Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) reviews the guard of honour while visiting the Border Guard High Command in Hanoi on December 18, 2022. (Photo: VNA)

The tour took place on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) (December 22) and 33 years of the All People’s National Defence Festival.

Reporting at the event, Lt. Gen. Le Duc Thai, Commander of the Border Guard High Command, said the force has ensured a good grasp of the situation; made timely reports and practical proposals; effectively fought against crimes; seriously maintained combat readiness and performed natural disaster response, search, and rescue duties; and actively engaged in building the all-people border defence and developing strong border areas.

Via videoconference, Prime Minister Chinh also learned about difficulties, advantages, and proposals by officers and soldiers of the border guard post of A Pa Chai in the northwestern province of Dien Bien, Truong Sa in the central province of Khanh Hoa, and Ea H’leo in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

In his remarks, the Government leader said over the last 78 years, under the leadership, education, and training by the Party, late President Ho Chi Minh, and veterans of the Party, the VPA has been growing unceasingly; kept steadfast in the goal of fighting for national independence, basing on the people, and staying close to the people; and obtained numerous feats of arms and remarkable attainments during the national liberation struggle and national safeguarding, thus deserving its status as the “heroic army of the heroic Vietnamese people”.

As part of the VPA, border guards form the core force in managing and protecting the national boundary and border areas. They are stationed in the frontline and disadvantaged areas to perform a large number of tasks, he noted.

Stressing the special importance of stability of the national boundary, sovereignty, and territory, he asked the force to maintain a good grasp, and assessment, and precise forecasting of the security and political situation in border, maritime, and key areas; make timely proposals; properly respond to any circumstance; firmly safeguard sovereignty, territory, and border security; effectively deal with non-traditional security challenges; and help resolve border-related issues.

Prime Minister Chinh asked then to strongly help with preventing fishermen’s violation of foreign waters; combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; drastically fight crimes, especially drug and transnational ones; gear up search and rescue plans in anticipation of natural disasters and disease outbreaks; and step up digital transformation and administrative procedure reforms to improve border management.

The force also needs to properly perform mass mobilisation, learn people’s aspirations, help build strong grassroots political systems in border areas, pay due attention to ethnic minority affairs, and assist border residents to reduce poverty and build new-style rural areas.

Another task is to effectively carry out diplomatic duties and form close-knit relations with border guard forces of neighbouring countries to help build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, the PM said, requesting coordination with authorities of border areas to ensure a happy Lunar New Year (Tet) for locals and care for disadvantaged people.

He expressed his belief that despite many difficulties and challenges, the border guard force will successfully perform all assigned duties.