Brigade 162 - A Bright Spot of Vietnam's Diplomacy in National Defense

Bringing the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers - Navy soldiers" to international friends

Established on January 9, 2002, after 22 years of construction and growth, the ships of the Brigade have successfully participated in international multilateral activities and friendly visits with navy forces in other countries more than 20 times, in both ASEAN regions and around the world like Russia, India, Japan, Korea, and China.

The Brigade also welcomed many naval convoys from other countries to Vietnam. In 2021, as a first-timer at the International Military Games (Army Games 2021 in the Russian Federation), Ship 015-Tran Hung Dao; Ship 016-Quang Trung of the Brigade 162 representing the Vietnam People's Navy, excellently won the Silver Medal for the entire team.

The Vietnamese representative came behind the host country Russia and ahead of the Chinese team at the "Sea Cup" competition held in Vladivostok City. This success has affirmed the brave fighting spirit, intelligence, strength, and combat ability of Vietnamese Navy officers and soldiers.

Vietnam People's Navy earned the Silver medal in the "Sea Cup" at the Army Games 2021 arena (Photo courtesy by Mai Van Doanh).

In 2022, Ship 016-Quang Trung of Brigade 162 participated in the maritime exercise phase within the framework of the MILAN Multilateral Naval Exercise at India's East Sea Brigade. The ship achieved good results and completed the set goals. and ensured the absolute safety of people, weapons, and technical equipment. Meanwhile, Ship 015 - Tran Hung Dao, participated in joint training at sea with the French Navy's F734 Vendémiaire.

Strictly implementing regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, Ship 015 - Tran Hung Dao and French Navy's F734 Vendémiaire held an online conference to agree on the implementation content during the joint training. Recently Ship 016-Quang Trung participated in the "Peace and Friendship - 2023" Exercise in Zhanjiang (China). Ship 016-Quang Trung participated in many activities, all achieved high results and were highly appreciated by the navies of other countries. The ship showed that it was ready to cooperate with other navy forces to keep security and solve maritime issues.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy with the Vietnamese officers and crew of ship 015-Tran Hung Dao (Photo courtesy by Mai Van Doanh).

By sending ships to participate in international multilateral naval exercises and friendly visits, officers and soldiers are always confident while upholding spirit, responsibility, qualifications, and capability to master weapons and equipment. They affirmed the composure, eliteness, and modernity of the Vietnam People's Navy. The officers and soldiers also propagate and promote the traditional cultural and civilizational values ​​of the Vietnamese people, and the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers - Navy soldiers" to international friends.

With many achievements in international integration and defense diplomacy activities, especially sending ships to participate in international multilateral activities and friendship visits to countries, the Brigade has become a bright spot, actively contributing to foreign policy achievements of the Vietnam People's Army. Their activities not only show the diplomatic success of the Party and the State in general, but they also gain the trust of the people and support from international friends. This helps create synergy, which enhances the prestige and position of the Vietnam Navy in the international arena. It also builds a regular, elite, modern military, with trust, and creates a peaceful environment to firmly maintain the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

Ship 015-Tran Hung Dao, Brigade 162 participates in the 2023 India-Asean multilateral naval exercise (Photo courtesy by Mai Van Doanh).

Four key tasks to improve the quality and effectiveness of international integration and defense diplomacy

Strategic competition between major countries is becoming more fierce amid the complicated global context. Traditional and non-traditional security challenges evolve unpredictably. Meanwhile, the task of protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland and building a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern navy force poses increasingly high demands.

Along with the tasks of combat training, combat readiness, and force building, the Party Committee and Brigade Commander determined to improve the quality and effectiveness of leadership in international integration and defense diplomacy. The focus is on participating in international multilateral activities, and friendly visits, which helps enhance the prestige and position of the Vietnam People's Navy. In addition to the effective measures we are taking, I would like to emphasize the following:

First, to ensure the direct and regular leadership and direction of the Party Committee and the Ministry of Military Affairs orders and to closely coordinate with agencies at all levels. This is a crucial factor in carrying out the tasks of international association and defense diplomacy successfully. The process of performing tasks must be steadfast and consistent with the Party and State's foreign policy and the "Four No's" defense policy for peace, self-defense, and protecting the Fatherland early and from afar.

On that basis, the Party Committees and commanders at all levels need to focus on leading and directing units to thoroughly organize and educate officers and soldiers about the honor and pride of representing the Vietnam People's Navy when visiting, interacting, and training with Navy forces of countries in the region and around the world as well as welcoming them to Cam Ranh international port.

Captain Mai Van Doanh, Secretary of the Party Committee - Political Commissar of Brigade 162 supervises and directs the military units at sea (Photo courtesy by Mai Van Doanh).

Second, to raise awareness of defense diplomacy, considering this an important task of their units that contributes to protecting the Fatherland early and from afar. It is necessary to avoid to consider "foreign affairs" simply greeting, welcoming, and interacting with foreign guests.

On that basis, the Party Committees and commanders will organize leadership, direction, and assignment of agencies and units to coordinate closely with relevant agencies to prepare carefully. The focus is on fully training the content, the correct procedures, and appropriate weapons and equipment, appropriate to reality. The preparation must ensure seriousness, rigor, quality, efficiency, and proficiency in essential movements. Another issue is to improve the team's professional and technical skills, mastering, and using weapons and equipment to conduct successful foreign defense trips.

Third, to focus on selecting, training, fostering, and creating a team of officials who participate in performing defense foreign affairs tasks with strong political will, good moral qualities, expertise, and experience, The team must have foreign language and cultural proficiency to complete their tasks and demonstrate the image of a regular, elite and modern navy force who work and communicate in a friendly and international environment. At the same time, to improve health and endurance, enhancing the ability to endure hardship, and long journeys at sea.

Fourth, to strengthen the work of inspection, evaluation, and learn from experience to evaluate the achieved results, shortcomings and its causes to draw useful lessons. At the same time, to review, reward collectives and individuals with good achievements, meanwhile to strictly handle groups and individuals who violate discipline when performing tasks.

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