Party General Secretary Tô Lâm presents a statue of President Hồ Chí Minh to the Department of Internal Political Security. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm has called for a fundamental shift in thinking and methods used to safeguard internal political security, urging internal security forces to stay ahead of emerging threats amid increasingly complex domestic and global developments.

The remarks were delivered during his visit yesterday to the Department of Internal Political Security under the Ministry of Public Security in Hà Nội as part of a series of events marking the 80th anniversary of the People’s Public Security Forces on August 19.

Reporting on recent operations, Department Director Lieutenant General Đinh Văn Nơi said the force has consistently renewed its mindset and approach while coordinating closely with other units to ensure internal political security.

The department has played a key role in protecting the Party’s ideological foundation, countering false or hostile claims, ensuring the security of major political and legal processes and swiftly handling threats to internal stability.

Addressing the meeting, the Party chief commended the department’s achievements and reaffirmed its crucial role in protecting the Party and ensuring a stable political environment.

He said that unity within the Party and the strength of the internal system has been vital to the successful implementation of key policies, noting that the internal political security force has made significant contributions to preserving that cohesion.

However, he also cautioned that Việt Nam is facing increasing challenges as the global and regional landscape continues to change rapidly.

Domestically, the introduction of strategic policies and the operation of the two-tier local government system have created both new opportunities and unprecedented challenges, he said, adding a warning that hostile forces may be quick to exploit the situation.

Lâm reiterated that Việt Nam must never lower its vigilance against the plots of hostile and reactionary forces seeking to undermine the Party’s leadership and the country’s socialist system.

He urged the internal political security force to adopt a renewed and proactive mindset, stressing the importance of going beyond traditional tasks. The top leader emphasised the need to raise their awareness, protect the implementation of new strategic directions and detect early signs of disunity or misconduct, including those emerging within grassroots Party organisations.

This includes tracking signs of factionalism, corruption and policy manipulation during the ongoing process of legal reform and institution building, he added.

The General Secretary said that protecting the Party today means not only defending its leadership and ideology, but also upholding the constitution, ensuring the effectiveness of local government and laying the groundwork for national development goals, including Việt Nam's ambition to become a modern, industrialised upper middle-income country by 2030 and a developed, high-income nation by 2045.

He also emphasised the importance of safeguarding key sectors such as education and healthcare, which are directly tied to social wellbeing.

Lâm said that these sectors should reflect the humanitarian values of socialism and demonstrate the State’s commitment to the people. He also noted that they must play a key role in developing the workforce necessary for national progress and the cultivation of a new socialist citizen.

The Party leader expressed his confidence in the People’s Public Security Forces, saying he believes the internal political security force, with its proud tradition and strong sense of responsibility, will continue to perform with courage, innovation and steadfast dedication to the interests of both the people and the Party. — VNS