Top-ranking General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, and a member of the Thai Nguyen delegation of NA Deputies, mentioned the bonds between the defense industry and the security industry.

Before the law drafting project was launched, Vietnam had an Ordinance on National Defense Industry (2008) and Ordinance on Industrial Mobilization (2003), but there was no regulation on security industry, except for Decree 63 (2020). 

“The national defense industry and the security industry have close links. The draft law states that what the defense industry can do will be inherited and used by the security industry. As for what the defense industry still can’t do, the security industry can, and the defense industry won’t make investment in the fields,” Giang explained.

The White Book about Vietnam’s national defense issued in 2019 clearly says Vietnam has been pursuing a national defense policy with four ‘nos’: no partaking in military alliances; no siding with one country to act against another; no foreign military bases in the Vietnamese territory, or using Vietnam as leverage to counteract other countries; and no using force or threatening to use force in international relations. Vietnam seeks to be modern, independent and self-reliant.

Giang said that he talked about the national defense policy when attending international security conferences.

Explaining the weapon equipment production processes, Giang said this is a difficult process. However, it is necessary to make the national defense and security industry the spearhead industry of the country.

All weapon export countries will not transfer their core technologies. Vietnam is trying to produce certain kinds of weapons so as to not rely on imports.

Regarding the policy to attract talents for the national defense and security industry, Giang cited the success story of Viettel. The military technology firm has gained great achievements thanks to a specific policy to develop human resources.

Giang affirmed that there are many overseas Vietnamese leading comfortable lives and receiving high salaries working for multinationals who want to return to Vietnam to devote themselves to the country's development.

“Returning to Vietnam, getting admitted to the Communist Party, becoming commissioned officers and commanders is the willingness of the majority of scientists. Many people want this. And we want to attract those people,” Giang said. 

He said that he knows many people who once worked for Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin who had high pay and now want to return to Vietnam. 

Tran Thuong