud historical and heroic traditions, encapsulated in the spirit of "Dong A Spirit" (the martial valour of the Tran dynasty), particularly among younger generations. In terms of methods and approaches, alongside traditional briefings, meetings, study sessions, and discussions on Party and government directives, the province should ensure close collaboration with national and local media outlets to amplify communication efforts. Furthermore, national defence education should be integrated into cultural and artistic activities, traditional festivals, and community programmes. Organising field visits, research, and study tours at military units stationed within the province will also serve as an effective means of fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of national defence among the public.

The provincial armed forces participate in infrastructure development

Secondly, accelerating socio-economic development is essential to establishing a solid foundation for national defence capabilities. Recognising the province’s strategic significance in terms of national defence and security, as well as its substantial potential in industry, agriculture, tourism, and services, the Provincial Military Command must work closely with relevant agencies to advise the provincial leadership. This coordination will enable local authorities to seize opportunities, maximise advantages, and overcome challenges, ensuring Nam Dinh’s rapid and sustainable growth. The immediate priority is to develop and plan the province’s spatial growth with an open vision, fostering close regional connectivity within the Red River Delta. Administrative reforms must be intensified, along with the development of e-government and digital transformation, to create a more favourable business and investment environment. Efforts should be made to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and secondary investment in industrial parks and clusters, particularly from major investors with high-tech, environmentally friendly projects that generate competitive, high-value-added products and contribute significantly to the provincial budget. Priority should be given to industries applying Industry 4.0 technologies and the development of clean and renewable energy sources such as wind power and biomass energy. Investment should be directed towards key industrial zones, including Hai Long (Giao Thuy), Nam Hong (Nam Truc), Xuan Kien (Xuan Truong), and Minh Chau (Nghia Hung), among others. Additionally, the province must continue leveraging the economic potential of coastal localities to develop the maritime economy while strictly adhering to regulations on forest management, environmental protection, and biodiversity conservation. Tourism development should also be advanced, with a focus on eco-tourism, spiritual tourism, and the exploration of cultural and historical heritage.

Building upon a strong socio-economic foundation, the Provincial Military Command must advise the provincial leadership on consolidating defence and security capabilities. Priority should be given to allocating resources for constructing defensive infrastructure and investing in urban development, particularly in transportation, healthcare, and telecommunications projects that serve both civilian needs and national defence objectives. These efforts will establish a solid military posture within the province’s defensive framework. At the same time, active participation in evaluating and assessing investment projects will ensure that economic development is promoted efficiently while maintaining strict national defence and security considerations, ultimately fostering long-term sustainable growth.

Thirdly, strengthening the comprehensively strong armed forces is essential to their role as the backbone of an all-people national defence. To effectively carry out this critical task, the Provincial Military Command must work in close coordination with the Border Guard and Public Security forces to advise the provincial leadership. This involves ensuring that all levels of government strictly implement resolutions and directives on building a streamlined, efficient, and modernised military and police force. The provincial armed forces must be strengthened in terms of political ideology, ethics, organisation, and personnel, with a high overall quality and combat effectiveness, ensuring their capability to effectively handle national defence and security situations without being caught off guard.

Efforts should be expedited to reorganise the standing force in line with the latest structural frameworks, ensuring the swift stabilisation of agencies and units. Training quality, drills, combat readiness, rescue operations, and disaster prevention and response must be enhanced to reinforce their pivotal role in constructing a robust all-people national defence. Additionally, the province must continue reviewing and developing a well-trained, widely deployed militia and self-defence force with strong military and professional expertise. The reserve force should be maintained as a substantial and high-quality force, with special attention given to forming self-defence units within industrial parks and enterprises. The process of appointing military personnel to participate in local Party executive committees and standing committees for the 2025-2030 term should be completed in a timely manner. Furthermore, the armed forces must ensure consistent and effective coordination with the Public Security and Border Guard forces in implementing national defence and security tasks in accordance with Government Decree No. 03/2019/NĐ-CP, dated 5 September 2019.

Finally, efforts must be concentrated on constructing a robust military defence posture within the provincial defensive zone. Based on the broader defensive strategy of Military Region 3, the master plan for the development of defensive structures from 2021 to 2030 and beyond, as well as the provincial defensive zone development plan, the Provincial Military Command must work closely with the Public Security forces, the Border Guard, and key sectors such as natural resources and environment, transport, construction, planning and investment, and finance. Their collective role is to provide strategic counsel to the provincial leadership in effectively managing national defence affairs, particularly in the governance and utilisation of defensive structures, military facilities, and defence land. A continued review and allocation of financial resources must be undertaken to develop military infrastructure within the defensive zone. These developments should follow a systematic, interconnected, and deeply layered approach tailored to the province’s specific characteristics and the tactical expertise of its armed forces. Priority should be given to constructing essential and dual-purpose facilities. For coastal districts such as Nghia Hung, Hai Hai, and Giao Thuy, investment should focus on projects that serve both national defence and socio-economic development, particularly in the maritime economy. This includes upgrading coastal defensive outposts, combat positions, and strengthening or constructing new coastal road systems. For Nam Dinh City and other districts, continued research and adjustments should be made to optimise the placement of command centres, rear bases, logistics and technical facilities, fortifications, and combat positions to ensure a solid and interconnected defence network.

Additionally, existing plans and operational strategies must be revised and supplemented as needed, ensuring readiness for mobilisation of forces and economic resources in support of military and defence missions. These measures will contribute to reinforcing a strong all-people national defence, laying a firm foundation for Nam Dinh’s rapid and sustainable development. The province aims to establish itself as a leading locality in the Red River Delta and nationwide by 2030.

Senior Colonel BUI DUC LAM, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Provincial Military Command