Safe to develop

During the meeting of the Professional Council advising the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on selecting the city's outstanding achievements in 2025, ensuring safety for development was mentioned by the vast majority of experts and delegates as a universally recognized achievement. Safety for development is both a goal and a solution for building a civilized, modern, compassionate city, steadily advancing into a new era. The core element ensuring absolute safety for the city is the armed forces. From momentous events such as parades and marches commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 / April 30, 2025), Party Congresses, elections of National Assembly and People's Council representatives at all levels... to the investment environment, tourism development, and response to non-traditional security situations... the city's armed forces always proactively plan and implement effective preventive and response strategies, ensuring absolute safety for targets and maintaining political security, order, and social safety. A secure and safe environment is a core element that positions Ho Chi Minh City as a livable city, a friendly destination, and a stable and sustainable investment environment. As a result, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to achieve a growth rate of 8.3% in 2025 and 8.27% in the first quarter of 2026, the highest growth rate for the same period in the past 10 years.

Ho Chi Minh City armed forces perform martial arts demonstrations at the 2026 training commencement ceremony. Photo: Nguyen Hien

Speaking on this matter, Major General Vu Van Dien affirmed: The most profound mark of the city's armed forces is the strengthening of people's trust; spreading the image of Uncle Ho's soldiers in social life, positively influencing young people. In the 2026 recruitment process, the percentage of young people and young intellectuals volunteering to enlist was very high. In particular, the number of candidates registering to apply to academies and officer schools is increasing. Trust in the Army is not only reflected in daily life but also serves as a driving force and an intrinsic source of strength in career orientation and the cultivation of life ideals for young people...

The core principle is "winning the hearts and minds of the people."

The contributions of the armed forces to the construction and development of Ho Chi Minh City have affirmed the correctness of leadership and guidance in military affairs in this "megacity". The city's armed forces have been continuously strengthened and consolidated; building a national defense system based on the people's war strategy, linked to the "people's hearts and minds" strategy and a solid defense zone. The city's armed forces have always been at the forefront in maintaining political security and economic development; doing well in civilian affairs and military rear-area policies. Programs such as "Houses of Compassion," "Houses of Gratitude for Military and Civilians," participation in poverty alleviation movements, "Leaving No One Behind," and "The Army Joins Hands in Building New Rural Areas"... have contributed to strengthening the close and enduring solidarity between the military and the people, shining a light on the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the new era.

The Resolution of the First Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, for the 2025-2030 term, identified the following priorities: Strengthening leadership and guidance in national defense and security; building armed forces towards a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern direction; and promoting foreign relations and international integration. The city focuses on building strong political, economic, national defense, and security potential; paying attention to investing resources in military and national defense tasks; implementing comprehensive defense projects and works; and ensuring solid defense... These are strategic orientations, reflecting the new thinking, new vision, and new determination of the city's Party Committee in leading and directing military and national defense tasks. The effectiveness of local defense and military work in recent years is evidence of innovative thinking and strategic breakthroughs, aiming to build regular, elite, and modern armed forces for the city.

Major General Vu Van Dien further stated: The development of Ho Chi Minh City according to the "super city" model creates a new position and strength, with the city playing the role of a leading urban center, developing rapidly, strongly, and sustainably. With the role of leading and advising on the construction and operation of the defense zone, developing the economy in conjunction with ensuring national defense and security, the Party Committee and the Command of Ho Chi Minh City have determined that maintaining political security and building a strong national defense potential is a condition and driving force for socio-economic development. The city's Command continues to effectively advise the Steering Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Defense Zone on building plans and methods for organizing, building, and developing all potentials, with the core being the increasingly strong "people's defense posture"... In the new phase, the city's armed forces will continue to focus on breakthroughs, including: Breakthroughs in improving the quality of recruitment and conscription; innovation in organization and methods to improve the quality of training and combat readiness; Focus on training core forces, permanent militia, reconnaissance militia, medical militia, and cyber warfare forces; combine training with political and ideological education, coordinate with local authorities and families in managing and educating soldiers; emphasize visual training, drills, competitions, and sports events, prioritizing practical application and real-world scenarios. Recent geopolitical shifts and armed conflicts around the world have provided us with many practical lessons in building defense zones; the modernization of the armed forces must always be closely linked to consolidating the "people's support"...

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/viec-quan-trong-sieu-do-thi-1034745