President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA)

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, has requested the council’s members and agencies to promote their role in ensuring the country’s defence and security, and actively prevent and cope with both short-term and long-term non-traditional security challenges.

Chairing the first session of the council in the 2021-2026 tenure on December 7, President Phuc stressed the need for a close combination between defence-security and diplomacy, promoting defence and security diplomacy, and safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar.

The army, public security and related forces need to continue to closely coordinate to effectively implement the guidelines and directions of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to ensure the motto of safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the pandemic, he said.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (C) and members of the National Defence and Security Council in the 2021-2026 tenure (Photo: VNA)

It is important to grasp the situation related to economic security of Vietnam and the world, promptly give consultancy to Party and State leaders on guidelines and policies to restore post-pandemic socio-economic development, the President stressed.

Regarding the task of participating in UN peacekeeping operations, the State leader asked the army to study and expand the number of participants and target areas, and the public security force to promote training to send officers and soldiers to UN peacekeeping missions.

He also urged the continued implementation of cybersecurity and cyber warfare measures and the strict settlement of wrong and distorted information against the Party and State./.