FOREVER WORTHY OF THE TITLE OF HO CHI MINH'S SOLDIERS

Under the wise leadership of the Party and the education and training of President Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnam People's Army has matured remarkably, remaining absolutely loyal to the Party, devoted to the people, and becoming a force of the people, by the people, and for the people. Throughout 80 years of building, fighting, and maturing, the Army has always excellently fulfilled its duties, always being the vanguard force on the front lines against foreign invaders, pioneering in mobilization and political base building, and leading in labor and production. In every period, the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers has always shone brightly, worthy of President Ho Chi Minh's praise: "Our army is loyal to the Party, devoted to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism. Every task is completed, every difficulty is overcome, every enemy is defeated."

The 11th Party Congress of the Vietnam People's Army, for the 2020-2025 term, marks a challenging yet historically significant period for the country as a whole and the Army in particular. Against the backdrop of rapidly changing and complex global and regional situations; the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and climate change domestically; the continued vigorous implementation of the revolution in streamlining the apparatus and implementing a two-tiered local government model; the restructuring of socio-economic development space; and the increasingly high demands of national construction and defense, the Party Committee of the Army and the entire military remain steadfast in the principle of absolute and direct Party leadership in all aspects of the Army, upholding its heroic traditions while clearly demonstrating the courage, intelligence, and noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new era.

Adhering closely to and effectively implementing the Party's military and national defense guidelines, the Army has made significant adjustments to its organizational structure. The Party Committee of the Army and the entire military force have resolutely implemented a streamlined, efficient, mobile, and flexible organizational structure, closely integrating the building of a standing force with the development of a strong and widespread militia and self-defense force, and a powerful reserve force. Many agencies and units have been restructured, improving their quality, effectiveness, and operational efficiency; staffing levels have been adjusted to align with the national defense and military strategy and modern combat tactics. This timely, decisive, and systematic adjustment has created a solid foundation for the Army to advance towards building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern force, capable of successfully completing all tasks.

The military continues to affirm its role as a loyal and reliable fighting force of the Party, the State, and the People. Under the leadership of the Party Committee of the Army, the entire military has strictly maintained combat readiness and improved the quality of training according to the motto "Basic, practical, and solid." Large-scale exercises, including live-fire drills, civil defense exercises, and defense zone exercises, have been implemented synchronously, creating a clear development in the level of organization, command, and combat coordination. The capacity to grasp the situation, make strategic forecasts, and advise the Party and the State on handling national defense and security situations has become increasingly proactive and flexible, contributing to maintaining independence and sovereignty and preventing passivity and surprise in all circumstances.

Not only has the Army successfully fulfilled its function as a fighting force, but it has also strongly promoted its role as a working force. During the years of severe epidemics and natural disasters, the image of soldiers bravely fighting on the front lines, holding their ground in flood-stricken areas, rescuing people from raging floods, extinguishing fires, fighting forest fires, or helping people overcome the consequences of landslides… has left a special mark on the hearts of the people. The army has truly become a solid support and a source of trust for the people in the most perilous times. The spirit of "selfless devotion to the people, sacrificing for the people" has not only spread within the Army but has also deeply permeated social life.

Alongside this, the military has also effectively fulfilled its function as a productive labor force. Units have actively participated in economic development and infrastructure development in remote areas, border regions, and islands; effectively exploited defense-economic projects; contributed to poverty reduction, improved the lives of the people, and strengthened the "people's support." Many production models linked to national defense have yielded dual benefits: increasing economic potential while simultaneously strengthening the national defense capabilities. Simultaneously, the defense industry has undergone a strong transformation, gradually mastering technology and successfully manufacturing many new and modern types of weapons and technical equipment, meeting the training and combat readiness requirements of the entire army in the new situation. Not only limited to the production of specialized military products, many dual-use products serving both national defense and civilian needs have been researched and produced, bringing dual value in terms of socio-economic development and national defense and security.

Defense diplomacy has been expanded, with the military proactively expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and actively participating in regional and international cooperation forums and mechanisms. Vietnam's United Nations peacekeeping units have successfully completed their missions, leaving a positive image of the country, its people, and the Vietnam People's Army in the eyes of the international community.

