Deeply aware of its core and specialised role in managing and protecting the sovereignty and security of the maritime border, Hai Phong Municipal Border Guard has focused on implementing this important task with scientific and appropriate measures.

Hai Phong is the largest port city in the North; an important international trade gateway; one of the major centres of economy, culture, health, education, science, trade and industry in the Northern coastal region, with an important strategic position in the economy, politics, national defence and security of the country.

The City Border Guard strengthens patrol on internal waters

In recent years, the maritime border area of ​​the city has been kept stable most of the time. However, there still remain complications in the security and order situation at sea, particularly the violations of sovereignty by foreign fishing vessels, smuggling, trade fraud, illegal trafficking and transportation of narcotics and high-tech crimes. To cope with those activities and successfully complete its mission, the City Border Guard has comprehensively and effectively implemented border defence work, strengthening patrols and controls to protect maritime sovereignty and islands; actively building a strong people's border defence system and a robust people's border defence posture, contributing to maintaining peace in the maritime border area and creating conditions for the city's socio-economic development. From its task performance, the City Border Guard has drawn some lessons, also the solutions for execution in the coming time as follow:

Firstly, proactively grasping the situation and advising the Border Guard Command and the City to effectively direct border defence work. Based on a thorough understanding of the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's laws and regulations on the task of protecting the Fatherland and national borders, the City Border Guard Command has implemented a range of operational measures synchronously, proactively monitoring, researching, assessing, and accurately forecasting the situation, especially complex and prominent issues in the maritime border area and port checkpoints. They have promptly advised the Border Guard High Command, the City Party Committee, the City People's Council, and the City People's Committee on effective strategies and solutions to handle national defence and security situations, preventing passivity, surprises, and the emergence of “hot spots”. They regularly coordinate closely with the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Police to closely monitor activities that infringe upon Vietnam's sovereignty by foreign vessels, and the methods and tactics of various types of criminals, thereby proposing practical and appropriate solutions in accordance with Vietnamese and international law.

Furthermore, it is necessary to actively propose and advise the City on the issuance of legal documents and projects on national defence, security, and immigration in the seaport area and key locations, such as: Cat Hai and Bach Long Vi; coordinate with relevant agencies to advise on the effective implementation of Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW, dated 24 January 2019, of the Politburo on “Building and developing Hai Phong city until 2030, with a vision to 2045”, ensuring a close connection between socio-economic development and strengthening national defence and security; and effectively advise local Party committees and authorities on the implementation of Directive No. 01/CT-TTg, dated 9 January 2015, of the Prime Minister on launching a movement for all people to protect national territorial sovereignty and border security in the new situation.

Participating in the maritime security exercise held by the City government

Secondly, enhancing crime prevention and control, maintaining security and order in the maritime border area, and managing and controlling immigration and emigration at port checkpoints. As a commercial hub, with a bustling port system and numerous international shipping routes, the maritime border area of ​​the city is a hotbed of criminal activities. Therefore, the City Border Guard maintains a strict regime of regular and sudden patrols and inspections in key waters, river mouths, and wharves; strengthens operational work and establishes special cases, effectively fight against drug trafficking, smuggling, commercial fraud, and other types of crime; and closely coordinates with the Coast Guard and the Navy to resolutely counter the infringement of foreign fishing vessels and other illegal activities of Vietnamese vessels. Actively exchange information and coordinate closely with other forces during task execution to create a multi-layered control network, ensuring security and order in the maritime border area.

In addition, it is important to implement innovation and modernisation of management and control at port checkpoints, reinforce resources, promote administrative reform, apply information technology, and digital transformation, especially deploying electronic border control procedures at seaports linked with the National Single Window Portal, creating favourable conditions for import, export, and entry/exit activities. Annually, the City Border Guard implements electronic border control procedures at seaports, inspects, monitors, and ensures security and safety for tens of thousands of foreign vessels and hundreds of thousands of crew members arriving at ports; coordinates and receives and protects foreign military and tourist vessels arriving at the maritime border area and port checkpoints in accordance with international practices and Vietnamese law.

