Building politically strong armed forces for the Capital has been a consistent mission, determining their overall quality and combat strength over the past 80 years. Amidst the increasingly high demands of building the Military, strengthening national defence, and protecting both the Capital and the Fatherland, this task holds special significance, ensuring that the Capital's armed forces remain ready to accept and successfully complete all missions in the new era.

To prepare for an all-out, long-term, all-people resistance war, War Zone XI, the unified military-administrative entity of Hanoi Capital armed forces, was established on 19 October 1946.

Born from the revolutionary movement and upholding the nation's heroic, indomitable spirit, as well as the “Thousand-year cultural legacy of Thang Long - Dong Do - Hanoi”, through 80 years of building, fighting, triumphing, and maturing with several organisational adjustments, the Capital's armed forces have achieved outstanding feats, contributing significantly to the cause of national liberation, reunification, and the firm defence and development of the Capital and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. They have forged the glorious tradition of “Determined to sacrifice for the immortality of the Fatherland” and been honoured with many noble awards by the Party, the State, the Military, and Hanoi City.

Hanoi Capital Command launches an emulation movement to celebrate its 80th anniversary of foundation (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Entering the new era, the global and regional situations continue to see rapid, complicated, and unpredictable developments. Moreover, the requirements for implementing the two-tier local government system and building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern Military are presenting new challenges regarding organisation, leadership, command, management, and force deployment. Meanwhile, hostile forces are intensifying their subversive activities. As the country’s political and administrative capital, Hanoi is of critical importance regarding national defence, security, economy, culture, and foreign affairs. This places increasingly high demands on building the Capital armed forces comprehensively strong, first and foremost, political strength. Fully aware of these requirements, the Capital armed forces continue to implement the following measures synchronously and effectively:

First, continuously enhance the leadership capacity and combat effectiveness of Party committees and organisations to meet mission requirements in the new situation. The Capital’s armed forces continue to thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the resolutions, directives, conclusions, and regulations of the Party, the Central Military Commission, and the Hanoi Party Committee regarding Party organisation and building. Emphasis is be placed on consolidating and strengthening Party committees and organisations, particularly those of the 126 newly established commune and ward military commands. Comprehensively and synchronously innovate all stages of cadre work, taking political steadfastness, morality, intellect, implementation capability, and the spirit of “seven dares” as consistent criteria, and task performance as key indicator for cadre evaluation.

Strictly adhere to the principles of Party organisation and operation; continue to innovate leadership methods; improve the quality of self-criticism and criticism, as well as self-reflection and self-correction; and substantively evaluate the results of leadership in mission execution across all agencies and units. Thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW, dated 22 August 2026, on promoting the vanguard  and exemplary role, and spirit of innovation, daring to think, act, and hold accountability among cadres and Party members in the new era, in conjunction with intensifying the study and practice of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality, methods, and style. Build a contingent of Party members who are exemplary in political steadfastness, morality, self-discipline, competence, and working methods; and build clean, strong Party organisations alongside agencies and units that are comprehensively strong, “exemplary and typical”. Strengthen inspection and supervision to promptly detect and rectify shortcomings and deficiencies at the grassroots level.

Leader of Hanoi Capital Command meets and encourages new recruits (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Secondly, continue to innovate and improve the quality of political education; foster steadfastness and morale among officers and soldiers towards practical and reality-based approaches. It is essential to consistently grasp and strictly implement Resolution No. 25-NQ/TW, dated 22 August, of the Politburo on the Strategy for ideological work in the new context; Directive No. 2423-CT/QUTW, dated 9 November 2023, of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission on innovating and enhancing the quality of political education in the new era; and the Regulations on political education within the Vietnam People's Army and the Militia and Self-Defence Forces. Efforts must be tailored to the specific characteristics and composition of the target audiences, focusing on innovating content, curricula, formats, and methods to ensure practicality and suitability for each group and specific mission requirements. Curricula should be developed with a clear focus on key priorities, while actively encouraging the initiative of officers and soldiers. Approaches should combine centralised education with continuous learning; integrate political education with combat readiness training and professional duties; and effectively utilise digital platforms. Emphasis must be placed on education of tradition to raise the awareness among officers and soldiers about the significance of the feats achieved by the military and people of Hanoi, thereby transforming this understanding into personal conviction, steadfastness, and determination in the fulfillment of their duties and missions.

