The qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" are built from the patriotic tradition of the Vietnamese people, the education and training of our Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the trust and support of the people and the contributions and sacrifices of generations of cadres and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army. They are preserved, inherited and developed through the practice of revolutionary struggles, in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, becoming a typical military cultural value of the Ho Chi Minh era. Promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in building and defending the Fatherland in the spirit of the Resolution of the 8th Central Conference (13th tenure) is both an objective requirement and the sentiment and responsibility of all cadres and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army.

Over the past 80 years, under the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party, the centralized and unified management of the State, the close and effective coordination of the central and local ministries, branches, and sectors, and the love, care, and support of the people, the Vietnam People's Army has always maintained its revolutionary nature, constantly grown, fought and matured, and won glorious victories. In any conditions and circumstances, despite having to endure many hardships and sacrifices, despite having to face the enemy's sophisticated and cunning plots and tricks, the Vietnam People's Army has remained absolutely loyal to and trusted the Party's leadership, highly promoted the tradition of patriotism, revolutionary heroism, strict discipline, always proactive, creative, resourceful, brave, determined to fight, determined to win, closely attached to the people, loyal and affectionate; Generations of cadres and soldiers have successively achieved glorious feats of arms, glorifying the history of national construction and defense, building a glorious tradition, worthy of the praise of President Ho Chi Minh: “Our army is loyal to the Party, filial to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism. Every task is completed, every difficulty is overcome, every enemy is defeated” [1] ; worthy of the noble title “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” that the people have praised, worthy of being the heroic army of the heroic Vietnamese nation.

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General Phan Van Giang and leaders of the General Staff and General Department of Politics encouraged forces participating in the exercise of the 12th Army Corps, December 2023.

Promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam, the Army continues to perform well its functions as "a fighting army, a working army, a production labor army", being the core force together with the entire people to maintain the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; protecting the Party, the State, the people, the achievements of the revolution and the socialist regime, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development. The Army always upholds the spirit of revolutionary vigilance, actively fights to defeat all plots and sabotage actions of hostile forces; creatively and effectively implements socio-economic development programs, builds economic-defense zones, and projects of strategic significance to the country; actively participates in movements to repay gratitude, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, and build new rural areas; building safe areas, building political systems and grassroots cultural life, especially in key areas, remote areas, ethnic minority areas, border areas and islands; making an important contribution to the cause of consolidating and strengthening the great national unity bloc, strengthening the "people's hearts" position, the potential and the national defense position. The army is always the shock force, the core force leading the way in the work of preventing and fighting natural disasters, searching, rescuing, dealing with the consequences of war and implementing the army's rear policy well; at the same time, implementing well the work of international integration and defense diplomacy, actively participating in the United Nations peacekeeping force, contributing to enhancing the position and prestige of Vietnam in the international arena.

In the coming years, the world and regional situation is forecast to continue to have many fluctuations, rapid, complex and unpredictable developments. Peace, cooperation and development are still the major trends, but are facing many obstacles and difficulties. The multipolar and multi-centered world situation is taking shape more clearly, strategic competition between major countries is becoming increasingly fierce, even confrontational. Major countries are increasing their strategic adjustments, attracting and gathering forces, both cooperating and compromising, struggling and restraining each other, and interfering and influencing the internal affairs of other countries, creating huge challenges for developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries. Security hotspots tend to increase, with the risk of spreading; new forms of war, types of operations, strategic spaces, and methods of conducting war are emerging. Global issues such as peace protection, human security, natural disasters, epidemics, social security and non-traditional security, especially cyber security, climate change, environmental pollution, etc. continue to develop complicatedly. Disputes over sovereignty, territory, sea and island sovereignty are becoming more tense, complicated and fierce, with many potential risks of conflict affecting maritime and aviation security and safety.

In the country, the cause of innovation, construction and protection of the Fatherland, besides the important achievements, still has many limitations and weaknesses, and new complex problems have emerged. The four risks that our Party has pointed out still exist, with some becoming more complicated and severe. The East Sea, the Southwest Sea and in some strategic areas and key areas still harbor factors causing instability; territorial sovereignty disputes on land and at sea, information warfare, and cyber warfare are increasing; handling international relations, especially with major countries, is facing many difficulties and challenges. Hostile, reactionary, and political opportunists at home and abroad are colluding to increase open and direct sabotage with increasingly sophisticated and cunning plots and tricks. The Party and State continue to invest in and build the Army in all aspects; the tasks of building the Army, consolidating national defense, and protecting the Fatherland have been supplemented, developed, and become more difficult and complicated; The proportion of combat-trained cadres is decreasing.

