Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 8 had a working session with the Ministry of National Defence on the management and use of the land for national defence purposes in the economic production and building in association with military missions.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) speaks at the working session (Source: VNA) 

He was joined by General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence.

 Reports presented at the session highlighted that the joining in economic production and building by the military is a correct and consistent policy of the Party and State. The work has made important contributions to the formation of a firm economic-defence posture, meeting the requirement for the safeguarding of the country.

 The utilization of the defence-purposed land for certain terms in economic production and building activities has ensured the principle of closely combining the socio-economic development with national defence, as it both ensures the long-term reserve of land in service of national defence and brings about economic benefits, the reports affirmed.

 Besides, military-run enterprises have created jobs for labourers, thus helping ensure social security, poverty eradication and stability in far-flung areas and in key and strategic locations.

 The session further heard that over the recent years, the defence ministry has actively instructed the restructuring of military-run enterprises with a view to strongly reducing the number of enterprises with 100 percent of State capital while focusing in the fields providing direct services to national defence and security.

 Participants were also told that on the basis of the Land Law and Government’s regulations, the Central Military Commission of the 2016-2021 tenure has issued many documents relating to the work, and the National Defence Ministry ordered inspection of and supervision over the use and management of the defence-purposed land while violations have been properly dealt with.

 Concluding the session, PM Phuc hailed the efforts and determination by the commission and the ministry in the work. As for the tasks in the time to come, the Government leader asked the commission and the ministry to absorb ideas contributed and perfect documents to submit to relevant authorities for consideration and decision.

 The documents should go that enterprises will be allowed to use defence-purposed land for economic production and building, and contracts that have expired or proved poorly effective resolutely terminated while effective and suitable ones allowed to run to the end of their terms. The ministry should exercise a close management of the work, maintain stability of the military and prevent hostile forces from taking advantage of the work for sabotage activities.

 PM Phuc expressed his hope that the ministry will lead and set an example in the equitization, divestment and handing over the land used by enterprises engaged purely in construction, trade and services and those related to military and defence missions in a low level back to localities. Basic and long-term policies and solutions should be worked out for a close management and bringing into the fullest play the efficiency of the defence-purposed land for both national defence and development.