Quang Tri’s border guards: Safeguarding peace and national sovereignty

After 35 years of implementing the People’s Border Guard Day, Quang Tri Province has adopted many innovative and practical approaches, mobilizing the collective strength of the entire political system to safeguard national sovereignty and border security within the province. People’s Border Guard Day has truly become a festival for the entire population. On the occasion of commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Border Guard (March 3, 1959 - 2024), the 35th anniversary of People’s Border Guard Day (March 3, 1989 - 2024), and the review of the 5 years of People’s Border Guard Day from 2019 to 2024, Vo Van Hung, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, spoke to Quang Tri Newspaper about the results of implementing this mission.

Could you please elaborate on the significant milestones of the People's Border Guard Day from 2019 to 2024 in Quang Tri Province, where the collective strength of the entire political system has been mobilized to construct and firmly protect sovereignty, border security, maritime areas, and islands?

The relentless implementation of the Party’s policies and viewpoints, as well as President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology regarding the role and strength of the people, is vividly demonstrated in the decision made by the Council of Ministers (now the Government) on February 22, 1989, issuing Decision No. 16 regarding the organization of National Border Defense Day nationwide. During the third session of the 11th National Assembly, the National Border Law was passed, designating March 3rd of each year as the National Border Defense Day.

In recent years, under the leadership and guidance of the Party and the State, as well as the efforts of central agencies, provincial Party committees, local authorities, and border areas, comprehensive development has been achieved in politics, economy, culture, society, and defense and security. Additionally, the Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and the Fatherland Front at all levels have consistently led and directed the coordination efforts to vigorously promote the mass movement in implementing National Border Defense Day, which is closely linked to building a national defense and people’s security system. They encourage and educate people across the province to participate in border construction and protection.

Quang Tri’s Border Guards and locals patrol the border. Photo: P.P.T

Various campaigns focusing on border and maritime areas have been extensively implemented, mobilizing significant resources to support border areas, islands, border posts, and stations. This timely encouragement has helped border officials, soldiers, and local people overcome difficulties and effectively fulfill their duties of safeguarding sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and maintaining regional border security. National Border Defense Day has become a festival for the people in border areas, maritime regions, and islands.

Moreover, the Provincial Party Committee and Border Guard Command have consistently emphasized the enhancement of propaganda, education, and awareness among officials, soldiers, Party members, and the people in border areas. Up to now, 127 self-managed security groups with over 1,000 registered households have been established to manage border areas and national border landmarks. Additionally, 79 self-managed security and order groups in villages and 51 self-managed groups for boats and ships have been formed to ensure safety.

The Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee have provided leadership and direction to the Border Guard Command in proactively coordinating closely with relevant forces and local people to directly manage and protect national sovereignty, border security, and social order. This close coordination has contributed to the successful resolution of 204 cases, with 270 arrests and the seizure of various contraband items.

The Border Guard forces have closely coordinated with the police and military command to effectively implement Decree No. 03/2019/ND-CP, dated September 5, 2019, on the coordination between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense in safeguarding national security, ensuring social order and safety, combating crime, and local military-defense tasks.

The police, military, and border forces have effectively implemented the coordination mechanism, proactively grasped the situation on both borderlines and at sea, and coordinated in resolving incidents decisively and flexibly to prevent the escalation of tensions. They have built a comprehensive people’s border defense within the framework of national defense and people’s security, strengthening the province’s border defense forces.

The Provincial Party Committee and Border Guard Command have advised local authorities to appoint three comrades to join the district-level Party committees, 13 comrades to hold permanent deputy secretary positions in border commune Party committees, and to strengthen the border communes with an additional 14 comrades joining the Party committees. Moreover, 61 Party members from border posts have been assigned to participate in village-level Party cells, with 368 Party members assigned to oversee over 1,300 households in border areas.

These efforts have gradually strengthened the grassroots political system in border communes, with Party activities becoming more established and the leadership capacity and combat readiness of Party grassroots units being enhanced.

Numerous models, programs, movements, and campaigns aimed at impoverished people and ethnic minorities in remote and border areas, such as “Accompanying Border Women,” “Warm Border Spring,” “Border Shelter,” “Adopt a Border Post,” “Border Guard in Building New Rural Areas,” “Livestock for Border Poor,” “Goat Farming for Startup,” “Border Light,” and many others, have contributed to improving the material and spiritual lives of the people and reinforcing their trust in the Party, State, and Military.

