HÀ NỘI — Developing municipal and provincial defence zones is a proactive measure to protect the country and ensure solid security even when threats are not yet visible.

The policy is in line with the spirit “to safeguard the country from afar and from the earliest moments,” Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said yesterday during a teleconference held in Hà Nội by the Central Military Commission to review the decade of progress in implementing Politburo’s Resolution 28 on turning centrally governed cities and provinces into “firm defence zones”.

These defence zones, defined by each city or province’s geographical borders, are part of corresponding military zones. The country is divided into eight military zones, including a separate Hà Nội Capital City Special High Command to defend the Greater Hà Nội urban area.

Col Gen Phan Văn Giang, Deputy Minister of Defence, Chief of the Việt Nam People’s Army General Staff and member of the Central Military Commission’s standing committee, presented a summary of progress on building defence zones from 2008 to 2018.

He said steering committees have been set up and their activities have been improving, while leaders have been relentless in directing efforts to build critical resources in political, moral, socio-economic and technological areas.

Inspections and drills were frequently held, and all troubles arising in them were addressed promptly, Col Gen Giang said

PM Phúc expressed his appreciation to the Central Military Mission and local governments for their efforts and commitment to implementing the Politburo’s Resolution 28.

The structure – in which the Party holds the leadership role, local governments and organisations execute and manage and the military and police provide support – ensures smooth and efficient operation, said PM Phúc.

“The defence capacity of the armed forces and the country as a whole is expanding significantly, contributing to the upholding of the fatherland’s independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty, maintaining a peaceful and orderly environment to serve economic developments,” he said.

At the conference, the Central Military Commission announced the Prime Minister and Ministry of National Defence would confer certificates of merit to a total of 34 organisations with outstanding achievements in building centrally governed municipal and provincial defence zones. — VNS