Enhancing defence capabilities to sustain national security and territorial integrity is a key and constant task of the Party, State and all people, with armed forces as core participants.

President Truong Tan Sang made the remarks at a working session with the Ministry of Defence in Hanoi on April 1, aiming to review recent border defence work and set out upcoming missions to protect the national border in the light of integration.

The Vietnamese Party and State have been pushing international cooperation to resolve issues pertaining to the border, seas and islands to create a stable environment and build borders of peace and friendship with other neighbouring countries, President Sang said.

He required the authorities concerned to pay great attention to improving local living standards in line with spurring economic growth and building a strong people-based defence.

Participants at the meeting agreed that the work on protecting sovereignty, political security and social order in the border areas, seas and islands has been sustained, while the relationships between Vietnam and its border-sharing countries have increasingly grown and expanded.

The defence ministry, Border Guard High Commands and localities nationwide were hailed for putting forth many policies and solutions to coordinate with other countries to implement effectively agreements and regulations on border gates and border marker planting, thus creating a basis for promoting cross-border cooperation.-VNA