Duties and powers of Vietnam Coast Guard

Duties and powers of Vietnam Coast Guard (Internet image)

1. What is the Vietnam Coast Guard?

Vietnam Coast Guard shall be a People’s armed force and a specialized force under the State management, shall play core roles in enforcing laws and maintaining national security, order and safety at sea.

Vietnam Coast Guard shall perform the function of counseling the Minister of Defense to promulgate, according to his/her competence, or make representations to the Party and the State on the policies and laws on protection of national security, order and safety at sea; protecting state sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the territorial waters of Vietnam; managing security, order and safety and ensuring observance of Vietnamese laws and treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party or international agreements within its competence.

(Article 3 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018)

2. Duties and powers of Vietnam Coast Guard

2.1. Duties of Vietnam Coast Guard

The duties of the Vietnam Coast Guard as prescribed in Article 8 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018 include:

- Collect information, analyze, evaluate and forecast the situation so as to propose guidelines, solutions and plans for national security protection and law enforcement at sea; study, analyze, forecast and counsel competent authorities to promulgate policies and legislation on the protection of national sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and national security in the territorial waters of Vietnam, maintain order, safety, prevent and combat crimes and violations against legislation on the sea.

- Defend national sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction, security, and interests of the state and people; conserve marine resources and environment; protect legitimate property, rights and interests of entities and persons at sea.

- Strive for the prevention and control of crimes, violations of law, maintenance of security, order and safety at sea; search, rescue and participate in mitigation of marine environmental emergencies.

- Participate in the building of the defense and security posture and respond to defense and security situations at sea.

- Carry out propaganda, dissemination and education of law.

- Receive and utilize personnel, vessels and civil engineering equipment mobilized to defend national sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

- Implement international cooperation based on treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party and international agreements related to the functions, tasks and powers of the Vietnam Coast Guard.

2.2.  Powers of Vietnam Coast Guard

The powers of the Vietnam Coast Guard defined in Article 9 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018 include:

- Patrol, inspect and control people, vessels, cargo and luggage in the territorial waters of Vietnam under the provisions of this Law and other relevant law provisions.

- Use weapons, explosives and other accessories as provided for in Article 14 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018.

- Use professional technical means and equipment under the provisions of Article 15 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018 and other relevant law provisions.

- Impose legal penalties for administrative violations.

- Conduct a number of criminal investigation activities in accordance with the law on organization of criminal investigation agencies and criminal procedure law.

- Chase vessels in violation of law at sea.

- Mobilize people, vessels and civil technical means and equipment of Vietnamese entities and citizens in case of emergency.

- Request foreign organizations and individuals operating in the territorial waters of Vietnam to provide support and assistance in case of emergency.

- Arrest seagoing vessels in accordance with law.

- Apply working measures prescribed in Article 12 of the Law on Vietnam Coast Guard 2018.

Diem My

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