Opinions on the General Secretary's Book: Building a solid national defense

Recently, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, the Central Propaganda Department and the National Political Publishing House Truth jointly organized the launching ceremony of the book "Some issues on military guidelines and defense strategies in the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland in the new period" by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Secretary of the Central Military Commission.

The content of the book shows the "eruditeness, profound knowledge"; "dialectical thinking and strategic vision"; the closeness, determination, always putting the interests of the nation and the people first and foremost of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in the military, national defense, and national protection tasks in the face of the requirements of the new era.

Colonel, Dr. Bui Dinh Tiep, Deputy Head of the Department of Military Art History, Academy of Politics, Ministry of National Defense emphasized that these are strategic orientations, a "handbook" to overcome difficulties and challenges in the current military and defense activities of our country. At the same time, the book has great ideological orientation value; has a very wide spread in building a strong, compact, and elite Vietnam People's Army; building a solid national defense, a solid "people's heart position"; promoting the strength of the great national unity bloc, strengthening military and defense strength, and being determined to firmly protect the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in all situations.

Protecting the Fatherland "early, from afar"

According to Colonel, Dr. Bui Dinh Tiep, the entire content of the book and especially the article by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, former member of the Party Central Committee, former member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, former Deputy Minister of National Defense, shows the strategic vision, comprehensiveness, and comprehensiveness of the General Secretary for the military, national defense, and national defense tasks in the new period. In particular, the core point, the consistent and continuous guiding ideology for this task is expressed in 3 issues. First, regardless of the conditions and circumstances, it is necessary to uphold the principle of the Communist Party of Vietnam's absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of military, national defense, and the Vietnam People's Army activities. According to the General Secretary, this is the vital and decisive principle in military, national defense activities and the process of growth and development of our Army. Because: "The Party not only sets out military guidelines, determines the direction for developing the country's military and defense potential, determines the goals, fighting ideals and policies and solutions to enhance the fighting strength of the Party Committee of the Army, but the Party also leads the organization to realize the viewpoints and guidelines for building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and gradually modern Army". The Party's leadership is the prerequisite principle for the Army to always be a force absolutely loyal to the Party and the Fatherland, wholeheartedly serving the people, and being the core force together with the entire people to firmly build and protect the Fatherland.

Exhibition of the book "Some issues on military guidelines and national defense strategies in the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland in the new period". Photo: Van Diep/VNA

The General Secretary also emphasized that in order to maintain the Party's leadership, an extremely urgent issue at present is to heighten vigilance, be proactive, and sensitive, and step up refuting the false arguments against the Party, the State, and the army by hostile forces; stay alert and promptly handle complicated issues, and avoid being passive or surprised in any situation.

Second, the overarching strategic thinking that guides the General Secretary's military and defense strategies is to protect the Fatherland "early and from afar"; "protect the country before it is in danger." According to the General Secretary, protecting the Fatherland "early and from afar" means protecting in advance, preventing in advance, and proactively preparing conditions to firmly protect the Fatherland even in peacetime, when the country is not yet at war or in danger.

To protect the Fatherland “early and from afar”, we must not only focus on strengthening national defense and security but also promote comprehensive development of economic, cultural and social aspects, take care of building ourselves to become stronger and stronger, to keep the “warm inside”; at the same time, promote foreign affairs and international integration activities, create a position of intertwining strategic interests and consolidate strategic trust with partners, especially neighboring countries, major countries, strategic partners... to keep the “peace outside”, create a solid foundation to prevent and repel all risks of war and conflict, maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

The forces, especially the Army, need to be proactive, sensitive, improve their research and forecasting capacity, and perform well their strategic advisory functions to the Party and State on military and defense issues. Timely identify, properly, harmoniously, and flexibly handle partners and defense objects; have appropriate and effective countermeasures to handle situations and issues on borders, seas, and islands, especially the East Sea, to avoid being passive and surprised, and to prevent the risk of war and conflict "early and from afar".

Third, the core ideology that guides the General Secretary's military policy and defense strategy is to take building a solid "people's heart position" as the decisive factor for the victory of the national defense cause and protecting the Fatherland. This is the key point throughout the entire book of the General Secretary. Because: The tradition of national solidarity and patriotism, the people's trust in the Party's leadership, and a solid "people's heart position" are the great source of strength for the Vietnamese people to overcome all difficulties and challenges and move forward. Therefore, in the current context, it is necessary to always attach importance to promoting the strength of the great national solidarity bloc, solidarity between ethnic groups, between regions, and between all classes; solidarity between the people and the Party, between the masses and cadres and party members, between the army and the people..., implementing "unanimity from top to bottom, and smooth communication across the board" only then can we build a solid "people's heart position".

The General Secretary emphasized: “The common task of the entire political system is to make the economy strong, national defense strong, real power strong, people's hearts at peace, politics and society stable, and the whole nation a united bloc. The Party must lead so that the army is strong, the country strong, and the people confident on the chosen path.”

Building a strong, compact, and modern army

Colonel, Dr. Bui Dinh Tiep shared that all 39 articles, speeches and interviews reflected the sharp political vision, profound theoretical thinking and strategic vision of the General Secretary in all aspects of military and defense activities. Among them, I most appreciated the article "The leadership of the Party is the decisive factor in all victories, growth and development of the Vietnam People's Army". Because the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh are the ones who organized, led, educated and trained our Army. Practice over the past nearly 80 years has proven that the leadership of the Party is the decisive factor in all victories, growth and development of the Vietnam People's Army. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances or conditions, it is necessary to "maintain and strengthen the absolute and direct leadership of the Party in all aspects over the Army, ensuring that the Army is always strong in politics, ideology and organization, truly a loyal and trustworthy political and fighting force of the Party, State and people, successfully completing all assigned tasks in all situations". This is the vital principle of the Party, the Army and our current regime.

Colonel, Dr. Bui Dinh Tiep said that in the second part of the book, the General Secretary had many important articles and speeches expressing the ideology and strategic vision to direct the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense and the military branches, academies and schools in the entire army to build a strong, compact and modern army, meeting the requirements of missions in all situations.

Accordingly, each military branch, each force must thoroughly grasp the General Secretary's guiding ideology, associated with its specific functions and tasks to build a clean and strong Party committee and organization; a strong and comprehensive unit, contributing to building a lean, compact, strong, and modern Army. Military academies and schools continue to thoroughly grasp the motto "Theory goes hand in hand with practice"; "schools are closely linked to units". Continue to promote innovation in the content, programs, methods of education, training, fostering, teaching and scientific research; closely combine summarizing practice with theoretical research; actively participate in the struggle on the ideological and theoretical front to protect the Party's ideological foundation.

It can be affirmed that the book of the General Secretary has great value, is a strategic orientation to build a strong, compact and refined Vietnam People's Army; build a national defense, build a great national unity bloc, a solid "people's heart position"; "Strong Party, rich country, peaceful people, strong army, more friends, fewer enemies", firmly protect the socialist Vietnam Fatherland in the new situation.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

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