In that context, the cause of building and defending the Fatherland of the entire Party, people and army has developed and set new and very high requirements, intertwined with opportunities, advantages and challenges, difficulties. The army always deeply understands the core role in performing the national defense and security tasks as "important and regular", at the same time clearly aware of the political responsibility, the important responsibility assigned by the Party, State and people. On the basis of thoroughly grasping and grasping the Resolution of the 8th Central Committee, Session XIII on the Strategy for defending the Fatherland in the new situation, in order to excellently fulfill the task in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, the entire army needs to strive, continue to promote the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", focus on implementing well the following basic contents:

Firstly, continue to perform well the function of researching and advising the Party and State on military and national defense issues, firmly protecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, creating a peaceful and stable environment for national construction and development. This is a matter of top importance for the Army and is the Party's viewpoint and guiding principle on protecting the Fatherland "early, from afar", "protecting the country when it is not yet in danger" stated in Resolution 8 of the 13th Central Committee. To do well on this issue, in the coming time, the Army needs to proactively assess and correctly forecast the world, regional and domestic situation, promptly advise the Party and State to propose policies and countermeasures to successfully handle situations, not to be passive, surprised, not to let conflicts and disputes develop into armed conflicts and wars. Focus on researching, proposing and effectively implementing comprehensive, fundamental and long-term policies and solutions to prevent the risks of war and conflict early and from afar, and protect the country before it is in danger; consistently implement the policy: Not participating in military alliances, not associating with one country to fight against another, not allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory to fight against other countries, not using force or threatening to use force in international relations [2]; resolutely and persistently fighting to resolve all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means, in accordance with international law.

Along with that, the Army needs to actively and proactively develop plans and combat strategies, improve the level and combat readiness capacity to "firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, protect the Party, the State, the people, the socialist regime, the culture and national interests" [3]. Improve the capacity for cyber warfare and information warfare; coordinate the implementation of comprehensive solutions to ensure information security and safety. In particular, focus on supplementing and perfecting mechanisms and regulations, especially the close coordination between the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security, central and local departments, ministries, branches, and organizations in handling situations to protect the Fatherland. Be ready to effectively respond to traditional and non-traditional security challenges; prevent, combat, and overcome the consequences of natural disasters, epidemics, and rescue. Absolutely protect the security and safety of important targets, projects, activities of Party and State leaders, political, cultural and foreign affairs events of the country. Promote research, summarize practices, supplement and develop the theoretical system on national defense, people's art of war, and Vietnamese military art in the new conditions of the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

Second, promote the core role in building the all-people national defense, the all-people national defense posture associated with the people's security posture, meeting the requirements and tasks of building and protecting the Fatherland in the new situation. This is the cause of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army, in which the People's Army and the People's Public Security play the core role. To meet the requirements of the task of building and protecting the Fatherland in the new situation, it is necessary to build a strong all-people national defense nationwide. That is a national defense with potential and comprehensive strength, formed on the basis of national resources and in the people, from the people, of a peaceful and self-defense nature, not aimed at threatening any country. It is a national defense that is comprehensive, independent, autonomous, self-reliant, self-reliant, and increasingly modern, built by the entire people, under the absolute, direct, and all-round leadership of the Party, and the unified management and operation of the State from the central to local levels and at the grassroots level.

To build a strong and comprehensive national defense, the Army continues to closely coordinate with central and local departments, ministries, branches, and organizations to synchronously deploy solutions suitable to the reality and characteristics and strengths of each locality and region, especially the strategic areas of the Central Highlands, Northwest, Southwest, and the border, sea, and island regions of the Fatherland. In particular, the focus is on building a national defense posture associated with a people's security posture, especially a solid "people's hearts posture" right from the grassroots. Focus on building solid defense zones at all levels, creating a solid, interconnected defense arrangement in each locality and nationwide, ensuring that localities can handle defense and security situations well in both peacetime and wartime. Focus resources on investing in building facilities, means, defense equipment, defense works, combat works, and a synchronous and unified civil defense system; priority on borders, seas, islands, strategic and key areas...

