National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on December 19 visited the Vietnam Navy in Hai Phong city on the occasion of the 67 th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (Dec. 22, 1944-2011).

Meeting with the naval officers and sailors, the NA Chairman stressed that the Party and State are always proud of and acknowledge the great contributions and sacrifice of the people’s armed forces, including naval forces who day and night perform the task of protecting the fatherland’s sea and islands.

In the context where the country is facing many difficulties and challenges, the naval personnel must have accurate forecasts and assessments on the situation in order to promptly deal with all eventualities, he said.

Chairman Hung affirmed that the Party and State always support and create the best conditions for the Vietnamese people’s naval force to competently fulfil their tasks.

Officers and soldiers in the naval units should make ceaseless efforts to improve their combat capacity and preserve entrusted weapons and equipment, he said.

He expressed his wish that the Vietnam Navy will ensure it becomes a modern force and becomes the master of sea and islands.

The tasks of building the country and protecting national sovereignty are closely linked, Hung said, adding that achievements in ensuring security and defence reflect the sound foreign policy of the Party and State as well as the great efforts, heroic sacrifice and resilient combat spirit of the Vietnamese people’s armed forces.

On the occasion, the NA Chairman presented a statue of Tran Hung Dao, an outstanding commander in the history of national construction and defence, to the Navy./.