President Luong Cuong requested to focus on adjusting the organization and staffing of the armed forces of Military Region 9 towards being lean, compact, and strong, suitable to the requirements of the tasks in the new situation.
During his working trip to the southern provinces, on the morning of January 16, President Luong Cuong and the Central delegation visited and extended New Year greetings to the armed forces of Military Region 9; offered incense and flowers at the Memorial Site of Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung and at the Memorial Site of Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in Vinh Long province.
Accompanying the President were members of the Party Central Committee: Mai Van Chinh, Head of the Central Mass Mobilization Commission; Le Khanh Hai, Head of the Office of the President; Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Nam, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Le Hong Quang, Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee; leaders of Can Tho City; representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries and branches; heads of units in Military Region 9.
Reporting to the President on the implementation of the task, Commander of Military Region 9, Lieutenant General Nguyen Xuan Dat said that in 2024, the Armed Forces of Military Region 9 proactively coordinated with Party committees, authorities, departments, branches, organizations, and localities to organize propaganda and mobilize people and officers and soldiers to promote the tradition of patriotism, the strength of great national unity to successfully implement the Party's resolutions, policies and laws of the State, and the goals of economic, cultural, social, defense, security, and foreign affairs development. Proactively grasp, forecast, and correctly assess the situation, promptly advise and propose to the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and effectively direct and handle situations, avoiding being passive and surprised.
The Military Region has focused on directing the improvement of the quality of training and exercises at all levels with many new practical points; the overall quality, strength and combat readiness of the armed forces of the military region have been improved; the role of military agencies at all levels has been promoted in advising local Party committees and authorities to lead and direct military and defense tasks, socio-economic development associated with strengthening and consolidating national defense and security; building an increasingly solid political system at the grassroots level and in defense areas, building a strong reserve force, a strong and widespread militia and self-defense force; closely coordinating and cooperating with forces to effectively respond to natural disasters, participating in search and rescue. Officers and soldiers of the armed forces of the military region have performed well the functions of a working army and a production labor army.
In preparation for the Lunar New Year 2025, the Military Region Command has issued a directive on combat readiness; organized delegations to grasp the situation, visit and extend New Year greetings to a number of units, localities along the border, islands and policy beneficiaries.
Units allocate funds from increased production and other sources of revenue to support groups, individuals and provide extra food for officers and soldiers during Tet.
Speaking at the meeting, the President pointed out that over the past year, under the leadership of the Party, directly under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and the coordination and support of local Party committees, authorities, and people of the southwestern provinces, the armed forces of Military Region 9 have continuously promoted the tradition of Uncle Ho's soldiers, continued to have comprehensive development steps, and successfully completed assigned tasks.
Sharing about the country's situation in 2024, the President said that although there are more difficulties and challenges than advantages and opportunities, under the wise, timely and close leadership and direction of the Party and State, the accompaniment of the National Assembly, the strict management and drastic operation of the Government and the Prime Minister, the efforts and striving of all levels, sectors, localities and the entire political system, the joint efforts and consensus of the entire people, the entire army and the business community, our country has achieved many quite comprehensive results in all fields.
Emphasizing that in those great and proud achievements, there are very important contributions from the Central Military Commission, officers and soldiers of the entire army in general; from the Party Committee, Command and officers and soldiers of the armed forces of Military Region 9 in particular, the President congratulated and commended the results and achievements that the Party Committee, officers and soldiers of the armed forces of Military Region 9 have achieved in the past year.
The President assessed that 2025 is a year of special importance to the country with many major political events of the Party and the country; a year of "acceleration, breakthrough, and reaching the finish line", striving to achieve and surpass the goals and targets set by the 13th National Party Congress, bringing the country confidently into a new era, an era of national growth, an era of strong development under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, successfully building a socialist Vietnam, a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization; contributing more and more to peace, stability, and development of the region and the world.
In that context, the President requested the Party Committee - Military Region 9 Command to continue to improve the quality of situational awareness work, promptly detect and promptly resolve newly arising issues, and avoid being passive or surprised in any situation. Excellently fulfill the functions and tasks of the combat army, the working army, and the production labor army.
Coordinate more closely with local forces and authorities to resolutely fight against crime; build safe units associated with safe areas. Proactively fight to defeat all plots and sabotage tricks of hostile forces.
Each officer and soldier must constantly raise awareness and responsibility in preserving and promoting the good qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, strictly comply with state laws and military discipline, especially discipline in military-civilian relations, and unite and strive to successfully complete all assigned tasks.
The President requested to focus on adjusting the organization and staffing of the military region's armed forces towards being lean, compact, and strong, in line with the requirements of the tasks in the new situation; to focus on innovating and improving the quality of training close to practical combat in high-tech warfare conditions, and to practice coordinated operations of forces in the defense area associated with the terrain of river deltas, seas, and islands.
Proactively participate in building the political system at the grassroots level; build a people's heart position; build an all-people national defense, an all-people national defense position associated with a people's security position and a solid defense area, ready to fight and fight victoriously in all situations, firmly maintain national sovereignty, land, sky, sea, and sacred islands in the southwest of the Fatherland.
Along with that, the President emphasized the need to focus on directing the preparation and successful organization of Party Congresses at all levels in the armed forces of Military Region 9, towards the Military Region Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term, towards the 12th Army Party Congress, the 14th National Party Congress; at the same time, well organize activities to celebrate major holidays and important political events of the country and the army.
In particular, continue to coordinate with local Party committees and authorities, innovate and improve the effectiveness of mass mobilization work; effectively implement policies and military rear areas, especially for forces on duty at borders, islands, and in areas with difficult socio-economic conditions; regularly pay attention to and take good care of the material and spiritual lives of officers and soldiers; in the immediate future, organize for officers and soldiers to celebrate Spring Festival thoughtfully, safely, economically, and with high combat readiness.
Promoting the achievements and the tradition of "Unity of the army and people, steadfastness, self-reliance, and bravery in fighting", the President believes that the officers and soldiers of the armed forces of Military Region 9 will unite, strive to overcome all difficulties, strive to fulfill assigned tasks, build a clean and strong Party organization of the military region, gain more outstanding achievements, and forever be worthy of the trust and love of the Party Committees, authorities, and people of the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta.
On this occasion, President Luong Cuong presented meaningful Tet gifts to officers and soldiers of the armed forces of Military Region 9.
Previously, paying tribute to the late Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung at the Memorial Site in Long Phuoc Commune, Long Ho District, Vinh Long Province, the President was moved to write in the memorial book: “… Following the example of the comrade, we are absolutely loyal and firmly believe in the glorious revolutionary path that our Party and people have chosen, building socialism for the goal of a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, firmly moving forward in the new era, the era of the Vietnamese nation's rise”.
At the Memorial Site in Vung Liem District, Vinh Long Province, President Luong Cuong offered flowers and incense to commemorate and pay tribute to the great contributions of the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet to the revolutionary cause, the cause of innovation, and the construction and protection of the Fatherland.
The President and the delegation vowed to uphold the revolutionary will, be loyal to the country, be filial to the people, unite, and worthily continue the achievements of previous generations, write new pages of history, and be determined to build our country on par with the world powers as wished by the great President Ho Chi Minh.