Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (front row, seventh from right) and delegates at the political-military conference of the army in Hanoi on July 5(Photo: VNA)

Underlining that the world and regional situation is forecast to continue developing complicatedly and unpredictably with many risk factors, causing many difficulties and challenges for the country, he stressed that the task of building the army, reinforcing national defiance and protecting the Fatherland will become harder.

He asked the VPA to further improve its forecasting capacity, and provide more strategic advice to the Party and State in defense and military areas, while giving flexible and effective response to particular situations.

The PM requested the army to strictly manage the airspace, seas, border, national territory and cyberspace, enhancing the efficiency in State management over defense activities, and paying greater attention to the personnel training work.

The army should focus on developing a modern defense industry basing on the achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while turning it into a strong force in socio-economic development and infrastructure building, playing the core role in responding to natural disasters, incidents, as well as in search and rescue activities, and coordinating with the People’s Public Security force to build and reinforce the “people-based battlefield”, he said.

The PM also underlined the need for the VPA to continue to actively, comprehensively and effectively conduct international integration and defence external relations, affirming Vietnam’s “Four Nos” defence policy. Accordingly, Vietnam advocates neither joining any military alliances, siding with one country against another, giving any other countries permission to set up military bases or use its territory to carry out military activities against other countries, nor using force or threatening to use force in international relations.