Building a modern Vietnam Coast Guard in the digital age

In the context of the complicated situation in the East Sea, non-traditional security challenges are increasing, the country is entering the digital era - the era of striving for development, to continue building a lean, strong, modern Vietnam Coast Guard (CSB), to successfully complete its functions and tasks, the entire force must strongly transform itself in terms of organization, staffing, human resources, material resources, means, technical equipment and leadership thinking, direction, management methods, and task implementation organization...

n 2020-2025, with the spirit of a heroic unit and high political determination, under the close leadership and direction of the Party, the State, directly the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense , the Party Committee, the Coast Guard Command has led and directed the entire force to successfully complete assigned political tasks, many tasks were completed excellently. Thereby, the Coast Guard continues to affirm its core and specialized role in law enforcement, protecting national security, order and safety at sea. Notably:

Vietnam Coast Guard has deployed thousands of ships and boats to patrol, inspect, control and enforce the law in key sea areas and islands; chased away more than 8,000 foreign ships and boats that violated Vietnam's waters; handled hundreds of cases of law violations, smuggling, trade fraud, and transportation of prohibited goods with administrative fines and the value of exhibits exceeding 1,000 billion VND. In particular, with a strong political stance and determination, perseverance, flexibility, and proper policies and laws, the Coast Guard has advised superiors and directly coordinated with functional forces to fight to protect the integrity of national sovereignty at sea, maintain a peaceful and stable maritime environment for the country's economic development.

A fleet of ships of the Vietnam Coast Guard train for a sea parade in preparation for the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Photo: ANH HANH

Promoting the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers and carrying out the command from the heart: "Save people like saving your own relatives", in the past 5 years, the Vietnam Coast Guard has successfully coordinated more than 100 search and rescue missions, saving more than 500 people along with more than 20 ships, boats and many people's properties; at the same time, closely coordinating with local forces and authorities to help people respond to and overcome the consequences of natural disasters, forest fires... Since then, the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers - CSB soldiers" has become increasingly close and shining in the hearts of the people.

Identifying the work of propagating, disseminating the law and building a "people's heart" at sea as the top priority task, in the period of 2020-2025, the entire force has focused on strongly implementing mass mobilization programs: "CSB accompanies fishermen", "CSB with ethnic and religious compatriots", "I love the sea and islands of my homeland" contest... in many localities across the country; organizing hundreds of propaganda sessions, disseminating the law, distributing leaflets and propaganda documents about the sea and islands to tens of thousands of fishermen and students; giving national flags, life jackets, medicine cabinets and gifts to thousands of policy families, fishermen in difficult circumstances... Those practical and effective activities have contributed to raising legal awareness for the people and fishermen, helping them feel secure in going out to sea, firmly becoming a "living milestone" in the middle of the ocean, together with the functional forces to firmly protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

In particular, in the period of 2020-2025, the work of international integration and foreign affairs of the Coast Guard has made great strides, becoming more substantial and effective. The Vietnam Coast Guard has actively expanded and deepened international cooperation relations; proactively proposed many leading initiatives in bilateral and multilateral cooperation; coordinated with the Chinese Coast Guard to successfully organize 16 joint patrols; chaired the organization of 2 programs "Vietnam Coast Guard and friends" with the participation of law enforcement forces of 7 countries in the region; coordinated the organization of many programs of ship exchanges, young officer exchanges, professional exchanges, Party work exchanges, political work with Coast Guards of other countries... Thereby, it has contributed to improving the capacity, position, and prestige of the Vietnam Coast Guard, creating friendly relations and political trust with the maritime law enforcement forces of other countries; affirming the image of a responsible, professional and humane force in the region.

Along with performing well the political tasks, the Vietnam Coast Guard has constantly rectified the organization, tightened discipline, fostered compassion, promoted responsibility; promoted the building of discipline, trained discipline, and fought uncompromisingly against signs of degradation, negativity, and violations. Constantly improved the leadership capacity and exemplary behavior of cadres and party members; thereby creating trust within the organization, building a clean, strong, and exemplary Party organization, and a comprehensively strong Vietnam Coast Guard force that is "exemplary and exemplary".

