The new era, with the Party’s major strategic orientations, creates breakthroughs and acceleration across all fields, realising the aspiration to successfully build a socialist Viet Nam - with prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, justice and civilisation - standing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s great powers; a country where every citizen enjoys a warm and happy life, supported to develop and prosper; a country with increasing contributions to global peace, stability, development, humanity’s happiness, and global civilisation.

To achieve the goal of leading the nation to a radiant future, our Party continuously renovates its methods, enhances capacity and combat strength, building a Party that truly embodies morality and civilisation with a noble mission of acting as the great helmsman leading the State and society to build and perfect a socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, and for the people; develop a socialist-oriented market economy and socialist democracy; strongly reform the mechanism of Party leadership, State management, and people’s mastery; awaken patriotism, self-confidence, self-control, self-reliance, self-strengthening, national pride, and the aspiration for national development, especially among the youth; closely integrate national strength with the strength of the times; and consolidate the great national unity bloc.

Under the Party’s leadership, the political system with high consensus and unity is determined to successfully carry out the revolution of streamlining the organisational apparatus to be compact, strong, efficient, and effective, creating a new combined strength and development space for the country; building a government close to, respecting, and serving the people, capable of fulfilling three key tasks in the new era: maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; ensuring rapid  and sustainable socio-economic development; and improving people’s living standards — all for better serve the people.

This era of national rise is also a breakthrough era for science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, featuring a digital government, digital economy, digital society, and digital citizens. We stand at a historic moment and opportunity for rapid and sustainable development, but also face very high demands for revolutionary breakthroughs, scientific approaches, timely removal of bottlenecks in fundamental social fields.

Continuing to renovate economic thinking, developing productive forces and socialist production relations adapted to the knowledge economy, based on gradually mastering and applying advanced scientific and technological achievements, is an objective and urgent requirement for our country to rise and shorten the gap with the world and region.

The success of building this new era requires a highly independent, self-reliant economy with high quality and competitiveness, effectively participating in global production and supply chains; a comprehensive, modern, all-people national defence and security which is capable of firmly protecting independence, unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests, and safeguarding the Party, State, people, and socialist regime; maintaining political and social stability; sustainable development of the socialist-oriented market economy, culture, and Vietnamese people in a constantly changing world. This represents a dialectical development of the consistent thinking, theory, and viewpoint of “national independence associated with socialism,” continuing the fundamental and comprehensive achievements of the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

The world is in a period of epochal change, shaping a new order and situation. The trend of cooperation and development is dominant in international relations; however, strategic competition between major countries and power centers continues to evolve in a complex and increasingly fierce manner in traditional and non-traditional spaces. Conflicts and wars are occurring in multiple regions, with the risk of escalation not ruled out.

The development, race, and competition in science, technology, and innovation are causing profound changes, which are altering methods of operation, organisation, and the conduct of warfare, as well as the ways in which nations intervene and engage. The trend of the world situation creates opportunities for Vietnam to achieve its 100-year strategic goals under the leadership of the Party, creating a solid foundation for achieving the 100-year goal of the country's founding; but it also faces challenges in maintaining independence and autonomy, thereby directly affecting and challenging the task of protecting the Fatherland.

Domestically, the four dangers identified by our Party remain, and in some cases have become even more acute. Hostile and reactionary forces are vigorously implementing the strategy of "peaceful evolution" with many insidious, sophisticated, increasingly public, direct, intertwined and dangerous tricks; promoting the process of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the armed forces, demanding the "depoliticization" of the armed forces.

In addition, new, non-traditional challenges and risks have emerged, such as the risk of violating national sovereignty in cyberspace, cyber warfare; environmental security challenges, climate change, rising sea levels, water security, epidemics, and food security. Organised and transnational crime, crimes threatening public order and safety are evolving in complex ways, with increasing “internationalisation,” potentially transforming into threats to national security.

Economic and position-related crimes are closely linked to morally degraded officials within the state apparatus, causing particularly serious consequences and posing direct threats to political security and the people's trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist regime. We are also facing the risk of falling further behind in science and technology, creating security and safety challenges in terms of information and data.

