Speech by General Secretary and President To Lam at the National Security Day in Long Luong village, Van Ho commune

Dear comrades in the Central Committee delegation!

Dear leaders of Son La province!

Dear people of the ethnic groups in Van Ho commune!

Today, amidst the enthusiastic emulation of the entire Party, people, and army to celebrate the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd, the 81st anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Vietnam People's Public Security, and the 21st anniversary of the National Day for Protecting National Security, I and my colleagues in the Central Delegation are very pleased to attend the "National Day for Protecting National Security" of the Party Committee, government, and people of Van Ho commune, Son La province, held in Long Luong village – a place that before 2018 was always considered a "hot spot" for drug-related crimes in the Northwest region, but today has strongly revived, becoming a peaceful land with developed socio -economic conditions, where the people enjoy a prosperous and happy life, with many families becoming well-off and wealthy, attracting many domestic and foreign tourists to visit and experience. On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I extend my warmest greetings, heartfelt sentiments, and best wishes to all leaders, officials, Party members, soldiers, armed forces personnel, and the entire people of Van Ho commune. I wish our festival great success.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

Each stage of the revolution and each period of national development has different requirements and tasks. However, under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State, our people have always actively responded to and participated in national liberation movements, building and defending the Fatherland in general, and protecting national security in particular, through many practical activities and specific movements. During the resistance war against French colonialism, there was the "Anti-espionage and Security" movement to protect state secrets and assets, protect internal affairs, and maintain social order; during the resistance war against the US, there was the "Building politically strong and socially secure communes and wards" movement; and in today's period of reform, there is the "All people protect national security" movement.

Through these movements, the strength, patriotism, vigilance, and responsibility of the people in the cause of protecting national security and building a truly clean, strong, professional, elite, and modern People's Public Security force have been multiplied many times over, contributing to the immense strength to liberate the nation, unify the country, fight against and defeat all conspiracies and subversive activities of hostile and reactionary forces and various types of criminals, firmly protect national security, and ensure social order and safety.

Over the past 21 years, the National Day for Protecting National Security has become an annual event of great significance, organized in a systematic, practical, and effective manner in residential areas, agencies, businesses, and schools. It has truly become a festival that contributes to enriching revolutionary spirit, patriotic traditions, national pride, honoring community strength, and strengthening the close bond between the police and the people in ensuring security and order, contributing to consolidating and building a solid "people's security posture" and "people's hearts and minds."

On July 20th, Comrade Ha Trung Chien, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, chaired a meeting on the preparation for organizing the Moc Chau Culture and Tourism Week 2026 and the "Returning to the Roots" event in 2026.

As a border commune of the province, Muong Lan has a fragmented terrain, a harsh climate, and a majority ethnic minority population. Identifying economic development as a key task, the commune's Party Committee has played a leading role, focusing on exploiting the local potential and advantages, innovating production thinking, shifting the structure of crops and livestock, and gradually increasing income and improving the lives of the people.

From a hilly area primarily used for growing short-term food crops, Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Cooperative in Ta Hoc commune has introduced red-fleshed dragon fruit cultivation and built the "Son La Dragon Fruit" brand to conquer the international market, opening up a direction for sustainable agricultural economic development in the locality.

Delegates attending the festival.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

Through monitoring the leadership of the Party Committee and the government of Son La province in general, and Van Ho commune in particular, and through local news reports, it can be seen that in recent years, the "All People Protect National Security" movement in Son La province in general and Van Ho commune in particular has developed strongly, diversifying in content and form, achieving many important results, which have been recognized and replicated nationwide, making an important contribution to economic and social development, and ensuring national defense and security in the locality.

Notably, the province has mobilized the combined strength of the entire political system, effectively maintaining the operation of over 17,000 self-governing neighborhood groups for security and order, thousands of People's Security Teams, Fire Prevention and Fighting Teams, and teams participating in grassroots security protection in maintaining security and order at the local level. Police forces at all levels have coordinated with ministries, departments, organizations, Party committees, and local authorities to maintain, promote, and expand many effective models such as: the "Self-governing neighborhood group for security and order" model; "Safe traffic communes and wards" model, linking the "All people protect national security" movement with the "All people participate in drug prevention and control" movement, and the "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas" movement.

The Son La Provincial Police force has effectively promoted the "All People Protect National Security" movement at the commune, ward, agency, enterprise, and educational institution levels; intensified crime prevention, especially drug-related crimes; and made a significant contribution to maintaining political security and social order in the area. Among the overall achievements of Son La province, Van Ho commune is considered a "bright spot" in organizing the "All People Protect National Security" movement. Many self-defense, self-management, and self-protection models for ensuring security and order at the grassroots level have been built and effectively maintained. Conferences on disseminating legal education on security and order, on drug prevention and control, combined with detecting and reporting crimes and mobilizing people to surrender weapons, explosives, and supporting tools; and encouraging wanted fugitives to surrender have been conducted. The National Security Day and the "Commune Listening to the People's Opinions" Forum are regularly organized. To date, Van Ho commune in general and Long Luong village in particular are no longer the "hot spots" and troublesome areas for drug-related issues they were many years ago.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, I congratulate, commend, and highly appreciate the efforts of the Party Committee, government, and people of Son La province in general, and Van Ho commune in particular, especially the efforts of all the people of Long Luong commune.

