State President Luong Cuong emphasised the need for the army to proactively and effectively promote international integration and defence diplomacy to ensure the national interests at the highest while addressing a national political-military conference in Hanoi on December 17.

State President Luong Cuong (in black suite) attends the national political-military conference in Hanoi on December 17.

The conference, jointly organised by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, aimed at assessing the outcomes of military and national defence tasks in 2025 and discussing objectives for the coming year.

In his remarks, President Cuong underscored that the military has made notable contributions to the national development process amid a complex and uncertain international environment.

He urged the Central Military Commission, leaders of the Ministry of National Defence, and commanders at all levels throughout the military to continue leading and directing the effective implementation of their strategic advisory role with the Party and State on military and defence matters.

They should be proactive, responsive, and enhance their capabilities in research, forecasting, and formulating effective responses to all situations, ensuring that the military is not caught off guard or unprepared.

The President called for the coordination and specific implementation of solutions to build a strong and modern people's defence system, and to establish solid military defences in military zones and at the various levels of defence areas under new conditions, especially in the context of the two-tier local administration model.

Furthermore, he highlighted the need to continue to implement the policy of integrating defence with economic development and vice versa, by maximising the important role of military-economic units and economic-defence brigades in contributing to socio-economic development, stabilising the population in border areas and islands, and strengthening the defence system to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over its territory, borders, sea and islands.

It is necessary to build a modern, elite, and highly capable People’s Army, improve overall combat strength, maintain combat readiness, and adapt training to new operational conditions, President Cuong said, noting that the military must safeguard air, sea, border, domestic, and cyber spaces, and modernise weapons and equipment to meet the requirements of a modern defence force.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships, building strategic trust with neighbouring countries, traditional friends and major powers, and actively engage in international defence forums and peacekeeping missions, maximising global support for Vietnam’s defence goals.

To continue strengthening the leadership and development of the Party Organisation of the Vietnam People’s Army, the President stressed the need to focus on enhancing the leadership capacity and combat strength of Party committees and organisations at all levels; and uphold democratic centralism, promote self-criticism and constructive criticism, and improve oversight and anti-corruption measures to prevent degradation and internal “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”.

Building on the proud traditions of the heroic Vietnam People’s Army, President Cuong expressed his confidence that the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, and all military personnel will successfully accomplish their tasks, joining the entire Party and people in safeguarding the Fatherland, and paving the way for the country to confidently enter a new era of strong development, prosperity, and happiness for the Vietnamese people.

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