Fully implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Organisation of the Vietnam People's Army, the Party Committee and High Command of Military Region 1 have been directing comprehensive efforts to build a strong and modern all-people national defence through a range of scientific and coordinated measures, thereby meeting the requirements of safeguarding the Fatherland proactively and from an early stage.

Fully aware of the Region’s strategically important position in terms of politics, economy, national defence, security, and foreign affairs, the Party organisations, local authorities, armed forces, and People of all ethnic groups across Military Region 1 have, over recent years, made sustained efforts to promote socio-economic development while strengthening national defence and security. These efforts have contributed to consolidating the all-people national defence and the all-people national defence posture in close association with the people's security posture, making them increasingly robust.

Government agencies and military units, particularly provincial-level local military agencies, have closely coordinated with relevant departments and sectors to advise Party committees and local authorities on effectively directing and implementing military and defence tasks, while integrating socio-economic development with the strengthening of national defence, security, and foreign affairs. This has provided a solid foundation for building a strong all-people national defence. At the same time, greater emphasis has been placed on information, education, and public engagement to raise awareness and strengthen the sense of responsibility among cadres, Party members, and the People regarding the cause of national construction and defence. Continuous attention has also been devoted to improving the People's material and spiritual well-being, thereby consolidating the “people's hearts and minds posture”. Meanwhile, the armed forces of Military Region 1 have been developed to become elite, compact, and strong, possessing enhanced overall quality and a high level of combat readiness, with the capability to respond effectively to military and defence contingencies. They continue to serve as a reliable political force and an absolutely loyal fighting force of Party committees, local authorities, and the People of all ethnic groups in the Viet Bac region.

General Secretary and State President To Lam visits Military Region 1 (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The successful convening of the 14th National Party Congress marked a milestone of special significance in the country's development journey, ushering in a new stage in the Party's strategic thinking with a number of breakthrough orientations and policies aimed at leading the nation confidently into a new era of prosperity, strength, and well-being. The Congress underscored the imperative of strengthening national defence to safeguard the Fatherland proactively and from an early stage, preventing threats before they materialise. In particular, it identified the building of a strong and modern all-people national defence as one of the strategic, fundamental, and enduring tasks of the entire Party, the entire People, and the entire military. This provides the basis for bringing into full play the country's aggregate strength, enhancing defence potential and posture, and improving its defensive capability to successfully respond to all forms of war, conflict, and security challenges under the new conditions.

Fully grasping that spirit, the Party Committee and High Command of Military Region 1 have focused their leadership and direction on instructing agencies and units to work closely with relevant departments and sectors in advising local Party committees and authorities, while giving full play to their core role in building a strong and modern all-people national defence. These efforts contribute to firmly safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, protecting national interests, and creating a solid foundation for rapid and sustainable socio-economic development throughout the Region.

First, priority is attached to strengthening the leadership of Party committees and Party organisations at all levels, together with the management and administration of local authorities, in building a strong and modern all-people national defence. Practice has consistently demonstrated that the Party's leadership is the decisive factor behind every victory of the Vietnamese revolution. Accordingly, the Party Committee and High Command of Military Region 1 have directed agencies and units to continue working closely with relevant departments and sectors in advising local Party committees and authorities on building Party organisations at all levels that are politically, ideologically, organisationally, ethically, and institutionally strong, while thoroughly grasping and effectively implementing the four commitments. At the same time, emphasis is placed on consolidating and enhancing the leadership capacity of Party committees at all levels in fulfilling military, defence, security, and foreign affairs tasks. Greater efforts are also devoted to disseminating, studying, and effectively implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Organisation of the Vietnam People's Army on building a strong and modern all-people national defence.

Military Region 1 also works regularly with local Party committees and authorities to improve the effectiveness of state management of national defence, particularly in promulgating and implementing legal documents relating to military and defence affairs; building a strong and modern all-people national defence; organising, operating, and managing military works within defensive areas; and implementing mobilisation and defence support plans. In addition, agencies and units are directed to coordinate closely with relevant forces in enhancing defence and security education for various groups, actively participating in building clean and strong grassroots political systems that operate effectively and efficiently, and consolidating the people's hearts and minds posture, with priority given to key strategic areas, remote and mountainous regions, and border areas.