In particular, political and ideological work has been implemented comprehensively and extensively. The study and emulation of Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality, and style, the "Determined to Win" Emulation Movement, and the "Promoting Traditions, Contributing Talents, and Upholding the Title of 'Uncle Ho's Soldiers' in the New Era" campaign have awakened a sense of responsibility, determination, and strengthened the absolute faith and loyalty of officers and soldiers. As a result, the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers have not only been maintained but also nurtured and shone brightly.

During the 2020-2025 term, the Party Committee of the Army and the entire armed forces achieved many great, comprehensive, and outstanding accomplishments, successfully fulfilling all three basic functions, worthy of the trust and affection of the Party, the State, and the People. Each achievement and each victory is a powerful testament to the absolute and direct leadership of the Party over the Army in all aspects, while affirming the position, prestige, and particularly important role of the Army in the cause of building and firmly defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

In the coming years, the international and regional situation will continue to evolve rapidly, complexly, and unpredictably. Strategic competition among major powers will intensify, strongly influencing the global political, security, and economic landscape. The multipolar and multi-centered trend will both open opportunities for cooperation and harbor increasingly deep conflicts and contradictions of national interests. The risk of localized wars and instability remains; traditional and non-traditional security challenges are intertwined, comprehensively impacting international life. In particular, the Asia-Pacific region, including the South China Sea, continues to harbor many complex and unpredictable factors.

Continuing the nation's thousand-year-old cultural tradition, nearly 100 years under the Party's leadership, 80 years of the People's State, and nearly 40 years of reform, our country has achieved great and historically significant accomplishments. The revolution in reorganizing the administrative apparatus and building a two-tiered local government has initially yielded important results. However, the country still faces many difficulties and challenges; the demands on military and national defense tasks are increasingly high. Given this situation, the tasks facing the Army in the 2025-2030 term are extremely arduous but also glorious.

To successfully accomplish tasks in the new situation, the Party Committee of the Army and the entire armed forces must continuously improve their leadership capacity and combat strength, steadfastly and strictly adhering to the principle of absolute and direct Party leadership over the Army in all aspects. It is necessary to proactively grasp the situation, make accurate predictions, and provide correct and effective strategic advice to the Party and State, maintaining the initiative in all situations. At the same time, it is crucial to strengthen and perfect the military and national defense institutional system; mobilize and effectively utilize all resources to build a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern army with strong political resolve, high scientific and technological capabilities, and readiness to undertake and successfully complete all tasks.

The Party Committee of the Army needs to continue leading and directing the entire army to do a good job in building a regular army, managing discipline, promoting military culture and the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era. It must continue to effectively perform its three functions: a fighting force, a working force, and a productive labor force. At the same time, it must promote its core role in building a national defense system linked to the people's security posture; consolidate the regional defense system; and closely integrate national defense with the economy, culture, society, and foreign relations to create a comprehensive strength, transforming the "people's support" into a solid foundation for protecting the Fatherland.

In the context of the rapidly developing Fourth Industrial Revolution, the military must take the lead in researching, applying, and mastering military science and technology, comprehensively transforming digitally, and developing modern combat capabilities, especially in cyberspace, electronic warfare, and space. The defense industry needs in-depth investment, building modern facilities, research institutes, and factories capable of manufacturing high-tech weapons and equipment, developing dual-use products, and closely integrating defense with the economy to ensure both independence and self-reliance while contributing to national development.

Along with the above tasks, it is necessary to continue focusing on building a clean, strong, and comprehensive Party organization within the Army, one that is truly exemplary and outstanding; improving the capacity to concretize and organize the implementation of the Party's resolutions and guidelines; strongly reforming ideological work, inspection, and supervision; building a team of cadres and Party members with the qualities, capabilities, and prestige commensurate with the tasks; and maintaining unity, discipline, and order throughout the army. The Army needs to focus on attracting, discovering, nurturing, and utilizing talented individuals and high-quality human resources. The entire army must have a long-term strategy for selecting young officers and soldiers with the qualities, capabilities, and aspirations to contribute to shouldering the important responsibility of building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern army.

Building upon the heroic traditions of the heroic nation's army, in the coming term, the Party Committee of the Army and the entire armed forces need to continue affirming their particularly important role in the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation; always being a loyal and reliable political and fighting force of the Party, the State, and the People; effectively achieving the goal of building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern People's Army, ready to receive and excellently fulfill all tasks entrusted by the Party and the people, contributing to the building and firm protection of the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam in the new era of development.

GENERAL SECRETARY TO LAM