Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng (right) attends the conference held by the Ministry of Public Security in Hà Nội on July 2. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Security and public order must be closely integrated with socio-economic development, with efforts to safeguard them linked to expanding the national development space, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng said at a conference reviewing public security work in the first six months of 2026 and one year of operating the two-tier local public security model under the new administrative boundaries.

Addressing the conference held in Hà Nội on Thursday, the Government leader said the review meeting was of particular significance not only for the people's public security force but also for the country’s socio-economic development. He stressed the need to immediately implement the priorities set out at the recent conference of the Central Public Security Party Committee, particularly the directions issued by Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm.

PM Hưng noted that despite numerous challenges, the protection of national security and the maintenance of public order and social safety have achieved notable results. He said the people's public security force had not only fulfilled its assigned targets and tasks with distinction but had also increasingly demonstrated its role in creating a secure and safe environment for development, serving as a steadfast shield in safeguarding national security and maintaining public order.

Expressing broad agreement with the priorities and tasks set for the second half of 2026, the PM urged the public security force to continue setting the standard in translating the Party’s strategic policies and the State’s laws into practice. He called on the force to take the lead in enabling development through concrete, measurable outcomes, proactively review and recommend measures to address shortcomings in institutions, policies and legislation, and focus on removing bottlenecks in order to unlock resources needed to achieve double-digit economic growth.

The leader also stressed the importance of strengthening strategic forecasting capabilities to avoid being caught off guard under any circumstances, maintaining an early and comprehensive grasp of developments at national, regional and grassroots levels, and preserving security and public order at the community level. He called for the effective mobilisation of grassroots security forces, the expansion and consolidation of drug-free communes and wards, and determination to further reduce crimes affecting public order by 10 per cent.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng speaks at the conference reviewing public security work in the first six months of 2026 and one year of operating the two-tier local public security model under the new administrative boundaries. — VNA/VNS Photo

PM Hưng called for greater investment in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and the security industry, describing these as strategic tools for strengthening national security capabilities.

At the same time, he said, international cooperation in public security should be further enhanced through a forward-looking approach that helps pave the way for broader engagement and builds strategic trust with international partners. Việt Nam should actively participate in international cooperation mechanisms, contributing to the shaping of global security standards while fostering a peaceful and stable environment conducive to national development.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng presents the first-class Military Exploit Order and the third-class Labour Order to individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements at the event. VNA/VNS Photo

The Government leader also highlighted the importance of enhancing the role of the people's public security force in international cooperation mechanisms, including United Nations peacekeeping operations and innitiatives on combating transnational crime, anti-money laundering, asset recovery, cybersecurity and digital sovereignty.

He affirmed that in the period to come, the force would serve not only as a steel shield protecting national security and a reliable pillar for the people, but also as a key contributor to safeguarding the country’s long-term development prospects by creating a secure environment in which Việt Nam can achieve stronger growth. — VNA/VNS