Meanwhile, the use of scientific and technological advancements by criminals is increasing amid the digital transformation process and the building of a digital government, digital economy, and digital society. These realities are posing daily and hourly direct threats to the task of defending the Fatherland.

Firstly, research and practical reviews must be organised to develop the theories, strategies, and doctrines of national defence; the theories, strategies, and doctrines of defence affairs; and the theories, strategies, and doctrines of national security.

This will serve as a solid theoretical foundation for building the people's armed forces capable of meeting the demands and tasks of the new era. These studies must be grounded in Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, and informed by the unique characteristics and valuable lessons from national history, closely aligned with the actual situation in the country and the world related to the task of protecting the Fatherland, national defense and security to conduct the above major studies.

This has been identified as one of the key orientations in the Party’s theoretical research efforts through 2030, with a vision to 2045. Focus shall be placed on explaining and defining more deeply and fully the national and comprehensive nature of the cause of defending the Fatherland. Building and forming theories and viewpoints on the posture of defending the Fatherland - a comprehensive and all-encompassing posture, is a close connection between inside and outside, above and below, with the pillar being the "people's hearts posture" closely linked to the posture of all-people national defense and a solid people’s security posture.

Based on this, mechanisms, policies and supporting conditions must be developed to ensure the operation of this posture in accordance with reality and new situations. Research and advice should aim to supplement, refine and clarify the guidelines and perspectives on partners and subjects; the strategic orientations, objectives, tasks, guiding principles, actors, content, methods, political and legal foundations, and lessons in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests; protecting the Party, the State, the people and the socialist regime; ensuring political and social stability; and promoting the sustainable development of a socialist-oriented market economy, culture, and the Vietnamese people in the new era.

Theoretical frameworks must also be researched and improved concerning both domestic and foreign aspects of national defence. In terms of external affairs, proactive measures are needed to counter and prevent hostile forces from violating sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity and national sovereignty in cyberspace. In domestic affairs, it is necessary to ensure stability from within, the Party’s leadership role, national unity; social order and discipline to keep “warm inside, peaceful outside”.

Secondly, institutionalising the Party’s viewpoints, policies, and guidelines, and reviewing the practical implementation of laws on national defence; selectively studying and adopting international experiences to develop, supplement, and refine institutions, policies, and legislation in line with new realities.

In particular, focus on reviewing legal documents related to functions, tasks, and areas where there is overlap between agencies and units to determine the level and criteria for completion, thereby planning to build new ones or amend and supplement accordingly. In the immediate future, priority should be given to research, development, supplementation and improvement of legal regulations as a direct basis for the tasks of national defense, security and protection of the Fatherland.

Legal regulations should aim at all people living in prosperity, freedom and happiness in a peaceful environment; an orderly, disciplined, secure, safe and healthy society; and ensuring and fully implementing human rights and civil rights as stipulated in the 2013 Constitution; on the role of the people and building a “people’s heart position” in protecting the Fatherland. Regulations should be gradually supplemented to handle and respond to non-traditional security challenges in the system of legal documents in the fields of national defense and security.

Thirdly, building a streamlined, strong, and elite People’s Army that preserves and promotes the fine traditions and noble qualities of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers”; and a truly clean, strong, disciplined, elite and modern People’s Public Security force that maintains and promotes its tradition of “sacrificing for the nation, serving the people”.

Particular attention should be paid to the development of the leadership and command staff, especially at the strategic levels, who must possess sufficient qualities, capacity, prestige, equal to the task, with a reasonable structure, steadfast political will, high working and fighting capacity, pure revolutionary ethics, mastery of science, technique and technology. These individuals must exemplify loyalty to the Fatherland, the Party, the State, the people, and the socialist regime; maintain close ties with the people; and serve the people wholeheartedly.

They must remain steadfast and ready to overcome all hardships and challenges and sacrifices for the ideals and objectives of the Party and the nation. Continuing to implement Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the Party Central Committee and the conclusions and instructions of the Party to reorganise the military and police apparatus, the structure of the staff, ensuring that it is truly lean, compact, strong and effective; innovate work organisation methods to improve work and combat ineffectiveness.

