NA President Trần Thanh Mẫn inspects the guard of honor of Submarine Brigade 189 at Cam Ranh Military Base, Naval Region 4. VNA photo

 KHÁNH HOÀ — The Vietnam People's Navy (VPN) must take the lead in protecting national sovereignty over the country's sea and islands, while advancing science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, President of the National Assembly (NA) Trần Thanh Mẫn said.

He was visiting the VPN and inspecting Submarine Brigade 189 at Cam Ranh Military Base in Khánh Hòa Province on September 13.

At the working session, NA President Mẫn conveyed greetings from Party and State leaders to officers and soldiers of the VPN, as well as best wishes from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm, who is also Secretary of the Central Military Commission.

The top legislator praised the VPN and Submarine Brigade 189 for their achievements and contributions to national defence. He also called for stronger political and Party building, better training and combat readiness, stricter discipline, and improved living conditions for officers and soldiers, while strengthening defence diplomacy and ties with local authorities and people.

NA President Mẫn urged naval officers and personnel to thoroughly grasp and fully understand the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws regarding military and national defence affairs, with a particular focus on the "Strategy for Protecting the Fatherland in the New Situation" and the "Strategy for Sustainable Development of Việt Nam’s Marine Economy to 2030, with a Vision to 2045."

The VPN must proactively coordinate with other forces to analyse and closely monitor the situation, while advising and proposing appropriate strategies and solutions to the Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence to handle contingencies and firmly safeguard the nation's independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, including its sea and islands, early and from afar, thereby maintaining a peaceful and stable maritime environment.

He expressed his confidence that naval officers and soldiers would uphold their tradition of “bravery in combat, intelligence and creativity, mastery of the sea, and determination to win,” remain united and self-reliant, and successfully fulfil all assigned tasks.

The leader affirmed that the NA and its Standing Committee would continue to improve institutions, policies and laws to build a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern navy and join the armed forces and people nationwide in firmly safeguarding the Fatherland.

He also called on central agencies and localities to continue supporting and coordinating with the VPN, including Submarine Brigade 189, to help it fulfil its missions.

Earlier, during his visit to Submarine Brigade 189, the NA President heard Vice Admiral Trần Thanh Nghiêm, Commander of the Vietnam People's Navy, brief on the VPN's performance of its tasks and the current situation in the country's sea and islands.

Writing in the brigade's traditional book, NA President Mẫn praised its achievements over more than 15 years of development, particularly in training and combat readiness and in mastering advanced submarine technologies, equipment and technical systems.

He expressed his belief that officers and soldiers of Submarine Brigade 189 would continue to uphold the values of “Uncle Hồ's soldiers – Navy soldiers” and the brigade's tradition as a Hero of the People's Armed Forces. He urged them to remain united, dynamic and creative and achieve greater accomplishments, while maintaining the force's motto of “absolute loyalty, regular and disciplined, leading in combat readiness, and absolute safety”, deserving the trust of the Party, State and people. VNA/VNS