Hanoi (VNA) - ෴State President Luong Cuong has urged officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy to strengthen solidarity, remain proactive, flexible, and creative, and seize opportunities to overcome challenges and excellently accomplish all assigned tasks, resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty over seas and islands.

Addressing a ceremony hosted by the Vietnam People's Navy in the northern city of Hai Phong on May 7 to mark its 70th founding anniversary (May 7, 1955 - 2025) , Cuong requested the naval force to continuously uphold the noble traditions of the nation, the heroic Vietnam People's Army and its glorious legacy, and stay committed to well performing their mission. He said amidst the increasingly complicated and unpredictable developments in the region and the world, the seas and islands hold vital strategic significance for socio-economic development and international integration, serving as a particularly important strategic space for national defence and security. He stated that safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam’s seas and islands is the will, aspiration, and responsibility of the entire Party, people, and army, with the Vietnam People's Navy as the core force.

The naval force must consistently and thoroughly grasp the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws, particularly the resolution of the 13th Party Central Committee’s 8th plenum on national defence strategy in the new situation; the 12th Party Central Committee’s resolution on the strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy till 2030, with a vision to 2045; as well as the Party’s and State's positions on safeguarding sea and island sovereignty and resolving disputes at sea, Cuong stressed. He asked the force to closely monitor the situation and provide timely, accurate, and effective recommendations to the Party, State, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defence on policies and measures to firmly protect the national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, including sea and island territories early and from afar, in tandem with maintaining an environment of peace and stability at sea to develop the nation. He emphasised the need to focus on building comprehensively strong agencies and units, with special attention to improving the quality of political and ideological education throughout the naval force; fostering political mettle among officers and soldiers, ensuring they clearly understand their tasks, partners, adversaries, and the schemes and tactics of hostile forces. One of the naval force’s other key tasks is to continue building a lean, strong, revolutionary, elite, and modern force; effectively integrate national defence, security, foreign affairs, and economic activities; proactively study and propose solutions for maritime economic development; and efficiently implement economic-defence projects and programmes at sea, he said. He emphasised that the navy must always serve as a core force and a steadfast support for fishermen at sea, contributing to building an all-people national defence posture and a “people's heart position” at sea; strengthening international cooperation and law enforcement at sea; promptly addressing emerging issues; and firmly safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction, and national interests at sea. The President also called for continued efforts to build the clean and strong Party Organisation of the navy in terms of politics, ideology, ethics, organisation, and personnel; enhance the leadership capacity and combat strength of Party committees and organisations at all levels, in association with promoting the studying and following of President Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style; and resolutely combating corruption, wastefulness, and other negative phenomena, signs of degradation in political ideology, ethics and lifestyle, as well as internal “self-evolution,” “self-transformation” manifestations and attempts to “depoliticise” the army and “civilianise” military affairs. Filled with pride in the naval force’s victories and achievements over the past 70 years, Cuong expressed his belief that the force will continue to unite and stand shoulder to shoulder with the entire Party, people, and army to confidently lead the country into a new era of robust development and prosperity. On this occation, for the third time, the Vietnam People's Navy was honoured with the Ho Chi Minh Order — a noble distinction bestowed by the Party and State in recognition of the force’s outstanding contributions and remarkable achievements in the new era./.