The tour took place on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) (December 22) and 33 years of the All People’s National Defense Festival.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh writing on memorial book of the border force |
Present at the event were Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Chief of the VPA’s General Department of Political Affairs Major General Nguyen Van Gau, and Deputy Chief of the VPA’s General Staff Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia.
Via videoconference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also learned about difficulties, advantages, and proposals by troops of the border posts of A Pa Chai in the northwestern province of Dien Bien, Truong Sa in the central province of Khanh Hoa, and Ea H’leo in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the Vietnam Border Guard Command in a joint photo |
In a speech at the event, Chief of the Vietnam Border Guard Command Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai said the force has ensured a good grasp of the situation; made timely reports and practical proposals; effectively fought against crimes; seriously maintained combat readiness and performed natural disaster response, search, and rescue duties; and actively engaged in building the all-people border defense and developing strong border areas.
Addressing his remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said over the last 78 years, under the leadership, education, and training by the Party, late President Ho Chi Minh, and veterans of the Party, the VPA has been growing unceasingly; kept steadfast in the goal of fighting for national independence, based on the people, and staying close to the people; and obtained numerous feats-of-arms and remarkable attainments during the national liberation struggle and national safeguarding, thus deserving its status as the “heroic military of the heroic Vietnamese people.”
As part of the VPA, border guards form the core force in managing and protecting the national boundary and border areas. They are stationed in the frontline and disadvantaged areas to perform a large number of tasks, he noted.
Stressing the special importance of stability of the national boundary, sovereignty, and territory, he asked the force to maintain a good grasp, and assessment, and precise forecasting of the security and political situation in border, maritime, and key areas; make timely proposals; properly respond to any circumstance; firmly safeguard national sovereignty, territory, and border security; effectively deal with non-traditional security challenges; and help resolve border-related issues.
In addition, the Prime Minister asked then to strongly help with preventing fishermen’s violation of foreign waters; combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; drastically fight crimes, especially drug and transnational ones; gear up search and rescue plans in anticipation of natural disasters and disease outbreaks; and step up digital transformation and administrative procedure reforms to improve border management.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the whole Vietnam Border Guard Command posing for a joint photo |
At the same time, the force also needs to properly perform mass mobilization, learn people’s aspirations, help build strong grassroots political systems in border areas, pay due attention to ethnic minority affairs, and assist border residents to reduce poverty and build new-style rural areas.
Moreover, another task of the force is to effectively carry out diplomatic duties and form close-knit relations with border guard forces of neighboring countries to help build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, the Prime Minister said, requesting coordination with authorities of border areas to ensure a happy lunar New Year (Tet) for locals and care for disadvantaged people.
Meanwhile, he expressed his belief that despite many difficulties and challenges, the border guard force will successfully perform all assigned duties.
Translated by Song Anh