This was affirmed by former Director of the Vietnam Institute for Defense Strategy under the Ministry of National Defense Lieutenant General, Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Duc Hai in a recent article clarifying Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s strategic vision on military and defense.
    |
 |
|
Party General Secretary, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong visits and works with Army Corps 3 on March 16, 2011. |
Gen. Hai recalled that in his capacity as Director of the Vietnam Institute for Defense Strategy under the Ministry of National Defense, he was assigned as a member of the compilation board for the “Vietnam’s Defense Strategy and Military Strategy,” headed by Senior Lieutenant General General Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Defense Minister (now Defense Minister) and Deputy Defense Minister Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh (deceased) under the direct direction of Defense Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich (now retired) and the Central Military Commission.
During the time, Lt. Gen. Hai and Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh had the opportunity to consult Party General Secretary and Secretary of the Central Military Commission Nguyen Phu Trong. Gen. Hai recalled that he was greatly astonished by his simplicity and sincerity. During meetings, he inquired after their families, life, and work situations. It was the Party leader’s closeness and intimacy that had helped dispel his nervousness and apprehension when meeting the highest leader of the Party.
According to Gen. Hai, it was not his first meeting with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. On April 16, 2011, in his capacity as the Commander of the Army Corps, he had the honor of welcoming Party General Secretary and Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong to the corps, and the Party Chief’s working visit left deep impression on him and officers and soldiers of Army Corps 3. Therefore, he considered reporting to the General Secretary this time a great honor.
|
|
 |
|
Maj. Gen. Nguyen Duc Hai, Commander of Army Corps 3 Command, presents flowers to Party General Secretary, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong on March 16, 2011. |
Authorized by Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh, Gen. Hai briefed the Party General Secretary on the outline of the "Vietnam’s Defense Strategy and Military Strategy". Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong listened attentively and suggested that to develop the outline, the compilation board should study and answer questions. Then he posed 13 questions which became 13 strategic orientations encompassing the fundamental content and laying the foundation for future research on national defense and military strategy.
Under the direction of the Minister of National Defense, the Vietnam Institute of Defense Strategy, in collaboration with other agencies, focused on studying those contents. The deeper the members of the board studied, the better they understood the significance of issues raised by the General Secretary.
Understanding the board’s worries that the book’s contents did not fully meet practical requirements, the Party General Secretary said that strategists must have strategic thinking and observe trends in the process of movement and development. That teaching became the key that paved the way for the board to boldly and confidently focus on the mission.
In the next meetings, the Party leader directed them to concentrate on objectively elaborating specific contents, conducting in-depth analyses of scientific evidence and practical aspects related to national defense and military subjects.
The Party Chief emphasized the need to build a strong people’s armed forces focusing on enhancing the overall quality and combat strength of the military; building a politically-strong military; maintaining and enhancing the Party's leadership over the military and national defense in all situations; being prepared to handle any situation to maintain a peaceful and stable environment and always prioritizing national interests above all else; developing a dual-use defense industry as the backbone of the national industry; building the Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel), enhancing defense diplomacy during the integration period; fostering national unity.
Incorporating the Party General Secretary's opinions, under the leadership of the Central Military Commission and the close direction of the Minister of National Defense, the compilation board fulfilled its assigned task. The Politburo issued Resolution No.24-NQ/TW on April 16, 2018, regarding the "Vietnam's Defense Strategy," Conclusion No.31-KL/TW on April 16, 2018, concerning the "Vietnam's Military Strategy," continuing to affirm the principle of Party's absolute and direct leadership over the armed forces, national defense, security, and Fatherland protection in all aspects. Moreover, this marked a new development in the Party's thinking and awareness regarding the task of protecting the Fatherland "early, from afar," concretizing the "Fatherland protection strategy in the new period."
Concluding the article, Gen. Hai affirmed that Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, the Party General Secretary and Secretary of the Central Military Commission, was a leader with dialectical thinking and strategic vision in guiding the construction of the "defense strategy, military strategy" to protect the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. He was a strategist who established fundamental and pivotal directions. During working meetings with the Party Chief, Hai and members of the board understood that he was a decisive individual with extensive knowledge and strategic thinking in the field of national defense and military affairs.
Translated by Tran Hoai