Combining socio-economic and cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture represents the performance of the two strategic tasks of national construction and protection. This is a central, routine mission of the entire Party, Military, and people that should continue to be thoroughly grasped and seriously, effectively implemented.

Under the viewpoints on “closely, effectively combining economic, cultural, social development and diplomacy with national defence and security and vice versa,” plans and projects by ministries, sectors, and localities have always been aligned with the building of the all-people national defence posture and closely appraised by competent agencies of the Ministry of National Defence (MND) and all-level military offices. In the process, there has been coordination between relevant parties from preparatory work to the development of plans and projects, thereby achieving a consensus among sectors, localities, and citizens. Besides, national key economic projects and the construction of open economic zones and large-scale export processing zones have also been combined with the building of the all-people national defence posture, the people’s security posture, and provincial-level defensive zones across the country.

However, combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture in some areas, strategies, and plans has yet to be effective. Mechanisms of leadership and management have yet to be close. Several sectors and localities have yet to be active and proactive in the implementation process, while the contents and methods of such a combination has yet to keep pace with the development of the market economy. To more closely, effectively combine socio-economic and cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture in each locality, strategic region, and key socio-economic field, it is necessary to focus on implementing several basic measures as follows.

First, step up the work of propagation and education to raise cadres, party members, and citizens’ awareness and responsibility. This is an important measure aimed at achieving a consensus and heightening a sense of responsibility amongst cadres, party members, and the people, particularly leaders of authorities and key socio-economic fields. Focuses of propagation and education should be placed on clarifying the Party’s guidelines and the State’s laws and policies on combining economy with national defence, the importance of combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture in the Homeland construction and protection, and the contents and methods of such a combination in each locality, strategic region, task, programme, and plan. Doing so will help reach a consensus within the society, the political system, and sectors from Central to local levels, foster economic development, improve the people’s life, make the military region-level defensive posture and provincial-level defensive zones increasingly strong, and build defence and military works in a harmonious, proper manner. To that end, it is important to renew and diversify the contents, forms, and methods of propagation and education, promote the role of offices and organisations, especially press agencies and mass media, improve the quality and effectiveness of defence and security education for all groups of citizens, particularly for leaders and cadres of authorities and crucial socio-economic fields. Due attention should be paid to resolutely handling weaknesses and loopholes in combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture, especially within the strategic, remote, isolated, border, sea, and island areas.

Second, enhance all-level party committees and authorities’ leadership and direction over combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture. There is a fact that the Party’s leadership and the State’s direction and management act as a determinant to victories in the Homeland construction and protection in general, the task of socio-economic, cultural development associated with the building of the all-people national defence posture in particular. In the strategic areas, such as Northwest, Central Highlands, and Southwest as well as in the border, sea, island areas and the main socio-economic fields, there should be close, focalised, uniformed leadership and direction over the performance of this task.

To well implement this measure, all-level party committees and authorities and sectors shall focus their leadership and direction on setting out guidelines, viewpoints, and especially directives, specialised resolutions, action programmes, and working plans. Great value should be attached to further inspecting and supervising the task of combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture within defensive zones and economic-defence zones. On a yearly basis and in each period, all-level party committees shall organise conferences to review their leadership and direction and work towards solutions for overcoming weaknesses, ensuring the effectiveness of such a combination, boosting sustainable economic development, and making the all-people national defence posture increasingly solid.

Importance should be attached to supplementing and completing legal documents and preferential treatment policies as the basis for seriously, effectively combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture in the strategic, remote, isolated, border, sea, island areas, while due attention should be paid to encouraging investment in modern technologies and manufacturing dual-purpose products to facilitate socio-economic development and the building of the all-people national defence posture.

Third, promote the synergy of sectors, forces, organisations, and the whole political system and people. Based on their function and task, each force and organisation should heighten a sense of responsibility, proactiveness, and activeness. Besides, there should be close coordination between forces to create the synergy for raising the effectiveness of socio-economic, cultural development and the building of the all-people national defence posture when they implement socio-economic development projects, realise the Strategy to Defend the Homeland, and build provincial-level defensive zones.

Grounded on master plans for socio-economic development and the building of the all-people national defence posture, committees, ministries, and unions from Central to local levels should identify specific targets, contents, and methods of combining socio-economic development with national defence. In the process, it is necessary to adhere to principles, creatively apply the Party’s viewpoints, and prevent economic development from impacting on the national defence posture.

Fourth, encourage the core role of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) in combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture. As a core force, the VPA should actively take part in socio-economic, cultural development associated with the building of the all-people national defence posture, particularly in the strategic, border, sea, island areas. In this regard, importance should be attached to adjusting forces in strategic directions and regions to keep increasing the country’s defensive capacity. All-level military offices shall proactively advise local party committees and authorities on combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture, while closely appraising socio-economic development projects to avoid impacting on the national defence posture. They shall cooperate with ministries and central committees, sectors, and unions, especially the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to proactively grasp all developments in the world and the region as well as the country’s national defence potential and capability. At the same time, they shall give advice on adopting measures for combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of a firm posture of all-people national defence right in peacetime to be readily transformed into the people’s war posture in wartime. Moreover, they shall take part in economic development, combine the defence-security work with socio-economic development, and foster the VPA’s economic and production activities. Emphasis should be placed on building and developing economic-defence zones into models of socio-economic, cultural development and defence-security consolidation in the strategic, border, sea, island areas.

Furthermore, due regard should be paid to developing a self-reliant, dual-purpose, and increasingly modern defence industry as the basis for building the all-people national defence, boosting socio-economic, cultural development, and improving the people’s life. Last but not least, the VPA should enhance its participation in socio-economic development in its units’ stationed areas, help the people with hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and new-style countryside construction, and align socio-economic development with defence-security consolidation so as to build a firm “posture of people’s hearts and minds” in the strategic areas.

Combining socio-economic, cultural development with the building of the all-people national defence posture represents a strategic policy of our Party. To meet the increasingly demanding mission requirements in the new situation, committees, ministries, sectors, localities, and military units shall well implement this policy to successfully fulfil the two strategic tasks of national construction and protection.

Maj. Gen., D.Sc DAO TUAN ANH, Deputy Rector of National Defence Academy