Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and Vietnam People’s Public Security (VPPS) were formed, led, educated and trained by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). Having been experienced in the revolutionary struggles and national defence wars, the VPA and VPPS are imbued with the nature of the working class, the people and national characteristics. In any circumstances, the VPA and VPPS are always faithful and trusty political forces and armed forces of the CPV, the nation and of the people. Their nature is clearly shown in the dialectical unification of the Party, class, people and national characteristics. It is also manifested in their fighting ideal and morale, in the social-political base, leading and commanding mechanism, and in functions and missions of the forces. They soon established a close relation, the one between armed forces of the people being put under the absolute, direct and comprehensive leadership of the Party. This is also a matter of principle, an objective necessity of the mission of national defence and construction; stems from the unified and dialectical relation between defence and security mission, from the functions and missions of the VPA and VPPS. Besides, the relation represents a factor of paramount importance for each of the forces to successfully carry out the country’s mission of national defence and development and their own missions. Under the Party’s leadership, the VPA and VPPS have always maintained their revolutionary nature, loyalty, fighting morale, close relation with the people, overcome hardships and challenges, and performed well their key role in the all people defence posture and the whole people security posture in the cause of national defence and construction. This has been proved in reality.

Nevertheless, hostile forces with their plot of “depoliticizing” the military and police are trying to abolish the Party’s leadership over the VPA and VPPS, hence making them politically disoriented and lose fighting target. They have resorted to all means from arguments in theory, ideology to realistic actions with a view to changing political nature of the military and police, nullifying Marxism–Leninism, distorting Ho Chi Minh's Thought and the Party’s guidelines and viewpoints in military and security. They have also spread documents and arguments distorting the nature, tradition of the military and police and the relation between the military and the police with the people and other Party’s and State’s bodies. They argue that the armed forces are founded to protect “national interest”. For this reason, the military and the police must be politically neutral, stay out of politics and it’s not necessary for the armed forces to be put under the leadership of any parties, etc. These arguments, in essence, aim to hide or overshadow class nature, political and social function of the military and police; negate the principle that the Party exercises absolute, direct and all-round leadership over the military and police and then invalidate the CPV’s leadership over the two forces. Moreover, they even call for the abolition of the party and political work together with the system of political cadres and organs in the military and police; exaggerate and worsen shortcomings in the implementation of policies, law enforcement, especially the cases with the military and police’s involvement,…with the aim of discredit the military and police in society. They paid much attention to making use of the fight against the corruption to cause internal contradiction, social and economic mismanagement, hardships of the military and police, etc.

Their plots aim to weaken the Party’s armed forces and then drive our revolution cause into their orbit. Therefore, we must stay vigilant, be aware of and work out feasible measures against the scheme of “Peaceful evolution” and “Depoliticizing the armed forces”. First and foremost, the Party’s leadership over the VPA and VPPS must be preserved and upheld. This must be considered both a principle and a basic rule in building new style army and police of the people, by the people and for the people. Attention should be paid to building the military party commission and police party commission strong in politics, ideology and organisation with leading and fighting capability being increasingly enhanced on a par with mission’s requirements. Importance should be attached to remedying shortcomings in accordance with the Party’s Resolution 4 (XI tenure) on the Party building to avoid degradation in political ideology, morals, way of life. Staff of cadres in both of the forces should be built capable and pure in ethic, ability, working style and method; creditable and firm beyond difficulties and sabotage of the hostile forces. At the same time, they should clearly distinguish between partner and adversary in the light of the Party’s Central Resolution (XI tenure) on the Strategy to safeguard the Homeland in the new situation; be proactive in fighting against wrongdoings, negatives which badly affect working environment. With firm and persuasive theoretical and realistic basis, functional bodies of the military and police should strengthen their fight to defeat the “Peaceful Evolution” strategy of hostile forces, especially the schemes of “self-evolution”, “self-transformation” and “depoliticizing” the military and police.

This is not only an urgent need but also the political responsibility of the military and police and other branches, sectors and of the entire people. Once the above mentioned measures are realized, the military and police will be built politically strong and their synergy will be enhanced setting ground for fulfilling the mission of preserving political security, social safety and order, and firmly defending the Homeland.

Tran Huu Hoa