Actively innovate and improve the quality and effectiveness of education and training in national defense and security knowledge, ensuring suitability for each subject, in order to create a strong change in the awareness and responsibility of cadres, party members and people towards the task of building a national defense and protecting the Fatherland. Focus on education, unification, raising awareness of partners and subjects; grasping the guidelines, viewpoints, requirements and tasks of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation. Continue to promote the role and effectiveness of economic-defense units and military enterprises to closely combine economic, cultural, social and foreign development with consolidating and strengthening national defense, especially in strategic areas, particularly difficult areas, borders, islands and key economic zones.

Third, build a politically strong Army as a basis for improving the overall quality and combat strength of the entire Army. Focus on building a politically strong Army as a basis for improving the overall quality and combat strength of the entire Army. Continue to implement the Project on Innovation of Political Education at Units in the New Period. Focus on improving the quality of education on Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, the revolutionary nature, traditions, and tasks of the Army and units; partners, subjects; plots and tricks of hostile forces. Timely overcome distorted perceptions and ideologies, proactively fight against manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the organization. Focus on building cadres and soldiers with steadfast and firm political will, absolute loyalty to the Fatherland, the Party, the State and the people, with high determination to fight, ready to receive and successfully complete all assigned tasks.

Step up the implementation of the Campaign "Promoting tradition, dedicating talent, worthy of being Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the new period. Closely combine the good implementation of the Campaign with studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style and emulation movements and campaigns of the entire army and the entire country with many creative, appropriate, and effective models and methods, deepening the tradition of the Vietnam People's Army being loyal to the Party, filial to the people, ready to fight and sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for socialism, completing any task, overcoming any difficulty, defeating any enemy. Effectively implement policies towards the Army and the Army's rear; innovate the content and methods and improve the quality and effectiveness of Party and political work in tasks that are close to the Party's guidelines and policies, the practical activities of the army, and the requirements of military and national defense tasks. Take care to build strong youth, women's, trade union and military council organizations, contributing to building a clean and strong party organization, a comprehensively strong agency and unit, and successfully completing all assigned tasks.

Fourth, promote the building of a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and gradually modernized People's Army, ensuring comprehensive quality and high combat strength, serving as the core for the entire people in the cause of national defense and protection of the Fatherland. This is a content of decisive significance, ensuring that the Army has enough strength, and fulfills its role as the core force in the cause of consolidating national defense and firmly protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. Thoroughly grasping the Party's viewpoints and guidelines on national defense and military, directly the guidelines on building the people's armed forces as well as the requirements and tasks of building and protecting the Fatherland in the new situation, in recent years, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense have focused on leading and directing the synchronous implementation of solutions to build a "refined, compact, and strong" Army, which has initially achieved important results; ensure balance and relative synchronization between military services and arms, between agencies and units, between regular forces and reserve forces.

In the coming time, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense and Party committees and commanders at all levels need to continue to strengthen leadership, direction, and resolutely, synchronously, and effectively implement Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW dated January 17, 2022 of the 13th Politburo; Resolution No. 230-NQ/QUTW dated April 2, 2022 of the Central Military Commission on the organization of the Vietnam People's Army for the period 2021 - 2030 and the following years. The entire army is organized and staffed in accordance with the national defense policy, people's war, the ability to ensure weapons and equipment, maintain and promote the army's traditions, the noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" and Vietnamese military art. Build and adjust the organization of the Army in the direction of "refined, compact, strong", with a synchronous and reasonable organizational structure between the force components; reduce intermediary units and support and service units; Continue to organize a number of strategic reserve units in accordance with the determination to protect the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland; build a strong reserve force, a strong and widespread militia and self-defense force, ensuring that the Army has the capacity to act as the core with the entire people to successfully complete the task of protecting the Fatherland in all situations. Take building a politically strong Army as the basis for improving the overall quality, strength and combat readiness of the Army, ensuring the good performance of the functions of "a fighting army, a working army, a production labor army"; truly be the core force to firmly protect the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. The process of adjusting the organization and modernizing the Army must be under the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party and the centralized and unified management of the State; implementation measures must be comprehensive, synchronous, and suitable to reality; closely combine ideological work with organizational work and policy work.

