Having unshakable faith in the Party and with responsibility, tens of thousands of people have made constructive and highly politically responsible comments on draft documents for the coming 12^th National Party Congress. Among those, there have been many people, particularly those from the armed forces, expressing their deep interest in Section 10 of the Draft Political Report namely: “Strengthening defence and security to firmly protect the Homeland of the Socialist Vietnam in the new situation”.

Regarding the direction of building “a revolutionary, regular, seasoned, gradually modernized people’s Army”, especially the phrase “gradually modernized”, many people agree that the Draft Report was right, for the two following reasons: first, it is appropriate for our country’s capability in the next 5 years; second, it is in accordance with our Party’s view on a close combination of the two strategic tasks, namely building and protecting the Homeland in the new international context.

We all know that building an Army straight toward modernization requires a huge amount of financial investment, and a stable material and technical foundation, which the country’s capability in the next 5 years could not satisfy. It could be proved by the general aim stated in the Draft Political Report that “developing the economy fast and sustainably, building up the foundation to make our country basically an industrialized one with modernization direction. The phrases “building up the foundation” and “make our country basically an industrialized one gearing toward modernization” should be stressed on here. It should be understood that our country has not had a stable foundation and become an industrialized one gearing toward modernization yet. These could only be realized after 2016-2020 tenure. Thus, it would be relevant to mention the building of a modernized Army in 13^th National Party Congress (2021-2026 tenure).

The second reason is the Party’s view on a close combination of the two strategic tasks in the new situation. It should be noted that it is a consistent view throughout Vietnam’s revolutionary process. That view has its root in the nation’s military thought and nature of “building the country must be paralleled with protecting it”, appropriately applied into our country’s concrete condition by the Party. It principally focuses on closely combining the two tasks, namely building and protecting the Homeland, including the insurance of  resources for them. To achieve the set targets, our Party holds that: while giving top priority to the central task of developing economy and building the country, we are not to discount defence and security task. Accordingly, investment resources in the two strategic tasks must be balanced; strategically, we all agree that it is not right if we have inadequate investment in defence, building an Army which does not meet the requirement of Homeland protection and the country’s potential; also, it is wrong and “more harm than good” if we invest too much in defence and Army modernization that it could badly affect the task of developing the country. On the basis of balancing resources to successfully fufil the both strategic tasks, that Draft Report advocated the direction to build a gradually modernized Army is sound, showing of the awareness and profound thinking, being appropriate for practice and the country’s capability.

Generally, it is the building of a gradually modernized people’s Army. However, in the 11^th Party Congress term, several forces in particular have been given priority to go straight to modernization. That orientation was right and brought about significant outcomes. In the 12^th Party Congress term, it is necessary to keep up investment in chosen forces and also several other important forces to unceasingly increase combat strength of the Army. Besides, it is necessary to have a thorough grasp of the Party’s view on the importance of and the relationship between human and weapons, in which human is the deciding factor. Thus, during the process of modernization, particularly that of weapons and equipment, it is necessary to attach great importance to training and developing commanders and soldiers with profound political stance, expertise, and operational capability to meet the requirements of Homeland protection in the new situation. “A revolutionary, regular, seasoned, gradually modernized Army” is built in a fully unified form with “revolutionary”, “regular”, “seasoned”, “gradually modernized” elements that are closely bonded together. That is a right choice to build the Army for the next term, as stated in the Draft Political Report.

To make section 10 of the Draft Report more meaningful, particularly to ensure adequate important contents relating to defence and security, I would like to propose the 4 following ideas: first, “The method to protect the Homeland should be the combination of unarmed and armed struggles, taking unarmed struggle as the main one, closely associating defence with security and diplomacy”. Second, “Continuing to build key provinces and municipalities into firm defensive areas”. Third, attaching great importance to adjusting forces positioning, particularly in strategic areas, satisfying the requirement of the national defence in the new situation”. Fourth, “Strengthening defence and security knowledge for cadres, party members and people on the task of Homeland protection to unceasingly heighten awareness and responsibility, especially awareness of the situation, task, partners and opponents”.

Manh Ha