Top leader requests Military Region 5 to play core role in building all-people defence

Addressing a ceremony in the central city of Da Nang on April 25 to confer the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces,” on Military Region 5, General Secretary and State President Lam, who is also Secretary of the Central Military Commission, stressed the need to integrate defence building with socio-economic development planning. He highlighted the importance of linking the Central Highlands with the central coastal region, border areas with inland regions, and coastal areas with islands, while maintaining political stability, social order and national sovereignty.

Founded from the Ba To guerrilla unit during the resistance movement against the Japanese fascists, Military Region 5 has grown into strong and resilient armed forces, closely tied to the revolutionary history of the nation. Over more than 80 years of development, they have been awarded numerous noble honours, including the Gold Star Order and the Ho Chi Minh Order, with hundreds of collectives and individuals recognised as Heroes of the People’s Armed Forces.

To fulfil tasks in the new period, the top leader asked the armed forces of Military Region 5 to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the Party’s guidelines on military and defence, and national protection. They were urged to stay proactive, improve research and forecasting capacity, and avoid passivity or surprise in any circumstances.

He emphasised the need to maintain strong political will and strictly uphold the Party’s absolute and direct leadership over the military, while translating major policies of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence into practical conditions of the region.

The leader also called for building a strong military region in terms of politics, ideology, organisation and personnel, while improving overall quality, combat readiness and combat strength. He stressed the necessity to renovate training, exercises, education and discipline management, and to promote the application of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, alongside mastering technical equipment.

At the same time, Military Region 5 must enhance its operational capacity in high-tech warfare, electronic warfare and cyberspace, while effectively handling non-traditional security challenges, civil defence, and search and rescue tasks.

Reaffirming the functions of a combat army, a working army and a production force, he noted that these roles are intertwined and mutually reinforcing in the current context.

He underlined the importance of building a firm “people’s heart and mind posture,” stressing that the strength of the military region depends on the people’s trust and support. Greater attention should be paid to improving livelihoods, especially in remote, ethnic minority, border, disaster-prone, coastal and island areas, General Secretary and President Lam said.

The leader also highlighted the need to build a clean and strong Party organisation, strengthen internal solidarity and military-civilian ties, and promote the study and following of President Ho Chi Minh’s thought, morality and lifestyle. He stressed that the armed forces must remain absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people, and stay steadfast in all circumstances.

He expressed his confidence that the armed forces of Military Region 5 will continue to uphold their heroic tradition, strengthen unity and creativity, and successfully fulfil all assigned tasks, contributing to firmly safeguarding the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

Earlier, the top leader and the defence ministry’s working delegation offered incense in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap at a memorial house within the headquarters of Military Region 5.