Avoid conflict, isolation and dependence, top leader tells military

The Vietnamese top leader affirmed that the military plays an important role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for the country’s development.

Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, has said that due to its crucial role, the military needs to be built up across all aspects.

He was presiding over a top level conference with the commission’s Standing Committee regarding the implementation of military and defence tasks since the beginning of the 13th National Party Congress term.

The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, a member of the Standing Committee, other members of the Politburo, including General Phan Văn Giang, Deputy Secretary of the commission and the Minister of Defence.

The Party General Secretary and President said he highly appreciated the forces of Việt Nam and congratulated the achievements and successes of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, the leadership of the defence ministry and the officers and soldiers of the entire army.

Expressing agreement with the tasks and solutions in the report of the Central Military Commission and the presentations of the delegates at the conference, the Vietnamese top leader affirmed that the military plays an important role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for the country’s development.

Emphasising that national defence is the primary duty of the military, Lâm stated that the military must be built up in all aspects.

On the tasks and solutions until 2025, Lâm requested that the Central Military Commission and the defence ministry focus on effectively fulfilling the strategic advisory function for the Party and State regarding military and defence matters, proactively enhance research and forecasting capabilities to handle situations flexibly and efficiently and avoid being caught off guard.

He also urged effective coordination in implementing the resolution of the 8th plenum of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee on national defence strategies in the new situation; along with various strategies, projects, and the legal system concerning military and defence.

Additionally, he called for proactive research and proposals for enacting policies and laws related to military and defence that meet both immediate and long-term national defence requirements.

In his speech, Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm said the defence sector must also proactively and positively implement comprehensive, synchronised and effective international integration and defence diplomacy efforts, guaranteeing the highest interests of the nation and the people, based on the principle of 'gaining friends, reducing enemies'.

We must timely identify, handle the relationships with partners and adversaries appropriately, harmoniously, and flexibly, avoiding passivity and surprise, prevent the risk of conflict and confrontation and avoid isolation and dependence.

The top leader stated that the entire military needs to continue deepening its understanding and thoroughly implementing the Party’s line on all-people national defence, people's warfare and national defence in the new situation. They must adhere to the principle of relying on the people and the motto "the people are the root", the centre and the main actors and enhancing the effectiveness of State management of national defence at all levels.

He called for concrete implementation of solutions to build and strengthen the all-people national defence, military regions and defence zones at all levels.

The entire military must successfully carry out the policy of combining national defence with economic development, he urged.

Particular attention should be paid to building a politically strong military, ensuring that the Military Party Committee is truly: "Clean, strong, exemplary and outstanding in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organisation and personnel."

It is essential to maintain and strengthen the absolute and direct leadership of the Party over the military in all aspects. In this regard, the Military Party Committee must set an example for the entire Party.

He also called for the proactive coordination to review and firm the Party Central Committee's policies on personnel work in line with the specific characteristics of the military.

He added that they need to build a contingent of officers and Party members following the spirit of the 'seven dares' -- dare to think, to speak up, to do, to take responsibility, to innovate, to bear hardship, and to act in service of common interests -- to meet mission requirements.

Furthermore, there should be active innovation to enhance the quality of political, ideological, information and communication work.

The military should also continue to carry out emulation and reward work effectively.

Earlier General Secretary and President Lâm and PM Chính along with the military delegation planted planted commemorative trees in the courtyard of the defence ministry's headquarters.