The discussion on the combination of the army's economic and defence activities takes place on July 6 (Photo: qdnd.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Combining economic and defenceactivities are a long-term strategic task of the army, it was affirmed at a discussionheld by Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) daily in Hanoi on July 6.
Maj. Gen. Pham Van Huan, Editor in chief of thenewspaper, said the discussion aimed to clarify the Party’s viewpoint on the“three in one” functions of the army, which require it to be ready to fight, towork and to produce.
Prof. Dr Hoang Chi Bao, former member of theParty Central Committee’s Theoretical Council, said the army’s important rolein both combat and economic production and development was proved throughoutthe country’s history. In the post-war period, military-run farms andbusinesses and workers in the defence industry helped cater for the demand ofboth the army and the civil life.
At present, the re-organisation of enterprises,including the equitisation of military-run businesses, aims to perfect thesocialist-oriented market economy. It doesn’t mean the military will no longer involvein economic activities; on the contrary it as to do them better, he stressed.
Maj. Gen. Vo Hong Thang, Director of the DefenceMinistry’s economic affairs department, said the engagement in economicproduction and development is to perform one of the three functions that theParty and the State assigned to the Vietnam People’s Army.
In the past, the army conducted productionactivities to support the resistance wars against France and the US. When thecountry was reunified, it also took the lead in promoting socio-economicdevelopment, especially in rural, border and island areas. Its economic activitieshave made great strides in recent years, bringing about a number of importantoutcomes in terms of economy-society and defence-security, he noted.
Those outcomes have proved the Party and State’sright policy of mobilising the army’s participation in economic development,Thang affirmed.
He said the army must combine economic anddefence activities so as to carry out the task of developing and protecting thenation. Its production and economic activities must be strictly managed in linewith the law and not affect the army’s training and combat readiness.
Echoing the view, other participants in thediscussion said the army must simultaneously improve its combat strength andeconomic activities, thereby contributing more to Vietnam’s resources andstrength.-VNA
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