Although the new 2018 Law on National Defense stipulates that defense diplomacy is one of the basic contents of building a national defense, in reality, our Army has been engaged in foreign affairs since its inception and throughout history, in extremely rich and effective forms.

In terms of implementation methods, in addition to the usual foreign affairs activities such as exchanges, contacts, negotiations... foreign affairs activities are also demonstrated through the fighting and sacrifices of volunteer troops as well as resounding victories on the battlefield, thereby creating a "position" for peace negotiations during wartime as well as contributions to the country's international integration in peacetime.

The Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army was born at a time when World War II was raging not only in Europe but also in Asia-Pacific. In Vietnam, Japanese fascists had ousted French colonialists and occupied our country. In that context, our Party under the direct leadership of Uncle Ho stepped up preparations for a general uprising.

To serve the cause of fighting for independence, Uncle Ho advocated seeking support from member countries of the Anti-Fascist Allied Front, including the US. At that time, there was an American air force unit stationed in Yunnan (China). After we rescued pilot William Shaw, who was flying a US air force plane shot down by the Japanese in Hoa An district, Cao Bang province, we returned it to the US 14th Air Division. On this occasion, Uncle Ho personally went to Kunming to meet General Claire Lee Chennault, Commander of the 14th Air Division, asking him to provide equipment, weapons and trainers for the Viet Minh. In response to Uncle Ho's request, US aircraft dropped equipment, weapons and a number of officers at Lung Co "airport" (Tuyen Quang). Moreover, the two sides established a "Vietnam-US Company" for joint operations, commanded by comrade Dam Quang Trung and advised by Major Allison K. Thomas.

In this first international activity, there was a great contribution from the commander of the Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army, comrade Vo Nguyen Giap, and a number of team members, including comrades Dam Quang Trung and Phung The Tai, who later became Senior Lieutenant Generals of the Vietnam People's Army.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates visit the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2022. Photo: VU PHONG

During the resistance war against French colonialism, our Army carried out many military and defense activities, notably coordinating operations with friendly countries Laos and Cambodia as well as the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

In December 1947, the Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos Liberation Committee was established and Vietnamese volunteer troops fought side by side with the resistance forces of the Itxala Lao Front and the Khmer Issarak Front in the struggle for independence of each country. The beginning of this activity was the decision of the Joint Conference of the three countries held in March 1951, which clearly stated the decision to establish the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia people's alliance based on the principles of volunteerism, equality, mutual assistance and respect for each other's sovereignty. One of the manifestations of this joint fighting was the Upper Laos Campaign in 1953.

In 1949, at the request of the Communist Party of China, our Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army established the Shiwandashan Command to carry out the Shiwandashan Campaign, forming the Yong-Long-Kham Liberated Zone bordering our country's Northeast. After this campaign, our Army gave the Chinese People's Liberation Army many captured weapons.

When implementing the Border Campaign in 1950 and the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954, our Army cooperated closely with Chinese expert delegations led by Generals Tran Canh and Vi Quoc Thanh. After completely liberating the northern border provinces and establishing diplomatic relations with China, the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, especially after the Geneva Agreement was signed and the North was liberated, the military-defense activities were deployed strongly and comprehensively through establishing defense relations with fraternal countries, gaining support, providing military equipment and training cadres. From that day on, the mechanism of exchanging delegations and opening military attaché offices was formed.

Military cooperation activities were further strengthened and expanded during the resistance war against the US to save the country as well as after the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country in 1975. During this period, military cooperation with socialist countries was further strengthened in a "mobile and flexible" manner in the context of the Soviet Union and China having a number of issues that had not yet found a common voice.

Not long after the reunification of the country, our Army once again had to fight in the southwestern border. Because of the responsibility to protect the Fatherland and help the Cambodian people escape the genocidal regime, the Vietnamese Volunteer Army went to war again, and was honored by the Cambodian people as the “Buddhist army”, thereby contributing with their blood and bones to strengthen the friendly relationship between our country and our neighbor. Another rarely mentioned military service activity was the training of national liberation fighters from some “third world” countries.

At turning points in the resistance war, Uncle Ho and, after his death, General Secretary Le Duan, personally "went out" to meet with senior leaders of friendly parties to inform them of the situation, coordinate actions, and seek support and assistance. Each of these trips was attended by Army generals. Traveling with Uncle Ho to China and then the Soviet Union after the northern border provinces were liberated in 1950 was comrade Tran Dang Ninh, Director of the General Department of Supply (later changed to the General Department of Logistics). The success of the 15th Central Conference, Session II in 1959 opened a new era for the revolution in the South. Uncle Ho went to China and the Soviet Union, accompanied by General Nguyen Chi Thanh, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Vinh, Director of the Central Unification Committee, and Major General Le Chuong, Director of the Propaganda Department (General Department of Politics). As the war in the southwestern border became increasingly tense, a high-ranking delegation of our Party led by General Secretary Le Duan went to the Soviet Union to discuss with the leaders of the neighboring country, accompanied by comrade Le Trong Tan. When the two sides signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, representatives of the Ministry of National Defense also participated.

General Vo Nguyen Giap's visits to several African countries and Cuba after the country's reunification were warmly welcomed by the people of those countries as a hero. Our People's Armed Forces Heroes have participated in many world youth and student festivals as well as other international events and have always been the focus of making the name of Vietnam shine brighter. It is impossible not to mention the international activities of veteran comrades who have effectively contributed to the policy of closing the past and looking towards the future with countries that once invaded our country, making the spirit of altruism and humanity of the nation shine brighter.

In the period of innovation and international integration, the defense sector has become more and more active, taking place in many diverse forms. Among the defense sector activities, the initiative to host the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+) emerged; many male and female officers of the Vietnam People's Army were sent to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations not only as a peacekeeping force but also as a working force and a diplomatic force through "skillful mass mobilization work" with local people, contributing to enhancing the prestige and international position of our country. That is not to mention the bilateral and multilateral relationships that our Army has established with the armies of many different countries, demonstrated through dialogue mechanisms, exchanges, joint patrols, training, and education of officers and experts, etc., contributing to building and increasing trust, expanding cooperation, and facilitating the task of consolidating peace and stability in the region and the world.

In addition to its contributions to the formation of guidelines and policies at Party Congresses and the leadership activities of the Central Executive Committee as well as the activities of the National Assembly and the Government, the Army has proposed the policy of "four no's": No participation in military alliances; no alliance with one country to fight another; no allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use territory to fight against other countries; no use of force or threat of use of force in international relations. In the context of the complex and fluctuating world situation, the above policy was put forward at the right time, and at the same time, it is also one of the ways to take early and long-term precautions...

With the above great contributions, it can be affirmed that our Army is truly a "foreign affairs army" in addition to functions such as "combat army", "working army" and "production labor army".

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