“Build and implement a combat readiness plan with the highest spirit”

For the Border Guard, Tet is the most stressful day. Reporters from the Provincial Media Center interviewed Colonel Nguyen Van Thiem, Provincial Party Committee member and Commander of the Provincial Border Guard, about Tet for soldiers on the border.

- Every year during Tet, criminal activities on the border tend to increase. Colonel, to firmly protect territorial sovereignty, border security, and effectively combat crimes, what measures has the Provincial Border Guard Command implemented?

+ Quang Ninh has 118.825km of land border, 67.74km of sea border, a total of 98 border markers, 176 landmarks. The border area includes 81 communes, wards, and towns in 10 districts, towns, and cities of the province.

Colonel Nguyen Van Thiem, observing the Tra Co sea border.

In recent times, the security and order situation on the two border lines under the responsibility of the provincial Border Guard has been basically stable. However, there are still potential complications in the border area; especially before, during and after Tet, the number of law violations on the border lines tends to increase. Typically, on the sea route, some crimes of smuggling, trade fraud, and counterfeit goods are more active with sophisticated tricks; some means of foreign fishermen often take advantage of the time when our specialized units are preparing for Tet to illegally exploit seafood, violating sovereignty. On the land border, criminal gangs and lines have increased their activities, especially smuggling, buying and selling, and transporting firecrackers across the border.

In 2024, the Provincial Border Guard successfully organized 5 special projects and 10 operational plans; units independently arrested and handled 313 cases/461 subjects violating the law on drugs, illegal immigration, smuggling, transporting goods of unknown origin, illegal exploitation of aquatic products... The Provincial Border Guard coordinated with functional forces to arrest 10 cases/36 subjects illegally transporting goods through border areas, border gates, and island waters of the province.

From that reality, with the determination to maintain national sovereignty and border security so that people can welcome the new year happily and peacefully, the Provincial Border Guard Command has built and deployed a combat readiness plan with the highest spirit.

Accordingly, the provincial Border Guard directed units to strengthen their grasp of the internal and external border situation, proactively and effectively handle incidents occurring on the border to ensure quickness, neatness, and compliance with policies and measures, and prevent border crossings, intrusions, and disturbances of security and order. Border guards have carried out propaganda and mobilization work well and coordinated with local authorities to protect the safety of people's entertainment venues in border and island communes; promptly prevented and foiled sabotage plots of hostile forces and activities of all types of subjects and criminals; and strictly and effectively implemented the ban on illegal production, storage, transportation, trading, and burning of firecrackers.

The provincial Border Guard continues to closely coordinate with functional agencies and border localities to promptly detect incidents occurring on the border and island areas of the province, avoiding being passive or surprised in any situation. Thereby contributing to maintaining territorial sovereignty, border and sea security, ensuring security and order in the area, creating conditions for people to celebrate Tet in a warm, safe and joyful manner.

- To help soldiers feel secure in their duties and people welcome the New Year in peace, how does the Border Guard Command carry out Tet care for officers and soldiers?

+ In order for the 2025 Lunar New Year to take place joyfully, excitedly, safely and economically, the Party Committee and the Provincial Border Guard Command have also promptly developed a plan to care for and ensure the material and spiritual life of soldiers during Tet.

Colonel Nguyen Van Thiem, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard, presented the emulation flag of the Border Guard Command to the General Staff Department for its outstanding achievements in 2024.

The unit takes advantage of vacant land around the barracks to boost production and improve the lives of officers and soldiers. This year's Tet, in addition to the standards of the superiors, the provincial Border Guard, the units allocate capital from the production fund, mobilize support to ensure Tet for officers and soldiers; pay extra food for officers and soldiers at an average of 100,000 VND/person/day for 3 days of Tet; support for those with average salary is 2 million VND/person; for non-commissioned officers and soldiers is 300,000 VND/person.

Units have renovated and decorated their barracks, creating a green, clean, and beautiful landscape to prepare for Tet; organized many cultural, artistic, physical education, and sports activities to create a joyful and exciting Tet atmosphere... Thanks to that, officers and soldiers are all excited and assured in their work.

The provincial Border Guard has arranged and arranged for officers to take Tet holidays according to regulations; prioritized Tet leave for soldiers who live far away, have not been home for many years, are policy beneficiaries, and are in difficult circumstances. Party committees and commanders at all levels in the provincial Border Guard have done a good job of ideological education for officers and soldiers. Thanks to that, 100% of officers and soldiers clearly identify their responsibilities, are honored to be on duty during Tet, and are ready to take on any assigned tasks.

- How does the provincial Border Guard carry out the work of taking care of Tet for ethnic minorities?

+ With the spirit of “helping each other”, “leaving no one behind”, border units have proactively surveyed and coordinated to provide subsidies to many households in difficult circumstances. On Tet holiday, grassroots units will send officers and soldiers directly to the area to celebrate Spring and Tet with the people, organize cultural, artistic and sports exchanges, and create solidarity between the army and the people.

Colonel Nguyen Van Thiem gives gifts to people of Hai Son commune (Mong Cai city).

Notably, implementing the direction of the Border Guard Command on organizing the program "Spring Border Guard warms the hearts of the villagers" Spring At Ty 2025, the Party Committee and the Provincial Border Guard Command have chaired and coordinated the organization of the program "Spring Border Guard warms the hearts of the villagers" and coordinated the implementation of the movement "Spring Sharing - Humanitarian Tet" Spring At Ty 2025 launched by the province. Implementing the programs, up to now, the Provincial Border Guard has presented over 1,000 gifts; wrapped 600 Chung cakes; presented 2,000 national flags; examined, treated and provided free medicine to about 500 people with a total cost of over 1.3 billion VND.

Through the programs, the Border Guard force would like to express gratitude to the people of the ethnic groups in the border and island areas who have always loved, protected and helped the Provincial Border Guard in the cause of protecting the sovereignty, border security and sacred islands of the Fatherland.

Thank you, Colonel!

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