The great national unity is a prized traditional characteristic, honed over thousands of years of building and defending our nation. Upholding the power of the great national unity bloc is also a strategic approach and a significant lesson from Vietnam’s revolutionary experience, consistently esteemed by our Party and President Ho Chi Minh. In fact, during various resistance wars against foreign invaders and in the ongoing mission of building and defending the Fatherland, under the guidance of the Party, our people, irrespective of background, class, ethnicity, or religion, have united within the Vietnam Fatherland Front—formerly known as the Vietnam National United Front. This unity has created a combined power, enabling us to fulfill the illustrious historical mission of the revolutionary cause.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front was founded by our Party and President Ho Chi Minh at a crucial moment in the nation’s history, with the guiding principle of prioritising the interests of the people above all else to rally a broad and extensive gathering of all Vietnamese patriots, fostering a powerful motivation and large-scale resources to propel our revolutionary cause from one victory to another. Under the leadership of the Party, the Vietnam Fatherland Front has continued to grow and strengthen in all aspects, clearly asserting its vital role and significant historical mission as a decisive factor in the victories of Vietnam’s revolution during the struggle for national independence and unification, as well as in the era of Doi Moi for the construction and development of the country.

Especially at present, with the mission of mobilising and leveraging the strength of the great national unity bloc, encouraging and mobilising the people to participate in the construction and development of the country, enhancing revolutionary vigilance, and combating sabotaging schemes and plots of hostile forces to maintain political stability, public order and social safety, the activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front are becoming increasingly specific, closely tied to the political tasks of the nation and the interests of the people of all classes and consistently adheres to the national defence mission which is considered as a central political task that requires dedicated efforts during the implementation process.

Mr. Do Van Chien attends the National Unity Day in Chau Van Liem Ward, Can Tho City

Accordingly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s subordinate agencies at all level have gradually innovated the content and methods of their operation. They regularly coordinate with organisations within the political system, mobilises and gathers people from all social classes, implement widespread and high-quality emulation movements, campaigns, and promotes a proactive, innovative spirit. This fosters consensus, unity, and stability, thereby mobilising societal resources to contribute to the successful achievement of the goals and tasks of building and protecting the Fatherland.

Prominent among these initiatives are campaigns such as “Day for the Poor”, “All people united in building new rural areas and civilised urban areas”, movements like “Repaying Gratitude, Fulfilling Responsibility”, “All People Protect the Fatherland in the New Situation”, “All People Safeguard National Security”, as well as the call for “All People Unite to Prevent and Combat COVID-19” by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front. These efforts have unified the people and fostered community bonds for the joint development of the economy, the improvement of living standards, the care for the causes of education and community healthcare, the implementation for revolutionary contributors, the maintenance of political security, public order, social safety, and the cultivation of a “law-abiding” consciousness. Additionally, they also promote the building of Party organisation, governments, and political system at the grassroots level, promoting democracy in carrying out political, economic, cultural, and social tasks, fulfilling civic duties, etc.

Through leading, coordinating, and guiding comprehensive, nationwide movements and campaigns, the activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in relation to the cause of national defence are increasingly evident, yielding tangible results, contributing alongside the entire Party, the entire People, and the entire Military to the firm defence of Vietnam’s socialist Fatherland. Additionally, there has been a concentrated effort on intensifying propaganda and education to help the people clearly understand subversive tactics and schemes of hostile forces, especially those related to conspiracies such as “peaceful evolution”, “self-evolution”, “self-transformation”, and the “depoliticalisation” of the Military. This includes countering distorted narratives, fabrications, and wrong viewpoints related to the issues of democracy, human rights, ethnicity, religion, etc. Besides, the Front proactively cooperates and participates with Party committees and authorities at all levels to promptly and effectively resolve internal conflicts within the people, between the people and state agencies to maintain political stability. This prevents hostile forces from exploiting public discontent to oppose the government or creating political “hotspots”, etc.

