Should we sell children's military uniforms?

(Baonghean) - Recently, some readers have inquired about the appearance of shops and carts in Vinh City selling police, traffic police, and military uniforms for children. Does this violate the law? To help verify and answer readers' questions, we have investigated the situation...

Currently, along streets like Le Duan and Thang Long, shops and carts are selling police and military uniforms in various sizes for children, along with accompanying accessories such as hats, batons, whistles, and sticks, all designed to look realistic. A woman selling these costumes at the Quan Banh intersection (Thang Long street) said: “Because they are displayed right next to National Highway 1, many people stop to buy them as gifts for their children and grandchildren. Each set for children aged 1 to 8 years old costs 130,000 VND.”

Upon closer inspection, we noticed that the clothing was made of cotton fabric, the hats were made of plastic, and the accessories such as belts, holsters, batons, and whistles were all made of plastic. These goods were imported from Ho Chi Minh City. While the price wasn't cheap compared to the quality, the eye-catching design and popularity among children encouraged parents to buy them. However, many parents argued that these were imitations of military uniforms, and even for children, they were considered offensive. Furthermore, they worried that children might develop a desire to show off to their friends, demanding that their parents buy them similar outfits to easily impersonate police officers.

Furthermore, selling these imitation military uniforms on sidewalks and dressing children in them shows a lack of respect for the armed forces. Nguyen Thi Duyen, a kindergarten teacher in Vinh City, believes that these "miniature military uniforms" should only be used for demonstration purposes in lessons to educate children about complying with certain laws, such as the Road Traffic Law, and should not be sold or used indiscriminately as they are now.

A stall selling "children's military uniforms" on Thang Long Street, Vinh City.

In a conversation with us, Colonel Trinh Xuan Can, Head of the Logistics and Technical Department of the Provincial Police, stated: Using these uniforms in schools for educational activities or performances is acceptable. There are no legal consequences, as these are uniforms for children. However, widespread sale and use would be undesirable, as it would somewhat diminish the solemnity of the force. Sharing this view, Lieutenant Colonel Vuong Kim Hai, Political Commissar of the Vinh City Military Command, argued that children's uniforms should only be used during school hours to illustrate the role of soldiers and police officers to the children, and should not be widely displayed or used. Doing so would undermine the solemnity of the force.

Decree No. 59/2006/ND-CP, issued on June 12, 2006, by the Government, stipulates in Clause 1, Article 5: “It is strictly prohibited for traders and other organizations and individuals to engage in commercial activities in Vietnam involving the trading of goods and services on the list of prohibited goods and services.” Violations will be subject to administrative penalties or criminal prosecution depending on the nature and severity of the violation, as prescribed by law. Accordingly, Article 18 of Decree No. 06/2008/ND-CP, which regulates administrative penalties in the field of commerce, stipulates that the act of trading military equipment (on the list of prohibited goods) is punishable by a warning or a fine corresponding to the value of the consignment, with the highest possible fine reaching 20 million VND.

“Children's imitation military uniforms do not fully meet the criteria to be considered military equipment, and their potential harm to society is not significant. However, these uniforms are meticulously copied, complete with insignia, stars, and stripes similar to the real ones, and complete with imitation accessories such as hats, belts, whistles, batons, and guns. The fact that children's clothing so closely resembles the uniforms of law enforcement agencies, especially the armed forces, shows a lack of respect for these forces and somewhat diminishes the authority of law enforcement officials. Furthermore, it is detrimental to the education and guidance children receive regarding the use of these imitation toys. Although the production and sale of these "miniature military uniforms" are not considered illegal, stricter management and the issuance of additional sub-laws are necessary to prohibit their production and sale,” said lawyer Nguyen Trong Hai, Head of Trong Hai Law Office. & Associates stated.

Thus, these "miniature military uniforms" do not cause confusion in society, so they pose no significant danger. However, the sale of police and military uniforms for children on some streets has caused some offense and affected the dignified image of the armed forces. Therefore, the management of production, sale, and use of these products needs to be considered. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the misuse of these uniforms to produce adult uniforms for use in illegal activities, as seen in cases involving "fake police officers."

Quang An