Maintaining the border, fostering Vietnam - Laos friendship

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Newspaper interviewed comrade Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for Vietnam - Laos border marker planting

Reporter: On the occasion of the conference summarizing the implementation of the Master Plan for increasing the density and embellishing national border markers in the province in the period of 2008 - 2015, could you tell us some highlights in the leadership and direction of the implementation of this task?

Comrade Le Xuan Dai:Nghe An has 419 km of national land border with Laos, with a project to renovate and thicken 116 landmarks and 44 markers, located in 6 districts and 27 border communes. Thus, Nghe An is the province with the longest land border with Laos in the country, so affirming the legality of the territorial sovereignty of the two countries, building a peaceful and friendly border on the basis of cooperation and sustainable development is identified by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee as one of the important political tasks.

Transporting the milestone had to go through many difficult terrains. Photo: Tran Hai.

Since the beginning of 2008, the Provincial People's Committee has decided to establish the Steering Committee for the Vietnam - Laos border marker planting in Nghe An province in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. The Steering Committee members include representatives of relevant departments, branches, units, and representatives of leaders of districts bordering Laos. In addition, we have also established a group of experts to assist the Standing Committee, including officials of relevant departments and branches such as the Departments of Construction, Finance, Provincial Border Guard Command, Institute of Planning and Architecture, etc. headed by a specialist from the Provincial People's Committee Office.

In December 2008, the province established the No. 1 Border Marking Team with 18 staff members, and in October 2010, the No. 2 Border Marking Team was established due to the need to speed up the progress of border demarcation and border marker planting. Currently, the No. 1 Border Marking Team performs its tasks on the Hua Phan line (39 locations/39 markers), the No. 2 Border Marking Team performs its tasks on the Bo Ly Kham Xay line (39 locations/39 markers).

Regarding the leadership and direction of the implementation of the task of renovating and increasing the density of national border markers, it is necessary to mention the active and proactive advice of the Nghe An Provincial Border Guard Command in issuing regulations, assigning tasks to support groups, border marker planting teams as well as the coordination responsibilities of departments, branches and sectors at all levels. In addition, the Provincial Border Guard Command also promptly advised and coordinated with the Provincial Border Marker Planting Steering Committee to organize training and disseminate to members of the border marker planting team and Border Guard Station Commanders on methods, ways of organizing and fostering skills in the work of managing, protecting and ensuring border safety.

PV: Looking back on the 2008 - 2015 journey of implementing the task of renovating and increasing the density of national border markers in the province, what results have we achieved, comrade?

Comrade Le Xuan Dai:By October 2015, the construction of 116 border markers and 44 markers along the entire land border of our province had been completed. The inauguration ceremony of the national-level landmark 460 was held at Thanh Thuy Border Gate in Nghe An province - Nam On in Bo Ly Kham Xay province (Laos); the demarcation and marker planting work along the entire Vietnam - Laos border was completed. Currently, the repair of landmarks 359; 397 (3); 411 and the construction of a protective embankment for landmark 402 (2) were underway.

The sovereignty marker was built solidly and firmly. Photo: Tran Hai.

In addition to the above specific results, we have also done a good job of propaganda and mobilization, guiding the people in the border areas to actively coordinate and help the border marker planting teams carry out their tasks; raising people's understanding of laws, directives, resolutions, and policies related to the task of maintaining sovereignty and peace on the border. Specifically, local agencies and units have organized 5,216 propaganda sessions/151,938 listeners.

Units in the provincial Border Guard have also signed plans with the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department; Radio and Television Station; Nghe An Newspaper; Nghe An Police Newspaper... to open columns and pages to propagate the purpose and significance of the work of renovating and increasing the density of the Vietnam - Laos border marker system. Thanks to that, the activities of transactions, travel, and visits of people on both sides of the border have taken place stably, maintaining security and order, strengthening friendship and solidarity, not allowing bad elements to incite and sabotage.

The above results were achieved thanks to the smooth and close coordination between the Provincial Border Guard Command, the steering committee and specialized agencies as well as the timely exchange of information between the two sides of the border. Monthly, quarterly and yearly meetings and exchanges were held to grasp the border situation, from which specific instructions and actions were given. The information reporting and cryptographic regime was closely directed, and the communication methods between the marker planting teams and the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Marker Planting Steering Committee, the Border Guard Command and the National Border Committee were carried out in accordance with instructions and directions.

PV: In the coming time, what plans and directions does the province have to maintain border security and uphold the Vietnam-Laos friendship, sir?

Comrade Le Xuan Dai:In the coming time, Nghe An will continue to thoroughly grasp the policies of the Party and the State, the directives and plans of the Ministry of National Defense, the Border Guard Command on the task of renovating and increasing the thickness of Vietnam - Laos border markers. The Provincial Border Guard Steering Committee will, together with the Provincial Border Guard and specialized agencies, focus on directing the repair of damaged markers, monitoring, urging and guiding the activities of the two marker planting teams on the border lines.

This conference summarizing the implementation of the Master Plan for increasing the density and embellishing national border markers in the province in the period of 2008 - 2015 is an opportunity for us to seriously look at the limitations and shortcomings in the process of performing the task.

Joint patrols and border marker protection are regularly coordinated by the border guards of both sides, ensuring border security and creating conditions for people on both sides to stabilize their socio-economic situation. In the photo, Thanh Thuy Border Gate Border Guard Station, Nghe An Border Guard, in coordination with Nam On Police Station (Laos) patrol to protect security on both sides of the Vietnam - Laos border (March 2013). Photo: Le Thach

In addition to objective reasons such as rugged terrain, harsh climate, and unsynchronized border traffic infrastructure, which make surveying and marking difficult, coordination between the parties performing the task is sometimes not smooth and has not formed a routine. The number of dossiers and technical design approvals for markers and marker supply is still large compared to the total number of surveyed marker locations, affecting the progress of marker construction as planned.

Nghe An clearly identifies that maintaining border security, national territorial sovereignty and consolidating the good friendship between Vietnam and Laos is an important political task. Especially in the context of Nghe An's deep integration into the bloc and the international community, it is necessary to pay attention to the work of embellishing, demarcating and planting national border markers, contributing to ensuring national security and defense, consolidating foreign affairs, and creating a solid foundation for socio-economic development.

PV: Thank you, comrade!

Thuc Anh (Implementation)