President highlights defence competence

President Truong Tan Sang has said building Viet Nam's defence capabilities is key to ensuring national security and territorial integrity.

President Truong Tan Sang made the statement at a working session with the Ministry of Defence in Ha Noi yesterday, which aimed to review recent border defence efforts and set out upcoming missions to shore up the nation's borders.


Sang also said the Party and State had been pushing for issues pertaining to the border, seas and islands to be resolved in accordance with international law to ensure stable and peaceful borders with neighbouring countries.

He also urged authorities to dedicate more efforts to improving local living standards in line with economic growth and build a strong people-based defence.

Participants at the meeting agreed that efforts to ensure sovereignty, political stability and social order in the nation's border regions, seas and islands had been effective, while Viet Nam's relationships with border-sharing countries had grown.

The defence ministry, Border Guard High Commands and localities nationwide were praised for their policies to co-ordinate with other countries to implement agreements and regulations on border gates and border marker planting. Participants agreed this had promoted cross-border cooperation.