Minister Ngo Xuan Lich: Building the Army in the direction of being lean, compact, and strong
In an interview with VNA, Minister of National Defense, General Ngo Xuan Lich said that from 2018, the Ministry of National Defense will conduct research and organize adjustments to a number of agencies and units.
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| Minister of National Defense, General Ngo Xuan Lich. (Photo: Ninh Duc Phuong/VNA) |
On the occasion of preparing to welcome the Lunar New Year 2018, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporters interviewed General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, on the issue of building the Vietnam People's Army in the new situation to firmly protect the Fatherland.
- Dear Minister, in 2017, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense led and directed the entire army to successfully complete military and defense tasks and build the Army Party Committee. Could you please tell us about the outstanding results in 2017?
Minister Ngo Xuan Lich:In 2017, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and Party committees and commanders at all levels made many innovations in leadership and direction, closely following key political tasks; synchronously, closely and resolutely implementing and comprehensively completing military and defense tasks and building the Party Committee of the Army; in which, a number of tasks were completed excellently.
Notably, it has thoroughly grasped and seriously implemented the directives and resolutions of the Party and State on military, national defense and homeland protection tasks. Advised the Party and State on formulating guidelines, strategies, plans and planning on military and national defense, combining socio-economic development with strengthening national defense and security. Regularly researched, grasped, forecasted and correctly assessed the situation related to military and national defense, promptly advised and effectively handled situations, avoiding being passive and surprised; firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.
The Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense and Party committees and commanders at all levels have closely coordinated with central and local departments, ministries and branches to promote the building of all-people national defense, the building of all-people national defense posture associated with the people's security posture, especially the "people's hearts posture", building solid defense areas, prioritizing the building of postures in key areas, islands and borders. Coordinate well with forces to strengthen control and fight against violations, crimes, smuggling and trade fraud; ensure the safety of maritime economic activities and important political events of the country.
Units throughout the army actively deploy solutions to build a politically strong army, improve overall quality and combat strength; strictly comply with combat readiness regulations, proactively supplement and adjust combat documents and organize training according to plans; actively innovate and improve the quality of training, combined arms exercises, and defense zone exercises; successfully complete the core task of participating in preventing, combating, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, search and rescue; actively help people eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, and build new rural areas...
Resolutely deploy the organization of forces and ensure weapons and equipment for the Army; carry out mergers, dissolutions, transfers, and new establishment of a number of forces in the direction of "lean, compact, strong, and mobile" but without increasing the number of troops. Implement the Project on restructuring, innovating, and improving the operational efficiency of Army enterprises; rectify, strengthen management, and properly use defense land. Perform well the logistics and technical work to ensure training, drills, and combat readiness tasks; actively exploit and master new weapons and equipment; promote increased production, organize well the nurturing and health care of soldiers; complete the planning and promote the development of the defense industry.
Defense diplomacy has been well implemented in line with the Party's foreign policy. Along with the foreign affairs activities of the Party and the State, people's diplomacy has created a widespread, solid and effective "diplomatic posture"; in which, bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation has been promoted, prioritizing cooperation with the armies of neighboring countries, ASEAN countries, major countries and traditional friendly countries; improving the effectiveness of international cooperation, implementing the Project to strengthen defense cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia; actively participating in APEC 2017 activities, the high-level week in Da Nang; proactively participating in the United Nations' peacekeeping activities, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world.
The Party Committee of the Army has seriously implemented the Resolution of the 4th Central Committee (12th tenure) on Party building and rectification in conjunction with Directive No. 05-CT/TW of the Politburo on promoting the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle; well organized self-criticism and criticism according to 27 manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" identified in the Resolution; strictly implemented the principle of democratic centralism; internal solidarity and high unity, the Party's ideological battlefield was maintained and strengthened; ensuring the Party's absolute and direct leadership in all aspects over the Army.
The outstanding results that the entire army achieved in 2017 are of great significance, creating the foundation and premise for successfully carrying out military and defense tasks in 2018.
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| Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA) |
Minister Ngo Xuan Lich:Faced with the requirements of national defense in the new situation, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense will continue to closely coordinate with central and local departments, ministries and branches, and resolutely, comprehensively and synchronously deploy solutions, striving to successfully complete assigned tasks; in which, focusing on implementing the adjustment of the organization of the Army force until 2021 according to the conclusion of the Politburo. The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense identify this as a key task of 2018.
The goal and direction of the organization of the Army force by 2021 is "lean, compact, strong, and flexible." The requirements are to have comprehensive strength and increasingly high combat power; a synchronous and reasonable organizational structure among the components; and to adjust the force appropriately, ready to respond to tasks when the country moves into wartime.
From 2018, the Ministry of National Defense will conduct research and organize adjustments to a number of agencies and units according to plan; strictly manage inputs, resolutely resolve surplus troops according to the issued organization and staffing table, ensuring no increase in troops in the entire army.
To complete this task, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense and Party committees and commanders at all levels in the entire army will strengthen leadership and direction, synchronously implement solutions, closely combine organizational work with ideological work and policy work. We believe that with high determination and great efforts, the Army will perform well this important task, worthy of the trust of the Party, State and people.
-2018 is predicted to be a year of many unpredictable changes in the world and regional situation. So how will the work of defense diplomacy and protecting the Fatherland from afar be implemented, Minister?
Minister Ngo Xuan Lich:Forecasting 2018, the world and regional situation, besides being fundamentally favorable, may have many complex and unpredictable developments. Globalization and international integration will be the inevitable trend that governs and impacts all countries and peoples, including Vietnam. That will directly impact the foreign policy and activities of the Party and State in general, and defense diplomacy in particular.
To proactively and actively integrate deeply and effectively into the international community and strengthen defense cooperation, we must thoroughly grasp and seriously implement the Party's foreign policy, especially Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW of the Politburo (11th tenure) on international integration and Resolution No. 806-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission on international integration and defense diplomacy until 2020 and the following years.
Promote substantive and stable bilateral defense cooperation, ensuring a balance in relations with major countries; at the same time, proactively and actively participate in multilateral defense cooperation mechanisms. Focus on building and completing the overall plan for defense foreign affairs in 2020 when Vietnam assumes the role of ASEAN Chair. Focus on linking political and defense cooperation with cooperation in technology, military equipment, and military trade; enhance trust, understanding, and experience sharing with the armies of other countries. Organize joint patrols and border defense friendship exchanges with neighboring countries.
Carry out the preparation work well to be ready to send the level 2 field hospital to the South Sudan mission, actively contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping activities. Study and participate in a number of multilateral exercises in the fields of humanitarianism, search and rescue, disaster relief at other levels; carry out the work of foreign defense well... These are important solutions, contributing to protecting the Fatherland early, from afar, when the country is not yet in danger, in accordance with the Party's viewpoints and policies.
Thank you very much, Minister!./.
