18
Volume 04 Issue 03-2022
The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
(ISSN
–
2693-0803)
VOLUME
04
I
SSUE
03
Pages:
18-22
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2020:
5.
453
)
(2021:
5.
952
)
(2022:
6.
215
)
OCLC
–
1176274523
METADATA
IF
–
7.659
Publisher:
The USA Journals
ABSTRACT
As a maritime country, maritime security is of special importance to Vietnam, having a great impact on marine
economic development, ensuring national defense and security, and protecting the peaceful environment of the
country. However, at present, the situation of territorial sovereignty disputes and non-traditional security issues such
as terrorism, piracy, smuggling, disputes over fishing grounds and exploitation of marine resources is increasingly
complex and difficult to predict. These challenges require the Vietnamese Communist Party to have a comprehensive
strategy to protect Vietnam's sovereignty over the sea and islands. The article points out the important role of
protecting sea and island sovereignty for the sustainable development of Vietnam and analyses ideologies related to
protecting Vietnam's sovereignty over sea and islands in the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of
Vietnam.
KEYWORDS
Sovereignty, the 13th Communist Party, the East Sea, Vietnam.
INTRODUCTION
Vietnam's seas and islands are part of the sacred
territory of the Fatherland. The sea not only contains
great economic potential and is a gateway to
expanding trade relations with the world, but also
plays an important role in ensuring security and
defense, as well as being a key strategic area in the
Research Article
CRITICAL ASSESSMENTS ON THE IDEOLOGY OF PROTECTING
VIETNAM'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER SEA AND ISLANDS IN THE 13TH
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM
Submission Date:
February 20, 2022,
Accepted Date:
March 06, 2022,
Published Date:
March 16, 2022
|
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/tajpslc/Volume04Issue03-04
Le Lan Anh
VASS_Institute of Americas Studies, Hanoi, Vietnam
Journal
Website:
https://theamericanjou
rnals.com/index.php/ta
jpslc
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
19
Volume 04 Issue 03-2022
The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
(ISSN
–
2693-0803)
VOLUME
04
I
SSUE
03
Pages:
18-22
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2020:
5.
453
)
(2021:
5.
952
)
(2022:
6.
215
)
OCLC
–
1176274523
METADATA
IF
–
7.659
Publisher:
The USA Journals
construction of building and defending the fatherland.
Therefore, protecting the homeland's sovereignty
over sea and islands not only reflects the Vietnamese
Communist Party's thoughts through all the
congresses but also becomes one of the key regular
and long-term tasks for the whole country and the
whole political system. In the new context of territorial
sovereignty disputes and non-traditional security
issues such as terrorism, piracy, smuggling, disputes
over fishing grounds, exploitation of marine resources
(causing
environmental
pollution)
becoming
increasingly complex, the mission of protection of
sovereignty over the sea and islands has become more
important than ever.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The role of protecting sovereignty over the sea and
islands in Vietnam’s sustainable development
Sovereignty over seas and islands is essential to
Vietnam's sustainable development. Firmly protecting
the sovereignty over the sea and islands is the
responsibility of each country and is an important
factor for the country's sustainable development [1].
Vietnam's seas and islands are part of the sacred
territory of the Fatherland, constituting national
sovereignty and a gateway for international
exchanges. This is also a strategic area for national
defense and security, creating an important space to
control access to the territory on the mainland.
Vietnam's sea has an area of over 1 million km2,
accounting for about 29% of the area of the East Sea
(3.5 million km2) and is 3 times larger than the land area
(332 thousand km2). Vietnam shares maritime borders
with seven countries: China, the Philippines, Malaysia,
Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand. This
country currently has 28 provinces and cities bordering
the sea, with a coastline of about 3,260 km, from Mong
Cai to Ha Tien, nearly 3,000 large and small islands,
many important seaports, and popular tourist areas.
Most of the key economic sectors of this country are
associated with the sea, such as tourism, oil and gas,
fisheries, transportation, shipping industry, etc. As a
marine country, marine security issues have a great
impact on marine economic development, ensure
national defense and security, and protect the peaceful
environment of Vietnam [4].
