We are building the country as the world is changing very rapidly, complicatedly and unpredictably and peace, national independence, cooperation and development remain the main trends. Globalization and international integration have further intensified. Cooperation, competition, rivalry and interdependency between countries, especially powers, are increasing. The Party has pointed out, “The world’s political and security situations are changing fast, complicatedly and unpredictably. Violations of national sovereignty, disputes over territories and natural resources, ethnic and religious conflicts, subversive intervention, terrorism, local warfare and cyber attacks have continued to be severe in many regions”⁽¹⁾. To protect firmly the socialist Fatherland, we must develop relevant national defense strength. Therefore, the Party has called for “making good use of the aggregate strength of the entire nation and political system and taking full advantage of agreement and support from the international community”⁽²⁾. The country should combine its own strength with that of the time, make good use of domestic resources and take advantage of foreign ones. The internal strength of the country and political system, the transparency of cadres and party members, and national solidarity are the decisive factors. Grasping and implementing the 12^th Party Congress Resolution on firm protection of the Fatherland in the new situation include the following tasks:

Thoroughly grasp the view that its independence, sovereignty and territorial, sky, sea and island integrity must be maintained in a resolute and patient manner; mobilize, gather and fully exploit the combined strength of political, spiritual, ideological, culture, national defense, security, economic and foreign relation factors as well as the solidarity of the entire population and political system; and create aggregate strength to protect firmly its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The 12^th Party Congress confirmed, “Resolutely and patiently fight for the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; protect the Party, State, people and socialist system; protect the cause of renovation, industrialization and modernization; defend national interests; preserve national culture; and maintain peace, political stability, national security and social order and safety”⁽³⁾.

Obviously, the Party’s point of view has renovated to become more comprehensive than in its previous congresses. The Party has persevered with its goals and strategic principles; has adopted flexible strategies; has been patient in solving disputes and conflicts by peaceful means based on the fundamental principles of the international law, equality and mutual benefit; has consistently implemented the foreign policy characterized by independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development; has taken full advantage of external resources to develop the country and improve people’s lives; and has been resolute and patient in the protection of the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland. This point of view has created a direct basis for the Party’s rethinking of the successful performance of two strategic tasks being building and firmly protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

Building national defense capacity and strength is about protecting national independence and territorial integrity. National defense capacity and strength is the combined power of national solidarity and the political system under the leadership of the Party and combines the strength of the nation with that of the times and the strength of people’s army and all-people defense disposition with the strength of people’s security disposition. The national economy, national defense and security are to be closely combined with each other in socio-economic development strategies, planning and schemes. National defense and security activities are to be coordinated with foreign ones. This aggregate strength view profoundly reflects the popularity and comprehensiveness of the country’s current people’s defense and security. The strength of people’s defense is the combined strength of both disposition and forces which are built on national solidary under the leadership of the Party.

The Party has clarified the issue of increasing national defense capabilities and disposition through three important tasks: (1) “Building strong provincial and municipal defense zones; while implementing Fatherland protection strategies building solid “people-based disposition” which are to serve as a foundation for exploiting the combined strength of national solidary with people’s army and public security being the core”. (2) “Closely combining economy, culture, society, national defense and security together in each strategy, planning and plan for socio-economic development with emphasis given to remote, border, sea and island areas. Completely overcoming shortcomings in the combination of economy, national defense and security in localities, especially strategic ones”⁽⁴⁾. (3) Increasing international cooperation in national defense and security. Building “people-based disposition,” creating solid foundations for building all-people’s national defense and people’s security. Introducing measures aimed at early preventing dangers of wars and conflicts; proactively preventing, early detecting and getting rid of adverse factors, especially internal ones which can cause problems”⁽⁵⁾.

Increasing national defense capabilities is meant to be responsive in all situations. The fundamental factors of national defense strength consist of forces, capabilities, all-people defence disposition connected with people’s security disposition in strategic localities; the country is to organize forces suitably and ensure they are able to carry out their tasks and increase their capacity; pay attention to the creation of “people-based disposition,” strengthen national solidarity and ensure “the army and population are of one mind”; enable people to exercise their mastership rights; make use of all potentialities and strengths of localities, attract all resources for socio-economic development and improve people’s material and spiritual lives; and consolidate national defense and security alongside the border, in the sea and on islands, and firmly protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

The Party has called for “building the people’s army and people’s public security which are revolutionary, regular, well-trained and modern with priority given to the modernization of some services, arms and forces; which are politically and militarily strong and are absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, Party, State and people”⁽⁶⁾. The people’s army and people’s public security need to be regularly consolidated so they have solid political spirit and strong determination and are prepared to carry out any task. To proactively deal with all situations, the Congress stressed, “to take initiative to prepare strong forces and concrete, scientific operation plans to protect firmly the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and security of the Fatherland in all situations”⁽⁷⁾. This is a new point of view on the building of the people’s armed forces, which clearly expresses the Party’s strategic orientations towards increasing the combined quality of the people’s armed forces and ensuring they are politically transparent and strong, absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, Party, State and people and reasonably manned and have strong fighting spirit and abundant, distributed widely reserves and militiamen so they can contribute to the protection of the Fatherland.

