Scene of the working session on the afternoon of May 30. (Photo: DUY LINH)

According to the Report on explanation, acceptance and revision of the draft Law presented by the Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on National Defense and Security, Le Tan Toi, regarding the application of the Law on National Defense Industry, Security and Industrial Mobilization, some opinions said that the draft Law stipulates many specific policies in the construction, development of national defense, security and industrial mobilization, with contents different from those prescribed by relevant laws, so it is proposed to add an article regulating the application of the law.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee Le Tan Toi presented at the working session on the afternoon of May 30. (PHOTO: DUY LINH)

Regarding this content, the National Assembly Standing Committee found that the draft Law is related to many areas, especially the state budget, management of state capital invested in production and business at enterprises, investment, science and technology, policies for employees who are experts, leading scientists, general engineers, etc.

To institutionalize the Party's viewpoints, guidelines and policies on building and developing national defense and security, and at the same time, based on the requirements of the task of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation, the particularly important role of the defense and security industry and mobilizing industry in implementing strategies on national defense, military and security, the draft Law needs to have specific, breakthrough policies, outstanding and feasible mechanisms to promote the development of the defense and security industry.

The National Assembly Standing Committee has directed the addition and adjustment of many special and outstanding regulations and policies in the draft Law in the direction of newly stipulating a number of policies that have not been regulated by law; inheriting and developing policies that have been currently regulated in ordinances and sub-law documents and stipulating special and outstanding policies compared to current regimes and policies in relevant laws.

In response to the opinions of National Assembly deputies, for convenience and feasibility in implementation, the National Assembly Standing Committee proposed that the National Assembly add an article regulating the application of the Law on National Defense Industry, Security and Industrial Mobilization, which specifically stipulates the application of different contents compared to current laws such as Article 2 of the draft Law.

Another content that also received the attention of delegates during the discussion was the Defense and Security Industry Fund.

Many opinions proposed to form a Defense and Security Industry Fund to focus on mobilizing resources, have a flexible and proactive mechanism for building and developing the defense and security industry, especially to carry out urgent, strategic, and high-risk tasks, while at the same time ensuring strict and feasible regulations. On the contrary, there are also other opinions suggesting not to regulate this fund to be consistent with the policy of limiting the formation of extra-budgetary financial funds.

Scene of the working session on the afternoon of May 30. (PHOTO: DUY LINH)

Regarding this content, Chairman Le Tan Toi said: Based on the opinions of delegates at the 6th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee has proposed 2 options: Option 1 is to establish a National Defense and Security Industry Fund; Option 2, does not stipulate this fund.

After consulting with the Conference of full-time National Assembly deputies, delegations, National Assembly agencies and relevant agencies, the majority of opinions agreed with the regulation on establishing a National Defense and Security Industry Fund to support the state budget for the development of the national defense and security industry.

Many opinions say that this is a unique, superior solution and mechanism with strategic significance, especially in implementing urgent investment programs and projects, researching and manufacturing strategic weapons and technical equipment, special technical means, and high risks.

“International experience shows that countries with developed defense industries all have financial funds to serve this field,” said Director Le Tan Toi.

To ensure that spending tasks are not overlapped, Clause 1, Article 22 stipulates that the Fund for the establishment of the National Defense and Security Industry Fund is only intended to support the implementation of urgent tasks or research and development of national defense and security products of strategic significance, special, new, and high risk. These are tasks for which the state budget has not yet been allocated or has not been allocated sufficiently.

However, based on the opinions of the delegates, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly directed research and specific regulations on the purpose of the fund, its sources, and operating principles, and assigned the Government to specify the establishment, management, and use of the Fund to form the National Defense and Security Industry Fund as per Article 22 of the draft law.

Delegates attending the working session on the afternoon of May 30. (PHOTO: DUY LINH)

Regarding the organization and operation of the defense industry and the organization and operation of the security industry (Section 5, Section 6, Chapter II), there are opinions suggesting reviewing the regulations on the system of defense industry and security industry establishments to ensure comprehensiveness and completeness, on that basis determining appropriate regimes and policies; studying regulations on core security industry establishments.

In response to the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the National Assembly Standing Committee proposed that the National Assembly adjust the organization of defense industrial establishments in the direction of: The system of defense industrial establishments includes: Core defense industrial establishments, Other defense industrial establishments, Establishments mobilized to participate in the defense industry, and mobilized industrial establishments; adjust the organization of security industrial establishments in the direction of: The system of security industrial establishments includes: Core security industrial establishments, Other security industrial establishments, and Establishments mobilized to participate in the security industry.

At the same time, to ensure strictness, consistency, and distinction between types of defense and security industrial establishments and facilitate implementation, based on the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the National Assembly Standing Committee proposed that the National Assembly add 4 articles, including: "Criteria and types of core defense industrial establishments" (Article 33); "Functions, tasks, and organization of other defense industrial establishments" (Article 35); "Criteria and types of core security industrial establishments" (Article 38); "Functions, tasks, and organization of other security industrial establishments" (Article 40) as in the draft Law.

Regarding the Defense Industry Complex (Section 7, Chapter II), many opinions proposed to supplement the provisions on "Defense Industry Complex" to fully institutionalize Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW dated January 26, 2022 of the Politburo on promoting the development of the defense industry until 2030 and the following years; review and supplement appropriate management mechanisms to create effective linkage and cooperation activities of the Defense Industry Complex. Other opinions suggested to pilot the Defense Industry Complex model before it is stipulated in the Law.

Based on the opinions of National Assembly deputies at the 6th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee directed the agency in charge of the review to coordinate with relevant agencies to organize seminars, discussions, and review international experiences to develop regulations on the Defense Industry Complex. The National Assembly Standing Committee has proposed two options for soliciting opinions: Option 1, adding a section (Section 7 - Chapter II) regulating the "Defense Industry Complex" including 4 articles (from Article 41 to Article 44). Option 2, does not regulate the Defense Industry Complex but assigns the Government to pilot the Defense Industry Complex model.

At the meeting, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, explained and clarified a number of contents raised by National Assembly deputies related to the draft Law on Defense Industry, Security and Industrial Mobilization.

After consulting with the Conference of full-time National Assembly deputies, National Assembly delegations, National Assembly agencies and relevant agencies, the majority of opinions agreed with the regulation on the Defense Industry Complex to serve as the core for building and developing the defense industry. This regulation ensures a full political and legal basis, ensures prudence, flexibility and suitability with reality. Based on the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the National Assembly Standing Committee directed the study and careful review of 4 provisions on the Defense Industry Complex in Section 7, Chapter II of the draft Law, ensuring strictness, specificity and convenience in implementation.

* At the meeting, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, explained and clarified a number of contents raised by National Assembly deputies related to the establishment of the National Defense and Security Industry Fund; special mechanisms and policies for science, technology and innovation activities in the national defense and security industry...

The Minister said that the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security will coordinate with relevant agencies to study and absorb as much as possible the opinions of National Assembly deputies at the discussion session to revise, supplement and perfect the draft law.