Specifically, 120 “Shelters for the Poor in Border Areas” and 24 civil construction projects worth over VND9 billion have been constructed, nearly 12,000 gift packages worth VND4 billion have been distributed, and gifts have been given to families of policy beneficiaries, students, and families in difficult circumstances in border areas totaling VND9.4 billion.

During natural disasters, the Border Guard forces have closely coordinated with relevant authorities and the people to actively implement the “4 on the spot” motto, mobilizing thousands of officials, soldiers, and hundreds of vehicles to participate in search, rescue, and disaster relief efforts, protecting the lives and property of the people. The image of soldiers in green uniforms sacrificing themselves to save people during disasters has contributed to strengthening the unity between the military and the people, further enhancing the image of the “Soldiers of Uncle Ho” in the new era. Foreign affairs in border defense and people-to-people diplomacy have always been emphasized. In recent times, the province has successfully cooperated with the Border Guard Command to organize the Vietnam-Laos Border Friendship Exchange Program in 2019 and effectively served the Vietnam-Laos National Defense Exchange Program in 2021, which was highly appreciated by the leadership of both parties, states, and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

The Provincial Border Guard Command has actively advised and coordinated with Party committees and local governments of border districts to maintain and effectively implement the model of twinning between communities on both sides of the border. Up to now, there have been 27 pairs of villages in Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts that have signed twinning agreements with 27 villages in three districts of Laos. The model of “Village-to-Village Twinning Across the Border” is an innovative approach to mass mobilization and a new mindset in building a comprehensive national defense posture in the new era. It is also a vivid testimony to the special friendship between the Parties, States, and Peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

It can be affirmed that National Border Defense Day has become a festival for the entire people. Through this, it contributes to encouraging and motivating the Border Guard forces and the people in border areas, maritime regions, and islands of the province to overcome difficulties in managing and protecting the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland in the new situation, creating favorable conditions for successfully fulfilling the socio-economic development tasks and building Quang Tri province increasingly wealthy and beautiful.

Huong Phung Border Guards guide people’s caring off-season corn crops. Photo: Le Truong

What are the key tasks and solutions needed soon to ensure the widespread dissemination of National Border Defense Day?

To continue effectively implementing National Border Defense Day and safeguarding the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and border security of the province in the new context, the Party committees, government authorities, departments, agencies, organizations, and armed forces units in the province need to deeply grasp the spirit of Resolution No. 33 of the Politburo regarding the national border defense strategy.

They need to excel in propaganda and education to raise awareness, promote the voluntary spirit, and sense of responsibility among all officials, party members, and people, especially those living in border areas, to effectively participate in the movement “All people protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national border security”.

Recognizing the task of building and safeguarding the Fatherland as a common task of the entire Party, people, and army, as well as the entire political system, with the Border Guard as the specialized force and core force to ensure border security and create conditions for socio-economic development; concurrently, they should coordinate, cooperate, and proactively grasp the situation, provide advice on handling complex situations.

The Party committees, government authorities, departments, agencies, organizations, and armed forces units in the province should strengthen coordination and cooperation with the provincial Border Guard forces in carrying out the task of managing and safeguarding sovereignty, and maintaining law and order in the province’s border areas. They should promote activities on National Border Defense Day with practical and specific actions; meanwhile, launch social security movements, and material and spiritual support for the people and officers, soldiers in border areas, coastal areas, and islands.

They should specify the objectives, tasks, and solutions to protect sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national border security into the political tasks of each level, each sector appropriately and effectively, as well as focus on developing socio-economic development attached to strengthening national defense and security.

They should regularly care for and build the provincial Border Guard forces and armed forces units in the province to be disciplined, skillful, gradually modernized, worthy of being the core force, specialized force in building, managing, and safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, national border security; strengthening organization, improving the quality of activities of the entire political system in border areas, enhancing leadership, direction, management, and operation efficiency of Party committees, government authorities at all levels, contributing to building a solid national border defense posture, linked with the national defense posture and people’s security.

Continuously implement flexible, creative, and effective foreign defense, border defense, and people’s diplomacy. Enhance exchange activities, fostering bonds between border defense forces and people on both sides of the border, and building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developed border.

Thank you for your time!

Phan Phuoc Trung - Ngoc Mai