Comrade Nguyen Duc Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Military Party Committee

Since the country was completely independent and unified (April 30, 1975); especially since Ninh Thuan province was re-established (April 1, 1992) up to now; the provincial armed forces have always closely coordinated with all levels, sectors and ethnic groups in the province to strive to compete, contribute, and contribute worthily to the victory of the two strategic tasks: Building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

80 years ago, on December 22, 1944 - The Vietnam Propaganda Liberation Army - the first main force, the predecessor of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) was established in Tran Hung Dao forest, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province. This is a historical event of special significance to the Vietnamese revolution, demonstrating the thinking, strategic vision, and wisdom of our Party and President Ho Chi Minh.

Born and developed on the basis of the Party's revolutionary armed forces, the Vietnam People's Army is a new-style army organized, led, educated and trained by the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, bearing the nature of the working class, the national character and the people's character; with the goal of fighting for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the people. With that great significance, December 22 every year has become the traditional day of the heroic Vietnam People's Army.

Over the past 80 years, under the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party; with the love, care and support of the people; inheriting and promoting the patriotism and military art of our ancestors; overcoming countless hardships and challenges; the People's Army has, together with the entire Party and people, written glorious pages in the cause of fighting for national liberation, defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam and fulfilling its noble international obligations.

The Provincial Military Command launched training in 2024. Photo: X.Binh

Inheriting and promoting the tradition of the heroic Vietnam People's Army; the armed forces of Ninh Thuan province were formed right from the early days of the resistance war against French colonialism, as a part of the military region's armed forces. After 80 years of building, fighting and growing up; the armed forces of Ninh Thuan province have devoted themselves, sacrificed, established many glorious feats, and achieved many outstanding achievements in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, for national independence and in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland today.

In the atmosphere of the whole country celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, we respectfully express our gratitude to the heroic martyrs, the wounded and sick soldiers - the outstanding children of Ninh Thuan homeland who heroically sacrificed and left a part of their blood and bones on the fierce battlefield. That noble sacrifice contributed to making the sacred red flag of the Fatherland more beautiful, for our country to bloom with independence and bear the fruit of freedom; for our people to be prosperous, free and happy; you comrades are 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!.

Since the country was completely independent and unified (April 30, 1975); especially since Ninh Thuan province was re-established (April 1, 1992) up to now; the provincial armed forces have always closely coordinated with all levels, sectors and ethnic people in the province to strive to compete, contribute, and contribute worthily to the victory of the two strategic tasks: Building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

Under the leadership and direction of the Party Committee and the Military Region 5 Command; directly and regularly by the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee; together with the close coordination and responsibility of all sectors and levels and the love and support of the people; local defense and military tasks have been thoroughly grasped, deployed, and comprehensively implemented, achieving many important results.

Up to now, the provincial armed forces have gradually developed comprehensively in both quantity and quality. The standing force has actively trained, practiced, improved the quality of building a regular order, strictly followed discipline; level, combat readiness, meeting both immediate requirements and when situations arise. The reserve force has been registered, strictly managed, and its staffing has been improved, ready to mobilize when required. The militia and self-defense force has developed widely, political quality has been improved; through practical activities, the militia and self-defense force has made important contributions to maintaining political security, order, and social safety at the grassroots level; doing a good job of mass mobilization and mobilization.

The officers and soldiers of the provincial armed forces have performed well the functions of "the fighting army, the working army, the production labor army"; being the core force together with the entire people to maintain independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; 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 is always the shock force, the core force leading the way in disease prevention and control; natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue, dealing with the consequences of war and implementing well the army's rear policy.

The provincial armed forces have advised, consolidated and built the all-people national defense posture associated with the people's security posture and a solid defense zone; creatively and effectively implemented socio-economic development programs associated with national defense and security; actively participated in movements to repay gratitude, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, and build new rural areas; built safe areas, built the political system and grassroots cultural life, especially in key areas, remote areas and ethnic minority areas; made an important contribution to maintaining political stability, promoting socio-economic development, consolidating and strengthening the great national unity bloc; strengthening the people's hearts, potential and all-people national defense posture; and won the trust and admiration of the Party Committee, government and people of the province.

With those outstanding achievements, for many consecutive years, the provincial military force has been commended by the Ministry of National Defense, Military Region, Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee; and awarded by the President the "Fatherland Protection Medal" First Class, "Military Exploit Medal" Third Class;...

In recent times, implementing the correct leadership of the Party; Ninh Thuan Provincial Party Committee has applied and proposed specific resolutions, suitable to the practical conditions of the province; thereby effectively exploiting the potential, advantages, key areas, breakthroughs, creating new driving forces to promote development. During that process, cadres, party members, provincial armed forces and people have always trusted the leadership of the Party and State; joined hands, unanimously promoted the tradition of patriotism, mobilized all resources, cultural values, the spirit of innovation and creativity; overcame all difficulties and challenges, and achieved very important achievements.

