Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary Nong Duc Manh opened an all-army political conference in Hanoi on December 5 with a confirmation on the Party and State’s strong trust in the army.
The Party leader said “The army plays a particularly important role in the national destiny”.
He pointed out the primary task for the army to raise military’s sense of responsibility as the key element of the national armed forces and a key force of the national defence.
Army should be a force politically firm and extremely loyal to the fatherland, the Party, the State and the people,” said the Party leader.
He also urged the army to play a key role in rescue work as well as in overcoming consequences of natural calamities.
The Party leader called on the army party organisations to get well prepared for the upcoming all-army Party congress and, then, the national Party congress scheduled for 2011.
The conference heard the Minister of Defence, Gen. Phung Quang Thanh’s report on the army’s achievements in 2009, which highlighted effective efforts to constantly strengthen the army’s comprehensive power, especially its combat capacity.
The army chief said the army was also aware of its responsibility to contribute to curbing economic downturns and ensuring social security.
“In 2009 the army sped up production in an effort to self-ensure the living conditions of the army,” he said.
He added the army was also engaged in socio-economic projects, thus making major contributions to hunger elimination and poverty alleviation, especially in remote rural and mountainous areas, border areas and on islands.
He also said the army has played a key role in searching and rescue work during natural calamities.
“Thousands of soldiers and officers were sent out to storm and flood-hit areas to rescue victims and evacuate people at risks to safer places as well as to help ordinary people in overcoming aftermaths.”
“They have won people’s hearts,” emphasised the army chief.
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