Thirdly, actively building a strong all people's border defence and a robust people's border defence posture. Considering “the People are the foundation” in protecting border sovereignty, the City Border Guard has coordinated closely with other forces, focusing on building a solid “people's heart and mind posture” as a foundation for managing and protecting the maritime and island borders. Accordingly, the City Border Guard Command has directed its agencies, units, and border guard posts to strengthen the work of legal dissemination and education through various forms. The contents of the propaganda focus on the Vietnam Border Guard Law 2020, the Fisheries Law 2017, regulations on countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and maritime and island sovereignty, etc. Thereby, fishermen and People in coastal areas can fully understand their rights, responsibilities, and obligations, enhance their vigilance against the schemes of hostile forces, and actively help the Border Guard in managing and protecting border sovereignty and security.

Supporting children's schooling

In addition, the City Border Guard also advises local authorities on establishing and maintaining the effective models, such as: “Safe and united fishing teams” in which fishermen support each other in case of natural disasters or accidents at sea and promptly provide information on foreign vessels violating sovereignty; the “Security and order self-control teams” for coordinating with the border guards in patrolling harbours and maintaining order in coastal border communes, wards, and special zones, contributing to preventing smuggling and illegal immigration at the grassroots level. Besides, they also actively participate in building new rural areas and civilised urban areas, support fishermen in occupation change and science and technology application into fishing activities; deploy socio-economic development programmes in the coastal border areas of the city, such as: “Border Guard spring warming the hearts of coastal People”, “Accompanying women in border areas”, “Supporting children’s schooling – Adoptees of border guard posts”, “Each Party member supports one family”, “Bookcases of dream”, “Border Guard rice jar”, etc. These programmes has helped strengthen the people-military solidarity, and consolidate the all-people national defence posture linked with the people's security posture, creating an overall strength for firmly defending the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands.

Fourth, building clean and strong Party organisations associated with all-strong, exemplary, and typical units. Accordingly, it focuses on building the Party of the City Border Guard Command strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organisation, and personnel. Moreover, it regularly directs Party committees and organisations at all levels to thoroughly brief and strictly implement resolutions, directives, and conclusions issued by higher echelons on Party building; maintains absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the unit's activities. The promotion of the noble qualities of “Uncle Ho's Soldiers” and the resolute fight against individualism have been carried out rigorously and effectively, becoming a guiding principle to prevent degeneration, “self-evolution”, and “self-transformation” internally. Personnel work is conducted according to the correct procedures and principles in a serious and effective manner in all stages and steps, linking the development of leading cadres with the development of Party committee members at all levels. The inspection, supervision, and Party disciplinary enforcement are conducted seriously and in accordance with regulations and guidelines.

Together with building a clean and strong Party, the City Border Guard focuses on building all-strong, “exemplary and typical” units in the direction of “lean, compact, and powerful” with improved operational effectiveness, meeting the requirements and tasks of managing and firmly protecting the sovereignty and security of the maritime and island borders in the new situation. Strict adherence to work discipline and regulations is maintained, and the awareness of discipline and law compliance is enhanced, ensuring the safety of officers and soldiers. Attention is paid to building bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment in agencies and units according to the criteria of regular units. Training and combat readiness are actively improved and enhanced; successfully implement the “Campaign 50”, ensuring that weapons and equipment are always synchronised, of high quality, and ready to meet the requirements of firmly protecting national sovereignty and maritime border security in all situations.

Building on the achievements and experiences gained, in the coming time, Hai Phong Municipal Border Guard will continue to improve the quality of planning and coordination, proactively deploy professional measures, and leverage the combined strength of the entire political system and the whole population to manage and firmly protect national sovereignty and maritime border security, creating a stable environment for the city's rapid and sustainable development.

Senior Colonel TA DUY HIEN, Deputy Commander of the Military Command and Commander of the Hai Phong Municipal Border Guard Command