In recent years, the province's GRDP growth rate has increased quite well, reaching an average of nearly 9%, among the top in the country (in 2024 alone, the economy grew quite well, reaching 8.74%, ranking 4th out of 14 provinces in the region; 16/63 provinces and cities). The average GRDP per capita by the end of 2023 will reach 88.2 million VND/person (estimated at 98.2 million VND in 2024), quickly narrowing the gap compared to the whole country and the region, ranking 24th out of 63 provinces and cities and 3rd out of 14 in the North Central and Central coastal regions, bringing Ninh Thuan from a poor province in the country to a middle-income province; people's lives have been improved in all aspects. The work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system has been given importance. National defense and security continue to be consolidated and enhanced; strong in terms of potential, forces and posture; Closely and effectively combine socio-economic development with national defense and security.

Soldiers participating in the National Defense Sports Festival. Photo: Van Ny

Entering a new development stage, Ninh Thuan province has many opportunities and advantages but also faces many difficulties and challenges. In the world, peace, cooperation and development are still the major trends but contain many potential risks and challenges with very rapid, complicated and unpredictable developments; territorial struggles, ethnic and religious conflicts; complicated issues in the East Sea, non-traditional security issues that are very difficult to predict; the four risks that our Party pointed out from the mid-term conference of the 7th National Congress still exist, with some developments becoming more complicated and fierce... Those issues pose many difficulties and challenges in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Faced with that requirement, the provincial armed forces need to focus on improving political and military quality; building a comprehensively strong provincial armed forces in a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern direction, well meeting the requirements of the task. To successfully complete that task, the provincial armed forces need to focus on performing well the following key tasks:

Firstly, thoroughly grasp and strictly implement the Party's leadership guidelines and policies and the State's laws. Continue to grasp and advise on the effective implementation of the 13th Central Committee's Resolution 8 on the Strategy for National Defense in the new situation. Build the Ninh Thuan provincial armed forces to be disciplined, elite, modern; strong in politics, military, ideology, ethics, organization and cadres.

Second, strengthen the Party's absolute and direct leadership in all aspects over the armed forces; ensure that the political force is loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people. Party committees and commanders at all levels pay attention to leading political and ideological education, cultivating military ethics, building revolutionary will and belief; train well, practice strictly; improve combat readiness; avoid being passive or surprised in any situation.

Third, promote the core role in building the national defense, the national defense posture associated with the people's security posture. Continue to perform well the function of researching and advising the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee on local military and defense work; grasp the local situation, promptly advise on handling situations to maintain political security, order and social safety; create a peaceful and stable environment for construction and development.

Fourth, focus on building a standing force, militia and reserve forces with high political quality, good combat skills, and a high sense of revolutionary vigilance; build a solid provincial and district defense zone; link defense zones with the construction and development of economic and defense zones in key directions and areas in accordance with the local situation; strengthen political stability, contribute to promoting the rapid and sustainable development of the province's economy, culture and society; and meet the requirements and tasks of building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Fifth, launch and promote patriotic emulation movements, worthy of the title of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in the provincial armed forces. Strengthen the Party's mass mobilization work in the new situation; always be close to the people, respect the people, understand the people, grasp their thoughts and aspirations; help people stabilize their lives, build a solid people's heart position; actively take care of consolidating the great national unity bloc, creating motivation for people to actively participate in revolutionary action movements, build a solid people's heart position and national defense.

Sixth, focus on leading the successful organization of Party Congresses at all levels of the Provincial Armed Forces for the 2025-2030 term; towards the 15th Provincial Party Congress and the 14th National Party Congress. Improve leadership capacity, combat strength, build clean, strong, exemplary and typical Party Committees and Party cells in the Provincial Armed Forces; lead the entire army to successfully complete the tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.

The year 2025 is of special significance, being the final year to implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress; the year to organize Party congresses at all levels for the 2025-2030 term towards the 14th National Party Congress with many important, urgent, pressing tasks and higher and more drastic requirements.

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, we are honored and proud of the achievements of the revolutionary cause, of the glorious feats of arms of our army and the Ninh Thuan Provincial Armed Forces; at the same time, it is also a belief and a great responsibility of the entire political system, the entire Party, the entire people and the cadres and soldiers of the provincial armed forces in the new development period. We believe that, under the glorious flag of the Party, with the invincible strength from the people and the heroic revolutionary tradition; the Ninh Thuan Provincial Armed Forces will excellently complete all tasks assigned by the Party and the people; establish many new feats and achievements; together with the entire Party and the entire people, build Ninh Thuan to become increasingly strong and developed.

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, which is also the time of the changing seasons, preparing to enter the new year of At Ty 2025; on behalf of the provincial leaders, I propose that the entire Party, the entire army, and the entire people promote the spirit of self-reliance, foster confidence, create new motivation and spirit; unite, be creative, strive to break through and rise up with the country to enter a new era - the era of national growth; realize the aspiration to build Ninh Thuan homeland to develop with the prosperous, civilized, and happy country; firmly protect the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam, and steadily advance towards socialism!

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(*) The title of the article is given by the Editorial Board.

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