Vietnam does not isolate itself in implementing its defense policy.

Therefore, fighting to defeat their plots and sabotage tricks and protecting Vietnam's correct defense policy is an important task today.

Vietnam is a country that always faces the risk of invasion from outside and has gone through many wars to liberate the nation and protect the Fatherland. Therefore, the desire to live in peace and independence; to resolve all disagreements and disputes by peaceful means is the desire, goodwill and consistent viewpoint in Vietnam's defense policy.

However, in recent times, reactionary forces, disaffected elements, political opportunists, and groups of people calling themselves "patriots" and "passionate" about the fate of the nation have sent "open letters", "petitions", and written and distributed articles with distorted tones, distorting Vietnam's foreign policy and defense policy. They believe that, in the current trend of globalization and deep international integration, countries always have close ties and dependencies with each other, while Vietnam still pursues an independent and autonomous foreign policy and the "4 no's" defense policy (no military alliances; no alliance with one country to fight another; no allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory to fight against other countries; no use of force or threat of use of force in international relations) is "conservative, outdated", "self-isolating", "tying one's own hands and feet", depriving the opportunity to cooperate with major countries to strengthen national defense and protect the Fatherland.

More brazenly and blatantly, they also slander and accuse Vietnam of strengthening its defense and security capabilities as starting an arms race in the region, against a third country. In particular, hostile forces believe that with the current defense policy, Vietnam cannot maintain its sovereignty, sovereign rights, unity and territorial integrity. Therefore, only by forming a military alliance with major powers can Vietnam maintain its territorial sovereignty and protect its national interests.

It can be seen that the purpose of the fierce sabotage of hostile forces is to lead and steer Vietnam to join military alliances, gradually falling deeper into the orbit of external dependence, losing independence and autonomy in military, defense and foreign affairs activities. At the same time, inciting and spreading skepticism in society about the ability of Vietnam's national defense to protect the country, the correctness of the Party's military, defense and foreign affairs policies; thereby causing internal division and conflict, reducing confidence in the Party's leadership, the effectiveness of the State's management in the military, defense and foreign affairs fields; at a higher level, refusing to fulfill obligations and responsibilities for the cause of protecting the Fatherland, or participating in activities against the Party, the State and our people.

Examining both theory and practice shows that the above arguments of hostile forces are completely baseless, blatantly distorting our country's defense policy:

In theory: The consistent and pervasive viewpoint of our Party and President Ho Chi Minh is to always uphold the spirit of independence, self-reliance, self-reliance, "relying mainly on our own strength", "using our own strength to liberate ourselves"; closely combining the country's internal strength with international strength to consolidate and strengthen national defense, firmly protect the Fatherland, and contribute to protecting peace in the region and the world.

President Ho Chi Minh repeatedly pointed out the role and importance of internal strength, of the relationship between national strength and the strength of the times. He said: "Of course, the help of friendly countries is important, but we must not rely on it, we must not sit and wait for others. A nation that is not self-reliant but waits for help from other nations does not deserve independence"; "We must rely on real strength. With strong strength, diplomacy will be victorious. Real strength is the gong and diplomacy is the sound. The louder the gong, the louder the sound". At the same time, he advised that we must always "know ourselves, know others", "know the times, know the situation" to "combine the soft and the hard"; we must pay special attention to skillfully handling relations with other countries, especially neighboring countries and big countries, for the highest interests of the nation.

Deeply imbued with his ideology, our Party and State always consistently affirm the viewpoint: "We protect the Fatherland with the strength of the great national unity bloc, the strength of the nation combined with the strength of the times. In which, the internal strength of the country, the political regime, the economy and the national potential are the decisive factors". At the same time: Persistently pursue an open, multilateral, diversified foreign policy, make more friends, reduce enemies, both cooperate and fight. Strengthen cooperation, create a position of intertwined strategic interests between our country and other countries, especially major countries, strategic partners, neighboring countries and countries in the region; avoid conflicts, confrontations, avoid isolation and dependence.

