Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm presents the decision promoting Lê Quang Đạo (left), Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People’s Army, from Lieutenant General to Senior Lieutenant General. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — The Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hà Nội on Friday to announce and present the President's decision to promote Lieutenant General Lê Quang Đạo, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), to the rank of Senior Lieutenant General.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the People's Armed Forces and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, chaired the event.

In his speech, General Secretary and President Lâm said Đạo is a well-trained official who has risen through grassroots units and demonstrated firm political mettle, a scientific and hands-on working style, and strong capacity to analyse, forecast and resolve practical challenges.

The promotion reflects the Party, State and people's recognition of Đạo’s self-improvement efforts and important contributions to the army building, national defence and protection of the Fatherland, he noted.

He urged Đạo to continue upholding the VPA General Staff’s glorious traditions; maintain revolutionary moral qualities and absolute loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland and people; constantly strengthen his political mettle, morality and lifestyle; renew strategic thinking; improve the quality of research, forecasting and strategic military and defence advisory work to avoid falling into the state of unpreparedness in handling defence situations.

The leader said he expects Đạo, alongside the Central Military Commission, Ministry of National Defence and VPA General Staff, to reinforce solidarity, initiative and creativity, build a stronger all-people national defence posture, and accelerate the building of the army into a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern force to help safeguard the country’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Expressing his honour to be granted the rank, Đạo pledged to fully embrace the top leader’s guidance, remain absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and people, stay committed to Marxism-Leninism and President Hồ Chí Minh's Thought, and devote his life to the Party and the nation’s revolutionary cause.

He also committed himself to continuous self-improvement; deeper study and practice of President Hồ Chí Minh’s thought, moral example and style; fulfilling the responsibility for leading by example as an official and Party member; and upholding the qualities of “Uncle Hồ’s Soldiers” and the glorious traditions of the heroic VPA. — VNA/VNS