With outstanding results in the 2020-2025 term, the Vietnam Coast Guard was honored to receive the Second Class Military Exploit Medal from the President, the Emulation Flag from the Government, and the title "Determined to Win Unit" from the Ministry of National Defense; many collectives and individuals were awarded the Military Exploit Medal, the Fatherland Protection Medal, and certificates of merit from all levels. These noble awards are vivid evidence of the development and maturity of the Coast Guard, worthy of the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, affirming the core role and reliable support of the Party, State and people in the cause of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

In the coming years, the country will enter a new stage of development, growing strongly; the task of protecting sovereignty over seas and islands, maintaining security, order and safety at sea will pose more urgent and difficult requirements; this is also a pivotal stage for the Vietnam Coast Guard to move towards comprehensive modernization and strong innovation, proactively adapting to the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

To continue building a modern Vietnam Coast Guard, mastering the maritime legal space, effectively dealing with diverse threats at sea, and standing firm against all new challenges in the digital age, the entire force has determined: Thoroughly grasp and comprehensively implement the resolutions and directives of the Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defense on breakthroughs in science and technology (S&T) development, innovation, creativity, and digital transformation in conjunction with the policy of building a modern Vietnam Coast Guard in the new situation. Strictly implement the above decision on adjusting the organization and staff to be streamlined, strong, and effective; determined to work with the entire political system to promote digital transformation, improve the effectiveness of military administrative reform; gradually apply digital technology in leadership, command, and operation; actively research and apply modern S&T in performing tasks.

At the same time, mobilize all resources to focus on promoting force modernization, considering this as one of the strategic breakthroughs in the 2025-2030 period. Prioritize the modernization of means, equipment, and technology in the direction of digitalization, automation, and intelligence to enhance the capacity to patrol, inspect, and control large, complex, and volatile sea areas. Continue to invest in purchasing and building new modern long-range patrol ships, integrating radar systems, positioning, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), new generation electronic reconnaissance technology, and state-of-the-art communication equipment, capable of grasping, analyzing, and promptly handling all situations at sea, avoiding being passive or surprised.

Actively and proactively transform digitally in the management and monitoring of sea areas as well as in commanding, operating and handling situations at sea. Focus on building an electronic sea database, a digital command and control center; develop an integrated information management system, collect data from multiple sources; exploit national databases, specialized databases to help analyze and forecast risky situations early. In particular, promote the application of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, shared platforms, applications, and support software in leadership, command, operation and handling situations at sea, creating a breakthrough in controlling the situation at sea, especially in offshore areas, where access is difficult. Establish an early warning mechanism, connect sea vehicles - shore stations - command centers and digitally interact with coordinating forces: Navy, Border Guard, especially fishermen, offshore fishing and exploitation enterprises to improve the capacity of sea management, forming a smart, flexible, international standard sea governance.

To build a modern Vietnam Coast Guard, we need modern people with innovative thinking. Therefore, we need to focus on training high-quality human resources, mastering new technology; paying attention to developing a team of officers who are both highly qualified in legal profession, maritime security, electronic warfare consulting, international law on the sea... and have extensive knowledge of information technology, digital technology; fostering digital skills, skills in exploiting and using digital applications, software and processing digital data. Actively promote international cooperation, CSB foreign affairs, organize training courses, training, experience exchange, joint practice with modern coast guard forces in the region and the world.

Faced with the complex and multi-dimensional impacts of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and the sabotage of hostile forces, the entire Coast Guard force continues to promote political and ideological education, education on patriotic traditions and fostering public ethics, the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people. Continuously build a contingent of officers and soldiers with a firm ideological stance, strong political will, high determination, and great efforts; have the desire to contribute and take practical actions to build a modern Vietnam Coast Guard; have the spirit of "7 dares" and the ability to take the lead in breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and creativity; have the ability to respond to the negative side of digital technology, prevent and combat cyber attacks, absolutely protect information security, databases and command and control systems in the digital environment; do not fall into a passive position before all sabotage plots and tricks of "peaceful evolution" and "depoliticization of the army" by hostile forces...

Digital transformation in the digital age is not only a development trend of the times but also a driving force to improve the effectiveness of management and law enforcement at sea. Building a modern Vietnam Coast Guard force in the digital age is both an urgent and long-term task. It is a comprehensive process, from innovation of organization, human resources to equipment, means, technology and methods of leadership, command, management and operation. To do that, in addition to the systematic investment of the State, the close leadership and direction of the Ministry of National Defense, there needs to be high political determination and the will to be self-reliant, self-reliant, innovative and creative from the heroic contingent of officers and soldiers of the Vietnam Coast Guard.

Lieutenant General BUI QUOC OAI, Party Secretary, Political Commissar of Vietnam Coast Guard

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/tien-toi-dai-hoi-xiv-cua-dang/xay-dung-luc-luong-canh-sat-bien-viet-nam-hien-dai-trong-ky-nguyen-so-840323