Carrying out its function of social oversight and criticism, the Vietnam Fatherland Front proactively proposes and establishes coordination contents and regulations in collaboration with the National Assembly, the President, and the Government. It actively contributes opinions to draft the Constitution, legislative projects, legal documents, and develop documents submitted to Party congresses at all levels. Also, it recommends to the Party and the State various crucial contents in determining the Party’s directions and strategies, and the State’s laws and policies, especially in leveraging the strength of the great national unity bloc for the cause of national defence and protecting national interests. The oversight and criticism activities of the Front are gradually expanding into areas related to people’s livelihoods, they also timely reflect the sentiments and desires of the people to the Party, the State, the National Assembly, and the Government. In addition, the Front emphasises the role of the people in supervising Party cadres and members, identifying and combating negative phenomena in society, and building transparent, strong, and closely connected Party organisations, governments, and political systems at all levels.

Besides, people diplomacy activities are also emphasised and continuously expanded, with the quality and effectiveness constantly improving. The Vietnam Fatherland Front regularly maintains and develops relations with the people’s organisations of neighbouring countries, ASEAN member states, and organisations and individuals with goodwill towards Vietnam, especially traditional partners. Through diplomatic activities, it has gathered and united all Vietnamese people living, studying, and working abroad, creating a combined strength to protect the Fatherland “from early on, from afar”.

Alongside the achieved results, the activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front at various levels sometimes lack effectiveness in certain areas and fail to keep pace with the demands of the new situation. The social oversight and criticism work still has limitations in some aspects, the roles and responsibilities of member organisations and the democratic spirit are not widely leveraged, the Party’s perspectives and directives on national unity, the legitimate rights and interests of different social classes have not been timely institutionalised or, if already institutionalised, they have not been seriously implemented, and the strength of the great national unity bloc in certain areas has not been fully leveraged, etc.

In the time ahead, the prevailing trend of the era remains peace, cooperation, and development. However, the forecast for the global and regional situation indicates continued complex and unpredictable developments. Under the leadership of the Party, the cause of Doi Moi has achieved significant accomplishments, opening up numerous opportunities and advantages but also facing various intertwining difficulties and challenges. Hostile and reactionary forces persist in intensifying subversive activities, and the tasks of nation-building and national defence demand higher and more substantial requirements. Therefore, leveraging the strength of the great national unity bloc has been, is, and will continue to be a driving force, a vast resource, and a source of new vitality for nation-building, development, and the steadfast defence of the Fatherland in the new situation. This requires the various levels of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to continue steadfastly and resolutely implementing a uniformed set of measures. Among these, the focus should be on several key solutions:

First, enhance the construction, consolidation, mobilisation, and unity of all classes of the people; take care of, promote, and ensure the people’s right to self-determination. The various levels of the Vietnam Fatherland Front need to focus on leveraging their fundamental role in mobilising and uniting all classes of the people. They should regularly expand and diversify forms of people mobilisation, gathering, and unity, awaken the spirit of patriotism, uphold the traditions of unity, revolutionary willpower, strengthen, preserve, and promote cultural values and good traditions, honour the national pride, foster a spirit of mutual understanding and compassion, and aim to build individuals with good character and a lifestyle. In addition, the Front needs to strive for every family to be well-off and harmonised and a civilised community, and create a practical foundation towards the goal of building a prosperous and happy country. Furthermore, it is critical to resolutely combat ethnic discrimination, sternly deal with schemes and actions that sow division and sabotage the great national unity bloc. Continue to effectively implement direct and representative democracy, especially democracy at grassroots level, following the principle of “people know, people discuss, people do, people check, people supervise, people enjoy”. Simultaneously, the Front need to emphasise the role of the people as the subject and central factor in the cause of national defense effort, safeguarding the Fatherland, as well as in building and developing the country.