During the past years, the Communist Party and the
State of Vietnam's guiding policy has been an
economic development strategy associated with
ensuring national defense and security, as well as
maintaining the fatherland's independence and
sovereignty.The Platform for National Construction in
the Transition to Socialism (supplemented and
developed in 2011) affirms that stability and sustainable
development in all aspects of socio-economic life is a
solid foundation of defense and security. Socio-
economic development goes hand in hand with
strengthening defense and security strength. In each
socioeconomic development strategy, master plan,
and policy, as well as in each locality, closely integrate
the economy with national defense—security with the
economy.This is a fundamental principle in the
association between economic development and
national defense and security. In light of emerging
challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly
strategic competition among major powers and
disputes over maritime and island sovereignty, the
combination of economic development with national
defense in general, and marine economic development
associated with ensuring national defense and security
in particular, is critical.With an independent, self-
reliant, non-aligned foreign policy and a "Three Nos"
[5] defense policy—that is, no military alliances, no
aligning with one country against another, and no
foreign military bases on Vietnamese resources in
20
Volume 04 Issue 03-2022
The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
(ISSN
–
2693-0803)
VOLUME
04
I
SSUE
03
Pages:
18-22
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2020:
5.
453
)
(2021:
5.
952
)
(2022:
6.
215
)
OCLC
–
1176274523
METADATA
IF
–
7.659
Publisher:
The USA Journals
resolving related disputes over the sovereignty of the
sea and islands.
Ideologies for protecting Vietnam's sovereignty over
sea and islands in the 13th National Congress of the
Communist Party of Vietnam
After nearly 35 years of the Doi Moi process, Vietnam
has recorded monumental and historic achievements
in the building and defending of the Socialist
Fatherland. The size and development level of the
Vietnamese economy have been significantly upscaled.
The Vietnamese people's well-being has improved
significantly, both materially and spiritually. Vietnam's
foreign relations and international integration have
become stronger and more extensive.
The global and regional landscapes are witnessing
complex developments. Immense and sudden
adversities are emerging [4]. As such, challenges and
opportunities for Vietnam's development are
intertwined. Against that backdrop, the Communist
Party of Vietnam identifies that its key objectives are to
continue leading the country forward, advance the Doi
Moi process across the board, and actively increase
Vietnam's international integration in service of
building and defending the nation.
The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of
Vietnam has mentioned the development of related-
sea fields, especially solutions to promote marine
economic development in association with ensuring
national defense, security, and protecting firmly
maritime sovereignty.
The 13th National Communist Party Congress of
Vietnam determined that we "resolutely and
persistently struggle to firmly defend independence,
sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, airspace, and
sea areas; maintain a peaceful and stable environment
for development..." [2].
The 13th Party Congress has determined a consistent
position and proposed measures to solve current
problems in the East Sea.
The first is to "unify ideology and awareness of the
position, role, and special importance of the sea for the
cause of national construction and defense
throughout the Party, people, and army." The sea is a
part of the sacred sovereignty of the fatherland, a
living space, a gateway for international exchanges,
closely associated with the cause of national
construction and defense. Vietnam is a coastal country;
its sea area is 3 times larger than its land area,
accounting for nearly 30% of the East Sea area.
Vietnam's sea and coastal areas are located on the
maritime and air traffic routes between the Indian
Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, between Europe, the
Middle East, China, Japan, and other countries in the
region. Vietnam’s sea is also a "rich" sea with important
resources and minerals such as oil and gas, coal, iron,
titanium, salt, and millions of tons of aquatic products.
Vietnam has a long and beautiful coastline with rich
and diverse marine life that is favorable for marine
tourism development.
The second is to "resolutely and persistently struggle
to
firmly
protect
independence,
sovereignty,
unification, territorial integrity, sea, islands, and
airspace; and maintain a peaceful and stable
environment for the development of the country." This
is the point of view and policy showing the strategic
direction for the entire Communist Party of Vietnam to
focus on effectively implementing national defense
tasks and firmly protecting the sea and islands of the
Fatherland. Vietnam determines that the settlement of
disputes in the East Sea is a long-term issue and will
persistently cooperate to find peaceful measures to
21
Volume 04 Issue 03-2022
The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
(ISSN
–
2693-0803)
VOLUME
04
I
SSUE
03
Pages:
18-22
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2020:
5.
