Who are the border guards? Organizational system of the Border Guard in Vietnam

Who are the border guards? Organizational system of the Border Guard in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Who are the border guards?

- The Border Guard is the people's armed forces, a component of the Vietnam People's Army, and is the core force, specializing in managing and protecting national borders and border areas.

- The Border Guard has the function of advising the Minister of National Defense to promulgate according to its authority or propose to the Party and State policies and laws on border guards; carry out state management of national defense, security, and foreign affairs; and preside over and coordinate with agencies and organizations to maintain security, order, and social safety in border areas and border gates according to the regulations of the Law.

(Article 13 of the Vietnam Border Guard Law 2020)

2. Organizational system of the Border Guard

The Border Guard's organizational system includes:

- Border Guard Command:

+ Border Guard Command agencies include: General Staff; Department of Politics; Reconnaissance Department; Department of Drug and Crime Prevention; Border Gate Department; Logistics Department; Technical Department;

+ Units under the Border Guard Command include: Border Guard Navy; Border Guard Information Brigade; Border Institute; Border Guard College; Border Guard Intermediate School 24; Training center - mobile;

+ The agencies and units specified in Points a and b of this Clause have affiliated units.

- Border Guard Command of provinces and centrally run cities:

+ Border Guard Command agencies of provinces and centrally run cities include: Staff Department; Political Department; Reconnaissance Department; Department of Drug and Crime Prevention; Logistics Department; Technical Department;

+ The agency specified in Point a of this Clause has affiliated units.

- Border Guard Station; Port Border Guard Command; Border Guard Squadron

+ Border Guard Station includes: Armed Forces; Mass Mobilization Team; Reconnaissance Team; Drug and Crime Prevention Team; Administrative Control Team; Staff-Administrative Team; Boat Team; Border Guard Station;

+ Border Guard Command Board includes: Staff; Political Committee; Reconnaissance Department; Department of Drug and Crime Prevention; Logistics-Technical Department; Administrative Team; Procedures Team; Boat Team; Border Guard Station;

+ Border Guard Squadron includes: Staff - Administrative Team; Border Patrol Team.

(Article 3 of Decree 106/2021/ND-CP)

3. Use of weapons, explosives, and support tools of the Border Guard in Vietnam

- Case 1: When performing their duties, officers and soldiers of the Border Guard are allowed to use weapons, explosives and support tools according to the provisions of the Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Support Gears.

- Case 2:In addition to cases of military shooting according to the provisions of the  Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Support Tools, when performing the task of fighting crime and violating the law, ensuring security, order and social safety, officers and soldiers of the Border Guard are allowed to open military fire at ships and boats at border seas and rivers except for vessels of diplomatic missions, foreign consulates, representative offices of international organizations, vessels carrying people or hostages, to stop vessels, in one of the following cases:

+ The person operating the boat attacks or directly threatens the life of the person performing their official duties;

+ When it is known that the vessel carrying criminals, weapons, illegal explosives, reactionary documents, state secrets, drugs, and national treasures intentionally flees;

+ When a vessel has a subject who has committed acts of piracy or armed robbery according to the provisions of international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member, provisions of the law on the crime of intentionally fleeing.

- Case 3: When opening fire according to case (2), officers and soldiers of the Border Guard must warn with actions, orders, words or shoot in the air before opening fire on ships and boats; Must obey orders of authority when performing organized duties.

(Article 17 of Vietnam Border Guard Law 2020)

Diem My

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