Minister of National Defence General Phan Văn Giang delivers his speech at the national conference on Saturday.— VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

HÀ NỘI — Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence General Phan Văn Giang on Saturday delivered a report on the new mindset and perceptions on national defence and Fatherland protection at the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

At the national conference held to disseminate and implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, Giang affirmed that national defence is to safeguard the country through the combined strength of the entire nation, with the people’s armed forces playing the core role.

He stressed that the viewpoint on national defence and Fatherland protection forms an important part of the Party's viewpoints and leadership line, serving the lodestar for the entire Party, people and armed forces in safeguarding the Fatherland.

Based on a comprehensive review of the reality and an objective assessment of global, regional and domestic developments, the 14th National Party Congress outlined breakthrough strategic orientations on national defence, reflecting the Party’s determination to advance national development in the new era while renewing mindset and perceptions on safeguarding the nation amid increasingly complex and unpredictable security dynamics.

According to Giang, after 40 years of Đổi mới (Renewal), Việt Nam’s national strength, international standing, and public confidence have continued to grow, laying important prerequisites for national construction and defence.

At the same time, the streamlining of the political system’s organisational apparatus and major strategic decisions are opening up historic opportunities and a turning point for the country’s strong development in a new era, including advances in human resources as well as in the art and science of military and defence technology.

However, alongside these opportunities, the task of safeguarding the nation also faces significant challenges as hostile forces persist in attempts to sabotage the Party, the State and the political regime while traditional and non-traditional security threats – particularly cyber security, terrorism, natural disasters and epidemics – remain extremely complex and unpredictable.

He noted that the 14th National Party Congress thoroughly discussed and made decisions on strategic orientations for national defence based on a renewed mindset and perceptions.

Regarding national defence and Fatherland protection goals, the congress stressed the requirement to ensure national interests at the highest level; steadfastly safeguard independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; and protect the Party, the State, the people and the socialist regime, Giang said.

It also supplemented and further developed new contents, including the protection of human security, economic security and cyber security; safeguarding the country’s international prestige and position; and strengthening the all-people national defence posture and proactive defence; and maintaining a peaceful environment for national development.

The congress further reaffirmed that strengthening national defence and security in tandem with promoting foreign affairs and international integration is a key and regular task.

Other critical tasks include building strong and modern all-people national defence; aligning defence postures with socio-economic development under new conditions and administrative boundaries; adapting to new forms of warfare and modern combatant methods; and effectively carrying out civil defence tasks, with adequate preparedness in forces, equipment and plans for the military to perform its peacetime missions.

Regarding force building, the 14th National Party Congress set the goal of developing a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern people’s army.

The army will continue to effectively perform its three core functions – a combat force, a working force and a production force – while improving training quality, mastering modern weapons and equipment, and developing high-quality human resources.

The congress also underscored the necessity for breakthroughs in developing an autonomous, self-reliant and modern defence industry with dual-use capacity; stepping up international integration and defence diplomacy; and proactively and efficiently participating in UN peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief and recovery efforts in a proactive, flexible, substantive and effective manner, across both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

In his concluding remarks, Giang said the new mindset and perspectives on national defence and Fatherland protection set in the documents of the 14th National Party Congress hold long-term strategic significance, providing a solid foundation for the Party, people and armed forces to carry out defence tasks in a coordinated and effective manner, firmly safeguard the Fatherland, and maintain political stability and a peaceful environment for national development in the new era.— VNA/VNS