What is national defence? Citizen’s national defence rights and obligations in Vietnam

What is national defence? Citizen’s national defence rights and obligations in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. What is national defence?

According to Clause 1, Article 2 of the Law on National Defence 2018, national defence means the defence of the nation with the combined strength of the whole nation in which the military power is characteristic, the people's armed forces are the core.

Specifically, the military is a special social activity in terms of building the armed forces and armed struggle, in which the People's Army is the core.

(Clause 1, Article 2 of the Law on National Defence 2018)

2. Citizen’s national defence rights and obligations in Vietnam

Specifically, in Article 5 of the Law on National Defence 2018, the citizen’s national defence rights and obligations include:

- Protection of the Homeland is the sacred duty and the noble right of each citizen.

- Citizens shall have the duty to be loyal to the Homeland; perform military service; have obligations to join the militia and self-defence force, to build all people's national defence; submit to measures of the State and competent persons in the performance of national defence tasks under the provisions of this Law and other relevant laws.

- Citizens shall have access to propaganda and dissemination of the guidelines and viewpoints of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State's policies and laws on national defence; national defence and security education; training in knowledge and skills in civil defence according to the provisions of law.

- Citizens serving in the people's armed forces or mobilized for performance of the national defence duty, they and their relatives shall enjoy legally required benefits and policies.

- All citizens shall be entitled to equal treatment in implementation of the national defence duty.

3. Prohibited acts in the national defence sector in Vietnam

The following acts are strictly prohibited in national defence sector:

- Oppose independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity of the Homeland, the people, the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State, the socialism, the building and safeguarding of the Homeland.

- Establish, participate in and sponsor armed organizations in contravention of law.

- Mobilize and use people, weapons, explosives, support tools, equipment, and other means to carry out armed activities without obtaining orders or decisions of competent authorities or not in the approved training, drill and combat preparedness plans.

- Fight against or hinder agencies, organizations and individuals while they are performing their national defence tasks

- Make use of or abuse the performance of national defence tasks to infringe upon the national interests or legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organizations or individuals.

- Practice the sex discrimination in the performance of national defence tasks.

(Article 6 of the Law on National Defence 2018)

4. State policy on national defence in Vietnam

According to Article 4 of the Law on National Defence 2018, the State's policies on national defence include:

- Consolidate and strengthen the all-people national defence and military strength so as to build and firmly protect the Vietnam’s socialist Homeland and contribute to the protection of peace in the region and the globe.

- Exercise independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity on land, islands, at sea and in the airspace; implement the policy of peace and self-defence; use sound and proper measures to prevent, deter, repel and defeat all plots and acts of aggression.

- Carry out the defence external relation activities in line with the foreign policy of independence, self-control, peace, friendship, cooperation and development; prevent wars in any form;

Actively and enthusiastically integrate and expand international cooperation, defence dialogue and create an international environment favorable for building and protection of the Homeland;

Disagree participation in military forces or alliances with one party against the other; refuse to allow foreign entities to establish their military bases or use the territory of Vietnam to attack other countries;

Repulse threatening or use of force in international relations; settle all disputes and discrepancies by peaceful means on the principle of respect for independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit;

Comply with the Constitution, the laws of Vietnam and related international treaties of which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

- Mobilize resources of domestic agencies, organizations and individuals for the performance of national defence tasks.

- Encourage and create favorable conditions for agencies, organizations and individuals to provide material, financial and spiritual support to national defence on the principle of voluntariness, not infringing Vietnamese laws and conforming to international law.

- Develop science and technology to build all people's national defence, the people's armed forces, the national defence and security industry to meet requirements of the task of building and defending the Homeland.

- The State shall adopt preferential policies for agencies, organizations and individuals in the performance of defence tasks; issue particular policies for the border areas, on offshore islands, strategic and key regions and geographical areas that play crucial national defence roles.

- The State shall recognize meritorious work and commends agencies, organizations and individuals that have made outstanding achievements in the performance of national defence tasks.

Thanh Rin

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