[ad_1]
On the 75th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of September 2, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vice Minister of Defense, gave interviews on the development of Defense Foreign Affairs.
– The August Revolution left many historical lessons about President Ho Chi Minh’s motto “immutable, immutable”. As a researcher and director of foreign defense affairs, what lessons have you learned?
The motto “immutable, immutable” is one of the sages that President Ho Chi Minh left for eternity. In 1945, the situation changed very quickly, creating a new world with a new division of power.
With a strategic vision, in August 1945, the National Conference of Party Delegates held in Tan Trao decided to launch the entire insurrection of the people to take power from the Japanese fascist, before the allies entered Indochina.
President Ho Chi Minh wrote a letter to appeal “The decisive hour for the destiny of the nation has arrived. All the peoples of the nation, please rise up, bring your forces and liberate yourselves.”
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vice Minister of National Defense, spoke with VnExpress on September 2, 2020. (Photo: Giang Huy)
The general uprising won outright. The newly born Democratic Republic of Vietnam had to face many difficulties and challenges; Not only worrying about the consolidation of the young revolutionary government, but also fighting internal and external enemies with cunning strategies.
The Party and President Ho Chi Minh temporarily suspended peace with Tuong to defeat the French colonialists to invade. dangerous challenge.
The first constant in this period and also throughout history, is the objective of achieving and maintaining the independence, freedom of the country and “bringing our forces to liberate ourselves.”
At that time, Vietnam sided with the righteous, “Allies.” But the “allies” are not specific countries, but all countries. This is also a constant in Vietnam’s foreign policy from 1945 until now, which is independence, autonomy, and diversification and multilateralization in international relations. The ultimate goal is to ensure the interests of the nation, the nation, based on the fundamental principles of international law, equality and mutual benefit. We are not one side against the other.
One more constant has been proven in practice over the last 75 years. That national independence must be associated with socialism. Without these two interconnected factors, we do not have the August Revolution, no victory in the war of resistance against the French, the United States and the wars that followed, and the development of the country as it is today.
In addition, I am aware of a constant in consciousness that is also very important, which is a calm, alert, clear and lucid mind. With an unchanging mind, each person will see things, phenomena clearly, objectively and will make the right decisions.
– Currently the relations between some important countries are tense and it seems that many others are in a position to be dragged on all sides. How can Vietnam “not side with the other”?
Faced with the complicated evolution of the world situation, there are countries that have been forced to choose sides, but not Vietnam. We have good or bad relationships, close or distant, supportive or not, but we always maintain independence and autonomy on the basis of respect for the interests of other countries.
thuong-tuong-nguyen-chi-vinh.jpg
No one and no other country can force Vietnam to choose a side because we are independent, independent, safe and independent by our power.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh
Someone asked me “Are you afraid that the great country will force you to choose sides?” Said “We choose ourselves. No one and no other country can force Vietnam to choose a side because we are independent, independent, safe and independent on our own.
There are countries that always say, when they were born, this world was theirs, they will lead and dominate the world, but Vietnam is not like that. We think that Vietnam is of the world, Vietnam is for the world, but its value is Vietnam and it defends itself.
Those who questioned have expressed their undeniable agreement with our arguments. Oppression, power, the use of power for our own benefit is against the laws of nature. And when it goes against the direction of human evolution, the future will fail or even perish.
– The 2019 National Defense White Paper states that Vietnam does not join the military alliance, but “depending on the evolution of the situation and under specific conditions, Vietnam will consider developing military and defense relations. Establish …”. How can you understand this “optional”, sir?
The Vietnam National Defense White Paper clearly states that we adhere to the principle of “not using force in international relations”. This is in the charter of the United Nations, the behavior of all nations. On that basis, Vietnam stipulates “three no’s” militarily so as not to be on one side against the other, not to allow foreign countries to establish military bases, not to join the military alliance. This three zero is immutable.
The content “depending on the evolution of the situation and under specific conditions, Vietnam will consider developing the necessary military and defense relations …”, it is understood that the relationship will change. depending on the evolution of the situation. Of course, we protect our interests, the correct reasoning on the basis of common human values, international law. But if our partner does not respect that, we must change, we cannot maintain the relationship with them as before.
When countries respect the interests, the political regime, the territorial integrity of Vietnam and behave in accordance with international law, we will respect them. Thus, we do not rigidly consider this man always good, the other is always bad, but depending on his attitude and work to manage the relationship, look after the interests of the country.
Currently, Vietnam has established hotlines with several countries. What is the meaning of this, sir?
The current hotline in military communications is a symbol of trust and determination on both sides to resolve any issues that arise. When subordinates cannot solve it, or have not solved it in time, the two countries can use the top level, even the highest level, so as not to turn a small local problem into a big local big one.
Vietnam attaches great importance and pays great attention to the creation of hotlines with neighboring countries. We currently have direct lines with China, Laos and Cambodia, promoting with the Russian Federation. The hotlines are not only at the level of the Minister of Defense, but also the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Staff. For China, Laos also has the level of chairman of the General Political Department. Hotlines will be used whenever all levels must meet to solve problems.
In addition to the regular hotlines, Vietnam also has occasional hotlines with the leaders of the Ministries of Defense of the ASEAN countries and some other countries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we met online with many ministers, vice ministers and chiefs of staff from countries.
The hotline in recent times has brought great benefits, quickly solving emerging problems, such as the problem of fishermen, complications at the border, enforcement of the law at sea …
– With the experience of an intelligence officer who has participated in many dialogues, what is your most memorable memory?
That was a dialogue with China in 2011, when the situation in the South China Sea was very tense. At that time, public opinion, the international press and some Chinese media said it very strongly. Leaders assign me tasks to consider responding. Between the two pairing or explanation options, our leaders have chosen to explain. I went to China with my colleagues.
More than 10 years working in foreign affairs and especially through that trip, I found that, no matter how much confrontation, we must maintain a dialogue. When we sit together, we have to be persistent, persistent, and persistent. Perseverance makes the subject understand what we want, what we cannot approve and what we cannot accept. In a dialogue, which side is more restrained, that side will win.
It is also important that behind those who do foreign relations, the country must be strong, the military must be strong, the path must be clear. The country is weak, the military does not have the best ability to protect the homeland, politics will fail at one point or another.
– You once said that to preserve peace, you must be ready for war. So how is the combat readiness of the Vietnamese People’s Army displayed in the current context?
To be more precise, to preserve peace we must have a strong country. If a country wants to be strong, the defense must be strong and capable of defending the country in all circumstances. Thus, there can be peace, stable, independent, unconditional.
For strong defense, we have to buy weapons, develop defense industry, build friendly units … However, for Vietnam, a small country and economic conditions are limited and Especially when the Army is under the leadership of the Communist Party In Vietnam, people are the most important factor.
The army workforce is strong and every citizen must understand what it means to protect the homeland and how to contribute to defense. In this way, when the country changes, we can carry out a war between everyone.
Everybody wants to have powerful fleets, the latest weapons, the best conditions for the army. But a strong army cannot weaken the country, it must be compatible with the economic development of the country.
Therefore, the army is strong enough to adapt to the defense and defense background. When the army prepares for an all-out war, we will win.
