Party General Secretary To Lam and Defense Minister Phan Van Giang review the Guard of Honor of the Vietnam People's Army on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army. Photo: Tuan Huy/VOV

From the initial army of 34 soldiers, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnam People's Army has rapidly grown, won victories in the struggles for national independence, firmly defending every inch of the sacred land of the Fatherland and fulfilling its noble international obligations.

In an article published in the People's Army newspaper on Sunday, Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang affirmed that throughout the 80-year journey of building, fighting, winning and growing, the Vietnam People's Army has written a heroic tradition, brilliant feats of arms, and engraved brilliant milestones in the nation's history. These glorious feats of arms are closely associated with the great achievements of the Vietnamese revolution in the Ho Chi Minh era.

A performance in the Epic Art Program celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army. Photo: Quynh Trang/VOV

To meet the current requirements of protecting the Fatherland in all situations, Vietnam focuses on building a lean, strong, and modern Army.

Vietnam is determined to improve the quality of building a politically strong Army; focuses on high-quality human resources; promotes the adjustment of force organization, modernization of weapons and equipment; proactively expands and improves the effectiveness of international cooperation and defense diplomacy in the new situation.