Researching and innovating mechanisms and policies, improving the quality of attracting and training talents, high-quality human resources, and rear policies for the people's armed forces to meet the requirements of national defense and security tasks in the new situation. Enhancing the revolutionary spirit, being ready to overcome all difficulties and hardships, dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good, and successfully completing the tasks of cadres and soldiers. Strengthening internal political protection work for the people's armed forces.

At the same time, it is crucial to step up the fight against the plots and tricks of hostile and reactionary forces seeking to "depoliticise" the People's Army and the People's Public Security Forces. The people's armed forces must set an example and take the lead on the front in defending the Party’s ideological foundations; fighting against corruption, negativity, bureaucracy, and wastefulness; and always serving as a solid pillar of support for the people in the cause of national defence and security.

Fourthly, there must be a unified perception that the task of national defence and security is not only to firmly safeguard the socialist Fatherland but also to become a vital driving force, directly promoting socio-economic development, innovation, openness, and international integration of the country in the new era.

To meet these requirements, the armed forces must take the lead and set an example in implementing Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, on 22 December 2024, by the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, in connection with Resolution No. 23-NQ/T, 22 March 2018, by the Politburo on the orientation for the construction of national industrial development policy until 2030.

Each officer and soldier must uphold a spirit of lifelong learning; take the lead and set an example in the nationwide “Digital Literacy” movement; and transform their learning, training, and application of digital knowledge and skills into an intrinsic need, making a significant contribution to improving their working and fighting capacities. It must strengthen national defence and security potential, mobilising resources and implementing creative, breakthrough solutions that seize the initiative, anticipate trends, and take advantages of international experience and scientific and technological achievements to build an autonomous, self-reliant, dual-use, and modern national defence and security industry that becomes a spearhead of national industry.

Priority should be given to researching and mastering core technologies, technologies for the production of strategic weapons, specialised equipment, telecommunications, digital, and data technologies. Particularly, it is necessary to promptly grasp the most advanced techniques and latest technologies in the world to both apply them in operations and combat and proactively detect new methods and tricks by hostile and reactionary forces, as well as criminals using modern science and technology to prevent and stop them effectively and promptly.

Fifthly, international cooperation in defence and security must be enhanced in both scope and depth; national defence and security diplomacy must continue to play its pioneering role in paving the way for the country’s foreign affairs, serving the cause of safeguarding the Fatherland, upholding Viet Nam’s special geostrategic strengths; and building national defence and security potential and power, seizing opportunities and external resources, turning challenges into opportunities, which contribute to serving the national development and enhancing Viet Nam’s position and prestige.

It must resolutely and persistently implement the "Four no's" defence policy, interweaving interests, maintaining strategic balance and avoiding entanglement in strategic competition among major powers to ensures “A strong Party, a prosperous nation, a peaceful people, a powerful army, more friends, fewer enemies.” Viet Nam should continue to expand and elevate its contributions to peace, security, cooperation, development, and progress for humanity; strongly promote its image as a peace-loving nation, willing to act as a bridge in resolving conflicts and de-escalating hotspots; actively participate in peacekeeping missions, search and rescue efforts, and disaster and catastrophe recovery operations; actively fighting against plots and activities aimed at undermining Viet Nam, effectively address security threats and challenges, and combat crime.

Viet Nam should increasingly participate in multilateral forums, proactively involve in the building of laws and new standards related to national defence and security. This lays a solid foundation for early and distant protection of the Fatherland. It continues to effectively promote strategic research and forecasting capabilities to avoid passivity and surprises in response to rapid political, economic, and security changes in the region and the world, as well as adjustments in the policies and strategies of the partners.

Viet Nam must seize favourable opportunities and minimise negative impacts on the cause of protecting the Fatherland. International cooperation should be expanded, focusing on trusted and traditional partners, and those with scientific and technological potential and strengthens. Priority should be given to promote the transfer, mastery, and development of foreign countries’ technologies, particularly source and strategic technologies and high-quality human resources training for national defence and security to serve the mission of protecting the Fatherland.

REFERENCES:
1. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (2003, 2013, 2023), Resolutions on the strategy for protecting the Fatherland in the new situation.
2. The Politburo (terms VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII), Resolutions and Directives on national defence and security.
3. Communist Party of Viet Nam, Documents of the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th National Party Congresses.

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Published: July 2025
Translation and Design: NDO
Photos: NDO, VNA