The building of all-people national defense forces and disposition is to be combined with that of people’s security forces and disposition. It is necessary to have a profound awareness of building national defense and security forces and disposition to protect the country’s sea and island sovereignty in new situations. The people’s armed forces are to play the key role. In peacetime, regular troops need to be organized reasonably. At the same time, the reserve, militiamen and guards at state bodies, organizations and businesses are to be maintained and strengthened to achieve a high quality. Party organizations at all levels and local military organizations are to consolidate the forces of militiamen and guards and manage well the reserve, ensure they have enough nutrition and training and cooperate with different sectors in protecting their localities and combat all violations of territorial sovereignty and different crimes. The national defense and security forces are to serve as a solid support for defense and security fighting in the sea and on islands when necessary.

People-based disposition should be strengthened and serve as a solid foundation for the building of all-people national defense and people-based security. It is during the ongoing national construction and protection that the issues of “people’s support” and “people-based disposition” are of extreme importance. The Party has called for completely overcoming shortcomings in the combination of economy, national defense and security in various areas, especially strategic ones. “Build “people-based disposition” and create a solid foundation for the building of all-people national defense and people-based security”⁽⁸⁾. There must be measures aimed at early preventing dangers of wars and conflicts and proactively and early preventing, detecting and getting rid of adverse factors, especially internal ones which can cause problems. This is both a directive and an urgent demand and a pivotal issue related to the building of all-people national defense disposition for the protection of the socialist Fatherland. This shows the application and adaptation of views of Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought on the role of the masses in history as well as the inheritance of the people’s tradition of, and experience in, national foundation and safeguard and their elevation to a new height in new circumstances. This is a decisive factor to sustainable development of the country and well-being of the people and a most important factor behind deterring, preventing and combating hostile forces’ intentions of invading and sabotaging the country.

As far as national defense in the new situation is concerned, the Party has set tasks of being proactive in defeating all sabotage plots and activities by hostile forces; preventing and refuting wrong information and opinion; checking crimes; being prepared to deal with nontraditional security threats; and ensuring information security and safety and cyber security. The principle is to resolutely and patiently solve disagreements and dispute by peaceful means on the basis of respect for the international law. This is of scientific and strategic significance. The Congress laid down directions for national defense in the new period and attached importance to the tasks of ensuring political security and social order and safety and increasing the self-protection capacity of each organization, body, agency and individual.

Directions for strengthening national defense to protect firmly the Fatherland are very urgent, creative, scientifically grounded and realistic. However, for these directions to be translated into reality soon, it is necessary to carry out the following tasks:

Building all-people national defense forces and disposition which are connected to people’s security disposition; exploiting the strength of national solidarity; launching all-out struggles in political, diplomatic, legal, economic and defense areas in different forms and with flexible methods and through centralized guidelines, plans, leadership and management. Such combination must be achieved in every force, ministry, industry and province. There must be close coordination between organizations and between those at home and those abroad.

Maintaining the characters of Vietnamese national defense: self-defense, justice, peace, basing itself on the strength of the entire political system and population, the armed forces being its core, and being led by the Party. Given the current international and regional contexts, it is imperative to focus on building national defense and security forces which are reasonably manned and of high quality. Forces which manage and protect the country’s borders, seas and islands are to provide solid support for socio-economic development activities in strategic areas and, at the same time, carry out military tasks in different directions and strategic areas in case there is a war protecting the country.

Closely combining political, diplomatic, legal, economic and national defense forms and methods in the management of the skies, seas and islands of the country; resolutely fight for peace, stability and cooperation for mutual development. To combine these methods effectively, it is necessary to design and perfect maritime laws used as the basis for claiming national sovereignty over seas and islands; strictly implement plans for moving people to coastal areas where sea and island sovereignty protection forces are stationed; and issue policies aimed at strongly encouraging people to settle down permanently on islands and go on long fishing trips. Provinces with seas and islands need to introduce suitable guidelines, solutions and plans to increase the duties and responsibilities of businesses and people for the management, protection and exploitation of marine resources.

While strengthening national defense to protect firmly the Fatherland in new situations, it is imperative to prevent enemies’ sabotage activities and provide favorable conditions for international friends to cooperate with us. At the same time, it is necessary to have power to prevent all danger of warfare and meet all demands of national defense and firm protection of the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam in new situations. The Party’s new thinking on strengthening national defense and firmly protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam in its 12^th Congress Resolution was supplemented and expanded comprehensively and profoundly. The Party put forward extremely correct, scientific points of view, directions, tasks and solutions which are suitable for international, regional and national conditions and the will and wishes of the entire Party, population and army during the cause of building and protecting the socialist Fatherland in new situation.

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(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) CPV: Documents of the 12^th National Congress, Office of the Party Central Committee, Hanoi, 2016, pp. 71, 147- 148, 147- 148, 149, 149, 149, 150, 149.

Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang

Member of the Party Central Committee

Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army

Vice Minister of National Defense