President Trần Đại Quang, Chairman of the Defence and Security Council and Commander of Armed Forces, visits to the Miếu Môn Training Centre of the Ministry of National Defence in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HÀ NỘI – The Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) should always remain alert and continually improve its combat strength, President Trần Đại Quang, Chairman of the Defence and Security Council and Commander of Armed Forces, said yesterday.

"The need for constant vigilance and improvement is especially important in the context of complicated and unpredictable global and regional developments," he said.

The VPA should also serve as the faithful and trustworthy political and fighting force of the Party, State and people, he said.

Quang made his remarks during a working visit to the Miếu Môn Training Centre of the Ministry of National Defence in Hà Nội.

Reporting on its performance in 2017, Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Phan Văn Giang, Chief of the General Staff, said the army had fulfilled its assigned tasks well, including advising the Party, the State and local authorities about military-defence tasks, training its force, organising drills and keeping the troops combat ready.

The army had worked with police and other forces to deal with crisis situations in a timely manner, establishing itself as the core force in protecting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by keeping its borders, airspace, seas and islands secure.

The VPA had also been a key force in responding to natural disasters with its search and rescue operations, and in settling war consequences. It had also effectively taken part in reinforcing local political systems, Giang said.

President Quang lauded the Defence Ministry’s achievements in leading and instructing the implementation of military-defence tasks.

He asked the Central Military Commission and the ministry to continue implementing resolutions of the Party Central Committee, the targets and tasks set in the resolution of the army’s 10th Party congress, as also other tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.

The defence establishment needs to have a firm grasp of the situation and advise the Party and State about socio-economic development associated with defence and security. It should also step up building a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern VPA, the President said.

The Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry need to keep optimising the combined strengths of different forces, be active, creative and steadfast in achieving set targets, while ensuring safety during training, drills, and search and rescue operations.

Quang also stressed the need for stepped-up communication to raise people’s awareness of and attention to the army and its tasks.

He asked the defence establishment to strengthen Party building and clean-up efforts, fight the degradation morality and lifestyle, while studying and following late President Hồ Chí Minh’s teachings.

The commission and the ministry must work closely with police and relevant forces to defeat all sabotage plots and other activities of hostile forces, help maintain political security and social order and security, and ensure absolute safety for important events, especially upcoming activities of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Quang said. — VNS