General Secretary and State President To Lam watches exhibition of Military Region 1 (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Second, close integration of socio-economic and cultural development with the strengthening of national defence and security. The Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress emphasises the need to “closely and harmoniously integrate economic, cultural, and social development and environmental protection with the consolidation of national defence and security, while enhancing the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration.” Fully implementing this policy, Military Region 1 directs its agencies and units to work closely with relevant authorities in advising local Party committees and administrations on reviewing, supplementing, refining, and effectively implementing master plans, programmes, and projects for socio-economic and cultural development in association with the requirements of national defence and security. Priority is given to major investment projects and economic development programmes in forestry, high-tech agriculture, eco-tourism, and other sectors in the border and border-gate areas of Cao Bang and Lang Son Provinces, as well as foreign-invested projects in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen Provinces. Throughout the implementation process, due attention is paid to developing infrastructure capable of serving both civilian needs and military and defence missions. At the same time, the Military Region continues to advise local authorities on restructuring economic sectors towards greater modernisation, with emphasis on agriculture, forestry, farm-based production, wood-processing industries, and the development of the knowledge-based economy and digital transformation in accordance with the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated 22 December 2024.

Building upon socio-economic development, Military Region 1 works closely with local authorities to invest resources in developing dual-use infrastructure, including transport, healthcare, and telecommunications facilities, while reviewing and adjusting plans for border residential clusters and settlements adjacent to border guard posts and militia outposts. The Region also directs economic-defence units to actively participate in local socio-economic and cultural development, thereby strengthening defence potential and the military and defence posture.

Third, building comprehensively strong and exemplary armed forces as the core force in developing a strong and modern all-people national defence. Fully implementing the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Organisation of the Vietnam People's Army on building a revolutionary, regular, highly skilled, and modern military, the Party Committee and High Command of Military Region 1 have directed agencies and units to continue refining their organisational structure and force disposition in line with assigned functions, missions, and the Region's operational characteristics. Priority is given to building the three-category armed forces that are strong in political steadfastness, ideology, organisation, ethics, and personnel, while possessing high overall quality and combat readiness. The standing force continues to be developed to become elite, compact, and strong, with a balanced and well-structured composition across services, branches, agencies, and units, while prioritising personnel for combat-ready formations and air defence units. Equal attention is devoted to building a strong and extensive militia and self-defence force, together with a large, high-quality reserve force capable of effectively responding to military and defence contingencies. At the same time, efforts continue to strengthen and enhance the advisory capacity of commune-level military commands. The Military Region also promotes the development of the People's military intelligence force and further reforms military recruitment in conjunction with building reserve forces and developing local cadres.

At the same time, priority is given to renewing and improving the quality of training and exercises, promoting regularity and discipline, and strictly maintaining combat readiness regimes at all levels. Agencies and units are directed to coordinate closely with the Public Security Force in effectively implementing Government Decree No. 03/2019/ND-CP, dated 5 September 2019, and Government Decree No. 02/2020/ND-CP, dated 30 June 2020, thereby helping maintain political security and social order and safety at the grassroots level. Greater efforts are also devoted to promoting scientific and technological research and development, innovation, and digital transformation, while applying scientific and technological advances to automate command and control activities throughout the Military Region's armed forces.

Fourth, building a proactive and strong defensive posture for the Military Region and its defensive areas. Fully implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress on building proactive and robust defensive areas, Military Region 1 directs its agencies and units to advise local Party committees and authorities on promulgating and effectively implementing resolutions, directives, plans, and projects concerning the development of defensive areas. Priority is given to allocating budgetary resources and mobilising all available resources to construct and upgrade military works within defensive areas, with emphasis placed on key defence facilities, including command posts, evacuation areas, concealed assembly areas, combat bases, rear bases, campaign strongpoints, fortification systems, and defensive positions in strategic directions and key areas, thereby creating an extensive, interconnected, and resilient defensive posture. At the same time, continued efforts are made to study, adjust, and refine operational determinations, operational plans, and civil defence plans in accordance with the newly adjusted administrative boundaries, while completing the planning of the Military Region's defensive disposition and the military posture of defensive areas at all levels in close association with civil defence. Attention is also focused on improving the effectiveness of organisations operating within defensive areas, guiding localities in formulating national defence mobilisation plans and ensuring comprehensive support for defence tasks. In addition, the Military Region actively participates in reviewing, appraising, and adjusting master plans for integrating national defence with socio-economic and cultural development in each locality during every stage of development, while strengthening land-use management and planning, protecting defence facilities and military zones, and managing natural caves and terrain of tactical significance, thereby meeting the requirements of national defence, security, and defensive operations in the event of war.

Upholding the proud traditions of the revolutionary homeland, the armed forces of Military Region 1 are determined to work closely with Party committees, local authorities, and the People of all ethnic groups in the Viet Bac region to effectively implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party Organisation of the Vietnam People's Army. In doing so, they will focus on building a strong and modern all-people national defence, consolidating the all-people national defence posture in close association with the “people's hearts and minds posture”, and developing proactive and robust defensive areas, thereby contributing to firmly safeguarding the Fatherland in the new era.

Major General TRAN XUAN MANH, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Military Region 1