453
)
(2021:
5.
952
)
(2022:
6.
215
)
OCLC
–
1176274523
METADATA
IF
–
7.659
Publisher:
The USA Journals
settle disputes and protect Vietnam’s legitimate
interests on the basis of compliance with international
law.
Third, "Vietnam consistently implements the foreign
policy of independence, self-reliance, peace and
friendship,
cooperation
and
development,
multilateralization, and diversification of foreign
relations." Assuring the highest interests of the nation
on the basis of the principles of the United Nations
Charter and international law, equality, and
cooperation for mutual benefit. With the goal of
maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for the
development of the country, Vietnam follows the
foreign
policy
of independence, self-reliance,
multilateralization, and diversification. Vietnam does
not go with one country against another. In addition,
Vietnam carries out international relations and
cooperation on the sea, contributing to maintaining a
peaceful and stable environment for development.
Fourth, "Maintaining peace, security, safety, freedom
of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; settling
disputes by peaceful means on the basis of
international law and the 1982 United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea". Vietnam's position
on the East Sea issue is clear and consistent. All
activities at sea should be conducted on the basis of
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
1982, respecting the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and
jurisdiction of the coastal states in the sea areas
established in accordance with the Convention.
affirming that Vietnam has a full legal basis and
historical evidence of its sovereignty over both the
Paracels and the Spratlys, as well as other legal rights
over the waters of Vietnam that have been established.
Fifthly, "closely combine economic, cultural, and social
development with consolidating and strengthening
national defense and security, especially in strategic
areas, special difficulty zones, borders, and islands."
The 13th Congress of the Party has identified the
marine economy as one of the important tasks and
solutions to make Vietnam become a developing
country with modern industry and a high middle
income by 2030. Vietnam focuses on sustainable
development of the marine economy associated with
ensuring national defense and security and
maintaining independence, sovereignty, and territorial
integrity. This ideology is formed based on
international experience, forecasts of the situation in
the country and in the world, the reality of Vietnam and
in line with the trend of the times. The achievements
Vietnam has achieved in the past have shown the right
application of the Party's viewpoints and guidelines in
the sustainable development of the marine economy
and the protection of the country's sovereignty over
seas and islands.
CONCLUSION
The development of ideology and theory of the
Communist Party of Vietnam on the protection of
sovereignty over seas and islands during its
revolutionary leadership shows that the awareness of
sea and island sovereignty has always been a central
agenda, especially in the period of comprehensive
renovation of Vietnam. The Vietnamese Communist
Party always considers the protection of sea and island
sovereignty as one of the important contents in the
national defense strategy in general and socio-
economic development in particular, in order to
become a country of sustainable development,
prosperity, security, and safety. The 13th National Party
Congress of Vietnam has given a strategic perspective
on the protection of sea and island sovereignty in
accordance with the current context. Those ideas are
the basis for solving challenges and integrating,
22
Volume 04 Issue 03-2022
The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology
(ISSN
–
2693-0803)
VOLUME
04
I
SSUE
03
Pages:
18-22
SJIF
I
MPACT
FACTOR
(2020:
5.
453
)
(2021:
5.
952
)
(2022:
6.
215
)
OCLC
–
1176274523
METADATA
IF
–
7.659
Publisher:
The USA Journals
developing sustainably and maintaining the country's
sovereignty over the sea and islands.
REFERENCES
1.
Central Committee - Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW,
October 22, 2018 On the Strategy for Sustainable
Development of Vietnam's Marine Economy to
2030, with a Vision to 2045, H. 2018, p. 02.
2.
Communist Party of Vietnam – Document of the
13th National Congress of Deputies, Volume I,
Publishing House of the National Party Congress,
2021.
3.
Nguyen Thanh Long (2021). Some solutions to
protect the sovereignty of sea and islands in the
new context. National Defence Journal. 2021.
4.
Tran Viet Thai (2019). Protecting the sovereignty
of sea and islands in the new context. Communist
Review. 2019.
5.
Vietnam National Defense White Book 2009.
