Nghe An proposes the National Assembly to include it in the program to build the 2019 Border Law

On the morning of August 17, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee held a conference to summarize 20 years of implementing the Border Guard Ordinance. Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee attended and delivered the opening speech at the conference.

The conference was chaired by comrade Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Colonel Tran Hai Binh - Commander of Nghe An Border Guard.

Also attending the conference were Major General Nguyen Sy Hoi - Deputy Commander of Military Region 4; Colonel Van Ngoc Que - Deputy Chief of Political Affairs, Border Guard Command, and representatives of several provincial departments and branches.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong delivered the opening speech at the conference. Photo: Tien Hung

The Border Guard Ordinance was passed by the Standing Committee of the 9th National Assembly on March 28, 1997, effective on April 7, 1997. This is an important legal basis for building a regular, gradually modern Border Guard, aiming to firmly protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national border security, protect political security, maintain order and social safety in border areas, seas and islands of the Fatherland.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the results after 20 years of implementing the Border Guard Ordinance. In particular, the Party Committee, government and people have grasped the basic content of legal documents on building, managing and protecting national borders.

According to Colonel Tran Hai Binh, over the past years, the Party Committee, government, people and armed forces of Nghe An province have thoroughly grasped the Resolution of the 8th Central Committee (Term IX) on "Strategy for protecting the Fatherland in the new situation"; Laws of the National Assembly, Decrees, Directives of the Government and Circulars and instructions of the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs... related to the Border Guard Ordinance.

These are important legal documents to strengthen the leadership of the Party, the administration of the government, and promote the combined strength of the entire political system and people in building, managing, and protecting territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Nghe An Border Guard helps people grow rice. Photo: Archive

Nghe An province is a strategically important location in terms of economy, culture, society, national defense and security of the whole country. Nghe An has a 468.281 km long border, including 116 landmarks, 44 stakes, adjacent to 3 provinces of Laos: Hua Phan, Xieng Khouang, Bo Ly Kham Xay. Meanwhile, the sea border is 82 km long, with 5 large ports, 2 islands...

At the conference, many delegates representing a number of relevant sectors and forces such as the Provincial Police, Military Command, Customs, Department of Justice, etc. gave speeches related to the ordinance. Some delegates said that currently, the implementation of this ordinance still has many problems.

Specifically, the assignment of tasks and areas of operation still overlap between the Border Guard and the Police, Customs, Forest Rangers, Fisheries Surveillance, Navy, Coast Guard, etc. The coordination and cooperation between the Border Guard and functional forces in performing tasks is sometimes not regular...

Nghe An is the province with the longest Vietnam - Laos border in the country. Photo: Document

Faced with these difficulties and limitations, the People's Committee of Nghe An province proposed that the National Assembly include the 2019 Border Law in the program to replace the Border Guard Ordinance, to be consistent with the strategic position, functions, and tasks of building, managing, and protecting the sovereignty and security of the border of this force.

Adjusting the content of the Law to determine that at land border gates and seaports, there is only one Border Guard force responsible for controlling entry and exit, taking charge of ensuring security and order at the border gates; coordinating with functional forces to monitor and protect goods to ensure legal requirements when goods are exported out of or imported into Vietnam.

In addition, the People's Committee of Nghe An province also believes that it is necessary to develop a unified law, assigning the Border Guard as the core, specialized force, taking the lead in managing and protecting sovereignty, border security, islands, and sea areas within the territorial waters. Clearly stipulate the regime and policies for the border guards, policies for the rear of officers and soldiers on duty under possible conditions, so that officers and soldiers can work with peace of mind on the border, islands, in difficult and complicated places. Along with that, it is necessary to increase the number of personnel for key border posts on the sea border line...

Comrade Le Xuan Dai presented Certificates of Merit from the Provincial People's Committee to individuals. Photo: Tien Hung

Concluding the conference, comrade Le Xuan Dai requested relevant units to continue to strictly implement the work of managing and protecting border security and sovereignty; Focus on institutionalizing the Party's Resolutions on national defense and security related to the Strategy for protecting the Fatherland in the new situation; Promote the strength and perform well the functions and tasks of the Border Guard in the direction of elite and modernity, while focusing on promoting economic development associated with strengthening national defense and security in border areas.

Colonel Van Ngoc Que awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Border Guard Command. Photo: Tien Hung

Also at the conference, the Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to 10 collectives and 9 individuals; the Border Guard Command awarded Certificates of Merit to 2 collectives and 2 individuals with many achievements in implementing the Border Guard Ordinance in the period 1997 - 2017.