Thoroughly grasping the Party's undertakings, the State's policies and laws on building defence zones; with its assigned functions and tasks, the armed forces of Binh Thuan province always promote the core role, together with the political system and the entire people, build a solid defence area, contributing to effectively handling defence and security situations, maintaining political stability, protecting the locality, and creating favourable conditions for socio-economic development.
Binh Thuan is the southernmost province located in the Central Vietnam, bordering the South Central Highlands and the Southeast, and is the gateway to Ho Chi Minh City. Its topography is diverse, including forests, mountains, plains, urban areas, long coastlines, wide sea areas, small coastal islands. Especially, the Cu Lao Thu (Phu Quy) islands, 56 nautical miles from the mainland, is the rear base of Truong Sa Islands and the DK1 platforms. Many important traffic routes run through the provinces, such as: No.1A national highway, the Trans-Viet railway, No. 28 national highway to the Central Highlands, No. 55 national highway along the coast, etc. The province is home to 35 ethnic groups with 17 all-ethnic communes, 12 religions with over 386 thousand followers. This shows that, Binh Thuan has an important position in economic, socio-political, national defence and security fields; is a key area in the sea direction of the Military Region 7 in the cause of Fatherland construction and defence.
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| The Provincial Military Commander inspects preparation for training |
In order to fulfill its assigned functions and tasks, the armed forces of Binh Thuan province always promote the core role in building defence areas. First of all, the Provincial Military Party Committee and the Provincial Military Command coordinate with the departments, branches, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations to perform well the function of advising the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee on thoroughly grasping the Party's undertakings and lines, the State's policies and laws and the above resolutions and directives on building defence zones; propose guidelines and solutions for leadership and direction; issue a system of documents and plans; consolidate and improve the operational quality of the steering committee and councils; implement the Project on Building the Provincial defence area for the 2016 – 2020 period and beyond. Facing the subversive activities of hostile forces and criminals inciting riots, affecting the local political security, the Military Command coordinated closely with the Police, the Border Guard, all levels and branches to advise the province to lead, direct and handle effectively the situations, maintain political stability, social order and safety. Learning from practice, the Military Command proposed to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee to direct the implementation of the Project on organisation and operation of the military intelligence - reconnaissance force in the period of 2019 - 2020 and beyond; improve the quality of grasping, evaluating and forecasting the situation of all levels and branches, serving as a basis for advising committees and authorities at all levels to propose policies and measures to lead and direct socio-economic development, ensure order and safety, and effectively carry out defence and military tasks in the area. At the same time, synchronously deploying guidelines and solutions to improve defence capacity over sea direction, especially the project on defence plan of Phu Quy district, to meet the requirements of protecting sovereignty over sea and islands of the Fatherland when situations arise.
The armed forces of the province have promoted their core role in propaganda on defence and military missions in general, and in building defence zones in particular. Basing on its functions and tasks, the Provincial Military Command has thoroughly carried out propaganda and fostered knowledge of national defence and security for subjects, especially cadres, civil servants, pupils and students, officials, dignitaries, village elders, village heads. In two years (2019, 2020), it held defence and security courses for 36,385 students and 100% of key officials at all levels. For the entire people, the propagation is conducted in many forms, on social media, integrated in contests, shows of organisations, unions, ceremonies and Tet holidays of ethnic minorities. It has also promoted the propagation of laws on sea and islands for owners of ships, boats and fishermen in the area, contributing to preventing and minimising illegal fishing activities in foreign waters.
Thoroughly grasping the policy of relying on the people, promoting the strength of the people to build defence areas, the provincial armed forces always focus on building a solid “people’s heart and mind posture”, with specific and practical contents and programs, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of the people; strengthening military-civilian solidarity and beliefs of ethnic and religious people in the provincial armed forces, Party committees and authorities at all levels; the support of dignitaries, priests, and reputable people among the ethnic minorities for the performance of military and defence missions, encouraging their children to perform military service and join militia training, and the reserve.
The core role of the provincial armed forces is also evident in building the potentials of a strong defence area, according to the motto: “Economic development is the central, Party building is the key, defence and security consolidation is the regular vital tasks”. In particular, building the political - spiritual potential is the most important factor. Through exchanges, fellowships, talks, exchanges, training, etc., the provincial armed forces contribute to building the grassroots political system clean, strong, and capable of leading, directing, managing, administering, and successfully implementing local tasks. With regard to economic potentials, the Provincial Military Command has actively coordinated with all levels and sectors in making plans and master plans for national defence with socio-economic development. In the process of investment and construction of industrial facilities, transportation systems, airports, ports, infrastructure for telecommunications, medical systems, etc., especially large projects, evaluations on defence and security assurance are carefully conducted so that they are rationally arranged, creating a solid posture, and serving both civilian and defence purposes. The scientific and technological potential has been developed in accordance with the province's potentials and advantages. Therefore, the province's socio-economy has seen many positive changes, and restructured in the right direction. Its GRDP has been shortened compared to the whole country; many social targets of development have been met and exceeded; people’s living standards have been improved.
The province has also paid much attention to building the armed forces in the direction of neat, compact, strong, with integrated quality, high combat strength, acting as the core in defence and military work and building defence areas. First of all, it focuses on building a strong political force; strengthening education and training for cadres and soldiers to make them politically steadfast. Party committees and organisations have thoroughly grasped and effectively implemented Central Resolution 4 (12th tenure) on Party building and rectification, improving leadership and fighting strength to meet the requirements and tasks. At the same time, they have strictly abided by the regulations on organisation and staffing, ensuring the strength of units conducting combat readiness duty, especially units on Phu Quy island and those on A2 mission. Force development is always taken care. Every year, the selection and calling of citizens to enlist in the army are done effectively in accordance with law and meeting the requirements. It has also built a “powerful” reserve force and a “strong and widespread” self-defence and militia force in accordance with law and requirements in quality and strength Implementing the breakthrough set by the Provincial Military Party Congress, the Provincial Military Command has strengthened the construction of regularity order and disciplines; improved the quality of training; associated technical and tactical training with physical training, suitably to the local subjects and characteristics.
In the coming years, the world and regional situations are forecasted to be complicated and unpredictable. Hostile forces will promote their subversive activities with the strategy of “Peaceful Evolution”, “self-evolution”, “self-transformation”, “depoliticisation” of the armed forces. Therefore, building Binh Thuan province into a solid defence area is an important and regular task of all levels and branches; in which, the armed forces of the province are the core. To do that, the Party Committee, the Provincial Military Command determine to well implement the following contents: Firstly, proactively advise the party committees and authorities at all levels to strengthen the leadership, direction, management and administration of the construction of defence areas with effective guidelines and solutions. Secondly, promote propaganda and education, raising the awareness and responsibility of its levels, branches and entire people in building defence areas, contributing to the successful implementation of two strategic tasks: building and defending the Fatherland. Third, together with all levels and advisory bodies build strong potentials for defence area; make all preparation for defence mobilisation when necessary. Fourth, actively participate in building political bases, strong “people's heart and mind posture”, as a foundation for building defence areas. Fifth, build strong armed forces with integrated quality, high combat strength, contributing to firmly protecting the area, creating a favourable environment for building the province increasingly rich and beautiful.
Sr. Col. NGUYEN ANH NGHIA, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command