Vietnam's 2018 defense strategy identifies: Building and consolidating strategic relations and trust with countries, especially strategic partners, creating a position to protect the Fatherland; being ready to defeat all forms of aggressive war if they occur; actively, responsibly and effectively participating in peacekeeping activities of the United Nations (UN) and related issues of the international community, contributing to maintaining a peaceful, stable, cooperative and developing environment in the region and the world.

Vietnam's 2019 Defense White Paper clearly states that, along with the "4 no's" policy, Vietnam: "Strengthens defense cooperation with other countries to improve the country's ability to protect the country and address common security challenges. Depending on the developments of the situation and under specific conditions, Vietnam will consider developing necessary defense and military relations at an appropriate level on the basis of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity as well as the basic principles of international law, mutually beneficial cooperation, for the common interests of the region and the international community".

At the same time, Vietnam advocates developing defense cooperation with all countries, especially neighboring countries, strategic partners, comprehensive partners, building trust, creating international support and assistance to prevent risks and deal with aggressive wars; ready to expand defense cooperation on the basis of no distinction between political regimes and development levels. Vietnam does not accept defense cooperation under any imposed conditions or pressure. Vietnam strengthens multilateral defense cooperation to contribute to ensuring national defense, security, and protecting national sovereignty.

The 13th National Party Congress clearly stated: "Consistently implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of foreign relations...". At the same time: "Strive to prevent conflicts and wars and resolve disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law. Resolutely and persistently fight to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, airspace and sea of the Fatherland".

In practice: Over the years, Vietnam has always strived to properly implement its foreign policy and defense policy, becoming a responsible member of the international community, contributing to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world. To date, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 192 countries (including 190/193 UN member countries); has established defense cooperation relations with more than 100 countries in the world, including all 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council and all major countries in many fields.

In particular, over the past 10 years, Vietnam has deployed more than 530 officers and staff to participate in UN peacekeeping activities at UN missions and headquarters in New York (USA). Vietnam's increasingly active and effective participation in world peacekeeping activities has been recognized and highly appreciated by the UN, leaving a good impression on the government, people of the host country and international friends. The image of Vietnamese blue beret soldiers, the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era have been widely spread, leaving a positive and strong impression in the hearts of the people and overseas Vietnamese, and are respected and loved by international friends.

On the other hand, in the context of increasingly fierce and intense strategic competition among major countries today, if we rely on one major country as an ally or alliance, we will become a strategic target and confront another major country. Therefore, Vietnam firmly adheres to the "4 no's" policy: more friends, less enemies; increasing partners, reducing targets, harmoniously handling relations with other countries; establishing and consolidating relations with all countries, especially strategic partners, deeply integrating internationally, increasing the intertwining of common interests with many countries, creating international support and assistance; preventing risks and successfully dealing with all forms of aggressive war is the most correct and appropriate choice. In any circumstance, Vietnam does not choose sides but chooses the right and just.

Thus, both in theory and in practice, it is clear that the evidence is the most complete, objective, and convincing, clearly demonstrating the desire and goodwill: Vietnam is a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, responsible member of the international community of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam that no force can distort or deny. At the same time, it also exposes the dark plot of hostile forces against Vietnam's defense policy.

Accordingly, in order to fight and defeat the sabotage plots of hostile forces, it is necessary to continue to promote information and propaganda work, clarify the correctness of Vietnam's defense policy both domestically and internationally; strengthen the Party's leadership and the effectiveness of the State's management of defense, security and foreign affairs; mobilize maximum resources to strengthen national defense strength, meeting the requirements of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation; promote international integration and defense diplomacy, promote the "pioneering" role in creating a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. BUI DINH TIEP, Deputy Head of the Department of Military Art History, Academy of Politics of the Ministry of National Defense

(According to qdnd.vn)

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