PANO - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highly appreciated the great developments of the defence industry of Vietnam over the years at the 70th anniversary of the traditional day of the General Department of Defence Industry, under the Ministry of National Defence, on September 15th in Hanoi.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Truong Tan Sang and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung sent floral bouquets of congratulation to the general department.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung presents the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces to the General Department of Defence Industry.

In his speech, PM Nguyen Tan Dung recalled the building and development of Vietnam’s military weapons sector and today’s defence industry. Accordingly, on September 15th 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed a directive on the establishment of the Military Weapon Office under the Ministry of National Defence, the predecessor of current General Department of Defence Industry. This event was important, marking the new development of the heroic Vietnam People’s Army.

In its infancy, the military weapons sector faced a number of difficulties, including the shortage of workshops, production technologies, and key materials. However, that fact could not discourage military weapon cadres entrusted by Uncle Ho, including talented intellectuals and young scientists namely Tran Dai Nghia, Ngo Gia Kham and Vo Quy Huan. In addition, people from all walks of life volunteered to contribute to the building of weapons production workshops for the revolution. As a result, in a short time hundreds of such workshops were set up, producing different weapons and other necessary equipment to equip our troops and people for the resistance wars for national independence.

In the anti-French resistance war, the sector focused on improving and producing thousands of tons of weapons, including advanced ones, to be in line with the fighting of armed forces on battlefields. This was a great contribution to our troops and people’s resounding victories, including the victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign that shook the globe.

In the war for national salvation and reunification, the service continued developing in both quality and quantity. It successfully studied and then improved many weapons and military equipment aided by friendly countries to suit Vietnam’s battlefields and fighting styles. Importantly, improved weapons were used to down many modern enemy aircraft, including B-52 bombers, leading to the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory in the Air. Moreover, the sector took advantage of the enemy’s weapons to reinforce battlefields, contributing to the glorious victory of the General Uprising in spring 1975 with its highlight of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

In the renewal, integration and development process, the General Department of Defence Industry has brought into full play its creative, self-reliance and self-strengthening traditions, promptly changed its management mechanism and operation mode, and mapped out suitable steps to develop the defence industry with a focus on developing human resources, advanced science and technology and investing in key products.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung also emphasized the sector’s faith to the Party’s revolutionary cause, solidarity with locals, great efforts to beautify the noble virtues of Uncle Ho’s soldiers and the sector’s glorious tradition.

Noting currently complicated situations in the region and the world at large, and the current trend of peace and cooperation as well as racial conflicts, localized war and territorial disputes, the Prime Minister emphasized the tough mission of the Vietnam People’s Army in general and the defence industry in particular in the national construction and protection cause.

He underlined that the defence industry sector should keep bringing into play its glorious tradition and obtained achievements while dealing with shortcomings to accomplish all assigned tasks. To do that, the service must concentrate on building up an advanced, modern defence industry to practically obtain security-defence potential and meet requirements set for military-defence missions.

Moreover, the governmental leader believed that with a strong sense of responsibility, solidarity, creativity and the efforts of the sector’s personnel, the sector would be further grown and strengthened, and would contribute more to the cause of national construction and protection to be deserving of the Party, the State and people’s trust in them.

On behalf of the Party and the State’s leaders, PM Nguyen Tan Dung presented the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces to the General Department of Defence Industry.

Translated by Mai Huong