Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc speaks at a political-military conference in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence held a political-military conference in Hà Nội on Thursday to review the outcomes of military and defence work in the first half of 2018 and launch tasks for the remaining months. 

In his opening speech, Minister of National Defence Gen Ngô Xuân Lịch, who is also a Politburo member and Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission, said in the first six months of this year, the whole army has had certain advantages as they carry out military-defence tasks but also faced many challenges which officers and soldiers had to work hard to overcome.

He asked representatives of army units to review task implementation over the last six months to clarify the shortcomings, their causes and the responsibilities of each agency and unit. 

The outcomes of the conference will help encourage officers and soldiers in the whole army to make stronger efforts to fulfill the military-defence tasks for 2018, he added. 

At the event, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc praised the comprehensive outcomes and the officers’ and soldiers’ resolve to perform their duties. He affirmed that the major socio-economic attainments in 2017 and the last six months are greatly attributable to the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA). 

He said the Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry have done a good job of giving military-defence advice to the Party and State. They have also proposed sound, timely and effective reactions to any circumstances that have emerged. 

The Government leader applauded their active preparation of a resolution and an implementation plan on the defence and military strategies of Việt Nam. He also recognised the Defence Ministry’s contributions to the building of some draft laws, including the revised Law on National Defence, the draft Law on Việt Nam Coast Guard, and the draft revised Law on Militia and Self-Defence Force. 

Particularly, the VPA has worked hard to improve its combat quality and strength, reform the training work, and promote the capacity of mastering modern weapons and technical equipment, especially in the forces of navy, air defence – air force, information and communication and electronic warfare, PM Phúc said. 

Regarding military-defence tasks for the remaining six months, the Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry are set to continue having a good grasp of situation and seriously complying with the Party’s leadership, the State’s management and the Government’s steering. 

They will also push ahead with ensuring combat readiness and improving effectiveness of the mass mobilisation work, especially in strategic and remote areas as well as in ethnic minority and religious communities. — VNS