Second, reform, innovate and effectively organise campaigns and emulation movements, contributing to the successful achievement of economic, cultural, and social development goals, as well as maintaining national defence and security of the country. The various levels of the Vietnam Fatherland Front need to continue to strengthen mobilisation efforts, encouraging the people to demonstrate self-reliance, self-improvement, national pride, and dignity, harness talents and initiatives, assist each other in eradicating hunger and reduce poverty, all in collaboration with the Party, the State, various levels of authority, and sectors to overcome difficulties and challenges, fostering a solid foundation for economic growth, improving the quality of people’s lives, and actively contributing to building the country’s potential, including defence and security capabilities. Furthermore, the Front needs to mobilise, allocate, manage, and utilise societal resources efficiently for development investment, creating fundamental, comprehensive, and robust transformations in the national economy, culture, society, defence, and security across the entire country. This is particularly crucial in remote, border, and island areas. In addition, it should strengthen propaganda and mobilise people of all ethnic groups, especially ethnic minorities, to actively participate in production and economic development for stable living conditions as well as in building a comprehensive all-people national defence and security. This national defence posture should be closely linked with a robust security posture, ensuring the steadfast defence of our national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Third, effectively perform the Front’s role as a bridge between Party committees, authorities, and political systems at all levels with the people. This is a crucial foundation for mobilising and uniting all social classes for the unwavering support for the Party. Accordingly, the various levels of the Vietnam Fatherland Front need to uphold the democratic and representative spirits to protect legitimate and just rights and interests of the people. In addition, the Front needs to continue to institutionalise and specify the Party’s principles and policies on national unity, and effectively implement mechanisms and policies to empower the people in deciding major issues of the country, ensuring that all state power belongs to the people, exercised by the people, and for the people. Simultaneously, there is a need to reinforce the Front’s core role in social oversight and criticism, regularly listening to the thoughts and aspirations of the people and engaging in exchange and dialogues with the people to learn and identify their opinions in addressing difficulties and obstacles, and legitimate demands of the people to building the trust of the people in the Party and the State, fostering consensus in society, and contributing significantly to the construction of a transparent and strong Party, government, and political system.  And developing and strengthening the bond between the Party, the State, and the People.

Fourth, strengthen international solidarity, expand people diplomacy under the principle of “proactive, innovative, effective”, enhance the bond of friendship between the Vietnamese people and the people of other countries, contribute to the expansion of Party’s foreign relations, the enhancement the State’s diplomacy, and elevation Vietnam’s position on the international stage. The Front should effectively propagate and mobilise the people to implement the foreign policies of the Party and the State, especially in relations with the people’s organisations of neighbouring countries and traditional partners. In addition, it should mobilise international support for Vietnam in addressing issues related to national interests to contribute to the firm protection of national sovereignty and the preservation of peace, independence, and territorial integrity, and create a peaceful and stable environment for nation-building and development.

Fifth, continue to consolidate the organisation, innovate content and methods, and enhance the effectiveness of the activities of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to meet the requirements of the new situation. Accordingly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels needs comprehensively innovate all aspects of work and activity areas, from formulating and issuing to organising and implementing policies, enhancing coordination mechanisms with member organisations and party committees, and authorities at all levels. In addition, it is crucial to regularly focus on nurturing and improving the knowledge and capabilities of the Front’s personnel, especially in defence and military knowledge, ensuring that they can effectively performs their role, functions, and tasks in mobilising and leveraging the strength of the great national unity bloc for the cause of national defense and protecting the Fatherland.

Proud of its traditions and achievements, the Vietnam Fatherland Front will continue to play its role and historical mission of rallying, encouraging, and motivating the people to uphold the patriotic tradition, national pride, national self-esteem and self-reliance spirit; fostering unity among the Vietnamese people at home and abroad, maintaining national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; achieving victories in the industrialisation and modernisation of the country and realising the Will of President Ho Chi Minh: “to build a Vietnam that is peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous”.

DO VAN CHIEN, Secretary of the Central Party Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front