Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng speaks at the national military-political conference on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Handling security challenges requires firm principles, flexible tactics, solid legal grounding and a wariness of escalation traps, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng said, as the military reviewed its performance for the first half of 2026 and set out defence priorities for the rest of the year.

Hưng was speaking at a national military-political conference held by the Central Military Commission and Ministry of National Defence on Thursday.

The military had kept combat readiness on a strict footing and delivered timely, accurate forecasts to the Communist Party and the state, allowing it to handle situations flexibly and effectively without being caught off guard, a report presented at the conference said.

The armed forces had also moved quickly to implement policies for the 2025-2030 term and new defence directives under Party resolutions and the 12th National Congress of the Army’s Party Organisation, according to the report.

The armed forces had also tied military and defence duties to socioeconomic development, the report said, while tightening control over airspace, waters, borders, border gates and cyberspace and stepping up international defence engagement.

They also pressed ahead with a 500-day campaign to search for, identify and recover the remains of fallen soldiers. 

For the rest of the year, the military will act on directives from General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, who also serves as secretary of the Central Military Commission, to accelerate progress toward its 2026 targets, sharpen forecasting and advisory work and build a stronger, modern all-people defence system, the report said.

The armed forces will also continue efforts to strengthen the Communist Party within the military and pursue flexible defence diplomacy while safeguarding independence and self-reliance amid global volatility, the report said.

Soldiers take part in a military drill in the southern province of Cần Thơ, November 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

PM Hưng told the conference that despite global and regional volatility, the military had completed its tasks with breakthrough results, helping to underpin the country's political and social stability and create favourable conditions for economic development.

He said the Commission and the Ministry had been proactive and sharp-eyed in their strategic advisory work, correctly reading and forecasting developments to safeguard sovereignty and avoid being caught off guard.

He credited the military with advancing science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, achieving notable results in defence industry development, and contributing to the country's double-digit economic growth target.

Defence diplomacy also continued to pay off, the head of government said, citing effective participation in international forums, UN peacekeeping missions, rescue operations and humanitarian assistance – all of which, he said, have helped build the image of a disciplined, capable and responsible military.

Separately, he highlighted the 500-day campaign to identify and recover fallen soldiers' remains, including specialised search teams and investment in DNA identification technology.

The PM praised the achievements of the Commission and the Ministry for the first half of the year.

With global volatility set to continue, the statesman called on the military to sharpen its strategic advisory work – looking further ahead, preparing earlier, and forecasting not just military and defence developments but their economic, social and diplomatic knock-on effects.

The armed forces must identify both conventional and unconventional security risks, he said, to avoid being caught off guard strategically or letting external events spiral into domestic crises.

Hưng said the military must continue building a revolutionary elite and modern force: adjusting the criteria for military modernisation, improving training and drills, mastering advanced weapons systems and meeting the demands of new combat conditions.

Regional defence structures also need strengthening, in step with local military and leadership mechanisms, he said.

The PM called for a self-reliant, self-sufficient, dual-use and modern defence industry that can serve as a spearhead of national industry, saying the military must master defence production and strategic supply chains to ensure it can respond to any situation, with a focus on breakthroughs in science, technology and innovation.

He also called for continued efforts to build trust and expand cooperation through defence diplomacy, reducing the risk of conflict, with particular attention to science, technology and workforce training for defence industry development.

The head of government also called for thorough policy work and solemn commemorations marking the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day, with preparations already under way for the 80th anniversary.

He also urged the military to mobilise resources for the ongoing effort to identify and recover the remains of fallen soldiers, calling it a key political task, particularly for the Ministry and the national steering committee overseeing it. 

PM Hưng said he was confident that, despite the challenges ahead, the People's Army would continue to uphold its heroic tradition, complete all assigned duties and achieve further feats and accomplishments, contributing more to the country's development and defence. — VNS