Dear compatriots and comrades!

In the context of our country's successful revolution in reorganizing the political system towards a streamlined, efficient, effective, and effective structure; the economic and social space has been optimized; and competitiveness and national defense and security potential have been enhanced. Son La province in general and Van Ho commune in particular, with its mountainous, border area and diverse ethnic composition, possess potential, advantages, and internal resources for development. However, alongside these fundamental advantages, there are still many difficulties and challenges in ensuring security and order in the area. To further leverage the strength of the people and the core role of the People's Public Security force in protecting security and order, and to continue maintaining a peaceful environment for economic and social development and improving all aspects of people's lives, I propose that the Party committee, government, comrades, and people focus on effectively implementing several key contents and tasks:

Firstly, Party committees, governments, and political and social organizations at all levels need to continue to thoroughly understand and effectively implement the policies on building the "All People Protect National Security" movement; deeply internalize the revolutionary viewpoint that the revolution is the cause of the people, by the people, and for the people; and profoundly understand the position, role, and importance of the "All People Protect National Security" movement. Each cadre and Party member must deeply understand the thoughts and aspirations of the people, truly be exemplary, and take the lead in the "All People Protect National Security" movement. The "All People Protect National Security" movement should be linked with patriotic emulation movements, creating a positive and widespread ripple effect in people's lives, truly becoming a vibrant and widespread revolutionary movement, especially in responding to and actively participating in contributing to the protection and building of a strong and prosperous country in the new era of development. Continue to maintain and organize the National Security Day in a systematic, practical, effective, and people-friendly manner, within the people's capabilities, for the benefit and happiness of the people. This should not be just a movement, but a regular activity for the people, allowing them to directly participate. The goal should be to strive for the people's well-being and happiness, ensuring that all citizens enjoy the fruits of reform and development, leaving no one behind.

Secondly, improve the quality of self-governance, self-prevention, self-protection, and self-mediation from families to residential communities, agencies, businesses, and educational institutions. Strengthen the close relationship between the police and military forces with the Fatherland Front, agencies, departments, mass organizations, political and social organizations, and continue to promote the role of forces participating in protecting security and order at the grassroots level in building the "All People Protect National Security" movement. Pay attention to identifying, nurturing, and promptly commending and replicating good examples, good deeds, and advanced models in the work of building the "All People Protect National Security" movement.

For Van Ho commune, it is suggested that the local Party committee and government continue to uphold the traditions, achievements, and results obtained in the new development space, with new development momentum, striving to build it into a model commune in security and order of the province so that other communes and wards can learn from and exchange experiences, so that all people can live in a secure, safe, civilized, modern, orderly, green, clean, and beautiful environment. The goal is to become a "drug-free, crime-free, and social vice-free commune". To achieve this goal, the active participation and support of the people in the "All People Protect National Security" movement is essential; each citizen should be a soldier on the front lines of protecting national security, ensuring security and order starting from each family, each clan, each residential cluster, and each village.

On July 20th, Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, held his regular monthly citizen reception for July 2026. Attending the reception were leaders from the Provincial People's Committee Office, the Provincial Inspectorate, the To Hieu Ward People's Committee, and the citizens concerned.

Thirdly, we must protect national security to create a favorable environment for socio-economic development. Long Luong village, Van Ho commune in particular, and Son La province in general, need to actively build and expand model projects in socio-economic development so that each family and each citizen can have a better and more prosperous life. Our goal is for the people to live in peace and enjoy an increasingly better life.

Fourth, given the demands and tasks in the new context, I propose that the People's Public Security force in general, and the Public Security forces at all levels in Son La province in particular, should continuously strive to excellently fulfill the task of ensuring security and order, creating a safe, secure, and healthy environment for the peaceful and happy lives of the people; continue to do a good job of gathering intelligence and closely managing the activities of criminal and drug-related subjects, preventing the emergence of hotspots and complex security and order issues. Emphasis should be placed on guiding the people to raise their vigilance and awareness of crime prevention, drug prevention, and other social evils, fire prevention, and ensuring traffic safety; actively combat and refute erroneous and hostile views that undermine the Party and the State, and effectively implement the movement of the National Day for Protecting National Security.

Dear compatriots, comrades, and distinguished delegates!

Building on the revolutionary traditions of the people of Son La province, I believe that under the leadership and guidance of the provincial Party committees and authorities, the Party Committee and People's Committee of Van Ho commune, along with the close coordination of various departments, organizations, and especially the People's Police force, and the active support and participation of the people, the local movement for "All People Protecting National Security" will develop strongly, contributing to maintaining a secure, safe, and healthy environment to effectively serve the economic, cultural, and social development tasks of the locality.

Once again, I wish all delegates and all the people of Van Ho commune good health, happiness, and success.

Quynh Vu