Third, promote the cultural values ​​of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” and cultivate the cultural identity of the “Capital’s Soldiers” in the new context. Agencies and units are to thoroughly grasp and implement Directive No. 676-CT/QUTW, dated 20 June 2026, of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission on the strengthening of leadership and direction to promote the cultural values ​​of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new era. These values ​​should be translated into specific cultural standards for the “Capital’s Soldiers” that align with their respective duties and tasks. Emphasis should be placed on core values, such as: steadfast political mettle; absolute loyalty to the Party, the State, and the People; a resolute will to fight and win; a spirit of sacrifice for national independence and socialism; pure ethics and a simple, humble lifestyle; strong sense of self-discipline; a spirit of solidarity; and a close bond with the People. Concurrently, a healthy, democratic, and unified military cultural environment characterised by discipline and humanity should be built, thereby enabling the cultural values ​​of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” to transform into the qualities, behaviours, and conduct of officers and soldiers, while spreading the positive image of the “Capital’s Soldiers” among the public.

Fourth, coordinate closely with the local political system to build the Capital armed forces strong in politics. The Party Committee and Command of the Capital armed forces shall strengthen coordination with the City’s departments, agencies, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organisations to effectively launch activities promoting and educating officers, soldiers, and the public on revolutionary traditions, the Capital’s history and culture, and the sense of responsibility for national construction and defence. Effectively implement policies regarding military's families and the “gratitude” movement; encourage the youth to fulfill their military service; and build a robust mobilisation reserve force alongside a strong, widespread militia and self-defence forces. Simultaneously, the Capital's armed forces should actively participate in strengthening local political foundations and coordinate with local agencies and units to ensure political security, social order and safety. They are to proactively and promptly provide counsel and assist in resolving issues at the grassroots level to prevent the emergence of “hotspots”, while also participating in disaster and epidemic prevention, response, and recovery, as well as search and rescue operations and other ad-hoc tasks.

Leader of Hanoi Capital Command meets and talks with troops during their training (Photo: quocphongthudo.vn)

Fifth, intensify the struggle against the degradation of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle, as well as the plots and tactics of hostile forces, specifically “peaceful evolution” and attempts to “depoliticise” the military, while firmly upholding the Party’s ideological foundation within the Capital’s armed forces. As Hanoi is the political, economic, and socio-cultural hub of the country, its troops and citizens enjoy favourable conditions for rapidly accessing information regarding the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws. However, the city is also highly prone to schemes of hostile forces seeking to undermine the system, particularly in cyberspace. This necessitates the building of strong “ideological resilience” among officers and soldiers, alongside enhancing the capacity of leadership at all levels to grasp, manage, forecast, and guide ideological trends. Accordingly, the Capital Military Party Committee and Command are to implement comprehensive ideological measures; continue to innovate and improve the performance of “Steering Committee 35” and specialised units, while effectively executing the joint programme “Coordination in the implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 35-NQ/TW on strengthening the protection of the Party’s ideological foundation and countering erroneous and hostile views in the new situation for the 2024–2030 period” between the Hanoi Capital Command and Command 86. Furthermore, they should thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the “two steadfast commitments, two intensifications, and two preventions”, along with the “five steadfastnesses” principle as directed by General Secretary, President, and Secretary of the Central Military Commission To Lam; proactively identify and nip in the bud any signs of degradation, “self-evolution”, and “self-transformation”. Enhance the quality and effectiveness of the struggle to refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints; provide official information to guide public perception and opinion while promptly addressing practical issues; and closely combine “building” and “combating” in which “building” is considered as the foundation and “combating” as a regular task.

Proud of its 80-year tradition, Hanoi Military Party Committee and Command, along with Party committees and commanders at all levels, shall uphold responsibilities and effectively implement policies and measures to build the Capital's armed forces politically strong with high overall quality and combat strength, ready to accept and successfully complete all assigned tasks, serving as a truly loyal and reliable political and combat force for the Party, government, and People of the Capital.

Major General LUU NAM TIEN, Member of Hanoi Municipal Party Committee; Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Military Party Committee and Political Commissar of the Hanoi Capital City Command