Fifth, build and develop a proactive, self-reliant, dual-use, modern defense industry to meet the requirements of military modernization; promote international integration and defense diplomacy. The entire army focuses on thoroughly grasping and seriously implementing the viewpoints, goals, tasks and solutions identified in Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW, dated January 26, 2022 of the Politburo (13th tenure) on Promoting the development of the defense industry to 2030 and the following years. Based on the country's potential, economic conditions and the requirements and tasks of protecting the Fatherland, the defense industry strives to successfully carry out the assigned tasks according to the roadmap to 2030 and the following years. Accordingly, defense industry sectors with strengths and mastery of technology need to prioritize improving research capacity, design, manufacturing, and production of modern weapons and technical equipment, focusing on strategic weapons with deterrence, enhancing defense capabilities, protecting the country, and cyber warfare.

Sixth, continue to synchronously deploy solutions to promote defense diplomacy according to the motto "active, proactive, certain, flexible, effective", contributing to enhancing the prestige and position of the Army and the country in the international arena. Proactively and firmly protect the Fatherland, protect national interests by peaceful means on the basis of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, equality, and mutual benefit. Timely detect, prevent, and repel the risk of conflict and war, protect the Fatherland early and from afar. Maximize external resources to strengthen defense potential, protect the Fatherland; promote diversification of cooperation partners in military technology and military trade. Actively and effectively participate in United Nations peacekeeping activities, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, and overcoming the consequences of war. Strengthen international cooperation in responding to traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

Seventh, improve leadership capacity, combat strength, build a clean, strong, exemplary, and typical Army Party organization, and lead the entire army to successfully complete the tasks assigned by the Party, State, and people. Thoroughly grasping the guiding viewpoint that "Party building is the key", the Resolution of the 11th Army Party Congress clearly states: "Improving leadership capacity, combat strength, building a clean, strong, exemplary, and typical Army Party organization" [4]. In the coming time, the entire army will continue to thoroughly grasp and grasp the resolutions and directives of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, and the Resolution of the 11th Army Party Congress; Synchronously and effectively deploy groups of solutions to implement the Resolution of the 4th Central Committee of the 11th, 12th and 13th tenures on Party building and rectification in conjunction with the implementation of Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW dated May 18, 2021 of the Politburo on continuing to implement Directive 05-CT/TW dated May 15, 2016 of the Politburo, Directive 87-CT/QUTW dated July 8, 2016 of the Central Military Commission Standing Committee on studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle; maintain and strengthen the Party's absolute and direct leadership in all aspects over the Army; focus on building a truly clean, strong, "exemplary and typical" Army Party organization; focus on building an increasingly strong Army Party organization in terms of politics, ideology, organization and ethics; improve the comprehensive leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party committees and organizations at all levels; The vanguard and exemplary role of cadres and party members must be spread throughout the entire army and society; building a contingent of cadres and party members with virtue, talent, high prestige, exemplary, "dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, dare to innovate, dare to face difficulties and challenges, dare to act for the common good", meeting the requirements and tasks of building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Promoting the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in building and defending the Fatherland in the spirit of the Resolution of the 8th Central Conference of the 13th tenure is a fundamental and fundamental solution, ensuring that the Army always promotes its heroic tradition, combined strength, solidarity, unity, self-reliance, self-strengthening, grasping opportunities, overcoming challenges, striving to excellently fulfill all tasks assigned by the Party, State and people; ensuring that the Army is truly the core force together with the entire people to maintain the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; protecting the Party, State, people, revolutionary achievements and the socialist regime, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment to build and develop a prosperous and happy country, for the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness and civilization.

[1] - Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, Volume 14, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p.435.

[2] - Ministry of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vietnam National Defense White Paper, 2019, National Defense Publishing House, Hanoi, 2019, p.25.

[3] - Communist Party of Vietnam, Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates, Volume I, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, p.156.

[4] - Army Party Committee, Resolution of the 11th Army Party Congress (term 2020 - 2025).

General, Dr. Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense