Building the “people’s hearts and minds posture” to firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty

“After my husband passed away, I had to raise three children alone. It was the border guards who stood by us, offering encouragement and ensuring my children could stay in school. Their support continued even as my eldest entered university, with regular visits, gifts, and words of care. Watching my child reach higher education fills me with pride and profound gratitude for the compassion and steadfast commitment shown by these soldiers.”

Officers and soldiers from Tan Thanh Border Guard Station, in coordination with the Veterans’ Association and the Women’s Union of Tan Tien Commune, conduct joint patrols and maintain boundary markers along the border section under their responsibility.

Those were the words of Nguyen Thi Thuy, a resident of Hamlet K54 in Loc Tan Commune, Dong Nai Province. Her daughter, Nguyen Thi Nhan, now a first-year literature student at Tay Nguyen University, has for years been cared for as a foster child of the Loc Thien Border Guard Station.

“Fruits” at the border

Since the second grade, Nguyen Thi Nhan has been under the care of the Loc Thien Border Guard Station as a foster child. Despite growing up in Hamlet K54 of Loc Tan Commune, a remote border area with many hardships, she consistently excelled in school, earning recognition as an outstanding student for 12 consecutive years. This year, her dedication was rewarded with a score of 28, securing her place at Tay Nguyen University’s Faculty of Literature Education.

“The Foster Children of Border Guard Station program has done more than ease my family’s burdens” Nguyen Thi Nhan shared. “It has become a source of hope and resilience, inspiring me to work harder every day. That support has given me the confidence and determination to chase my dream of becoming a teacher in the future.”

Since 2016, under the motto “The outpost is home, the border is homeland, and local people are family,” the Dong Nai Border Guard has advanced the Supporting Children to School and Foster Children of Border Guard Station initiatives,  providing lasting educational support and emotional care for children in disadvantaged border communities. These initiatives provide vital support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, policy-beneficiary families, and ethnic minority communities along the border. They help ensure continued access to education and encourage young people to pursue brighter futures despite economic hardship and challenging living conditions. The Dong Nai Border Guard Command supports 126 children, including nine from Cambodia and eight adopted by border stations. Every month, officers and soldiers voluntarily deduct from their salaries, contributing VND 500,000 to 1 million per child to support education and essential care. In the 2025–2026 school year, two students under the program earned places at university, marking a proud milestone. The year also highlights a decade of service by Lieutenant Colonel Phan Duc Loi, Deputy Head of the Mass Mobilization Team at Loc Thanh Border Guard Station. For ten years, he has devoted himself to the “Supporting Students to School” program and the “Adopted Children of Border Guard Posts” initiative, assisting children of policy families and disadvantaged ethnic minorities along the border. For Lieutenant Colonel Phan Duc Loi, caring for the education of children in border communities goes beyond responsibility. It is a source of fulfillment that eases his longing for home and family, while embodying the soldier’s enduring commitment to those he serves.

“Recognizing the critical importance of safeguarding national territorial sovereignty, the Provincial Party Committee has pledged to create the most favorable conditions for border guard officers and soldiers, enabling them to adapt effectively and meet the demands of their mission in the evolving security landscape. Safeguarding national territorial sovereignty is viewed as a task of paramount importance, requiring close coordination between Party committees and local governments. Effective implementation enables border guard forces to carry out their duties while assisting local authorities in maintaining security and stability across both internal and external border areas. At the same time, this stability creates favorable conditions to attract investors, advance socio-economic development strategies, and sustain the province’s ambitious goal of achieving double-digit growth throughout the upcoming Party Congress term”.

Strengthening the “people's hearts and minds posture"

In reinforcing its central role in building the “people's hearts and minds posture" and public trust and solidarity along the border, the Dong Nai Border Guard Command has rolled out five coordinated measures designed to strengthen community resilience, enhance security, and foster stronger ties with local residents. One priority is to intensify communication and education efforts, aimed at raising political awareness and strengthening vigilance among local communities and grassroots institutions. This approach helps ensure timely recognition of hostile tactics and supports collective resilience in safeguarding stability and security along the border. Efforts are focused on strengthening political structures in border areas to enhance the leadership capacity of local Party committees and authorities. Border guards proactively advise local Party committees and authorities on socio-economic development, sustainable poverty reduction, and rural modernization. The force also helps deliver key social programs, from housing support for poor households to scholarships and food security initiatives for disadvantaged children. Alongside development efforts, they remain alert to hostile attempts to incite division or unrest, working to safeguard national unity and ensure stability for communities. Dong Nai Border Guard forces are expanding movements that support rural development and build enduring partnerships with border communities. These initiatives are implemented in line with the Prime Minister’s Directive 01 on promoting public participation in safeguarding sovereignty and border security. By combining grassroots engagement with effective governance, they help strengthen solidarity, enhance resilience, and maintain stability in border areas under new circumstances.

“The ‘Adopted Children of Border Posts – Supporting Students to School’ initiative is more than an act of giving. It embodies sustained care, encouragement, and education, equipping disadvantaged children with the confidence and resilience to succeed. Beyond academic support, the program deepens bonds between border guards and local communities, reflecting a strong humanitarian spirit. By fostering trust and solidarity, it plays a vital role in ensuring stable, prosperous, and sustainable development across Vietnam’s border regions.”

Defending national territorial sovereignty under all circumstances

Dong Nai Province encompasses 258.9 kilometers of Vietnam’s national border, running across eight communes: Loc Tan, Loc Thanh, Loc Thanh, Tan Tien, Thien Hung, Hung Phuoc, Dak O, and Bu Gia Map. Amid increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and global developments, the Party Committee of the Dong Nai Border Guard Command has made clear that strengthening its forces and maintaining combat readiness is a top priority. This strategy, leaders emphasize, is vital to firmly protecting national sovereignty and securing Vietnam’s borders amid growing and unpredictable challenges.

Since its establishment on June 4, 1975, the Dong Nai Border Guard Command has focused on building a streamlined, capable, and disciplined force, steadily advancing toward greater modernization and professionalism. In response to emerging challenges in national sovereignty and border security, the Dong Nai Border Guard Command is prioritizing digital transformation across command, management, and training. By integrating technology into daily operations, the force aims to strengthen preparedness, enhance predictive capacity, and ensure rapid, coordinated responses along the border. These measures not only improve operational effectiveness but also reinforce long-term stability and resilience in safeguarding Vietnam’s frontiers in a rapidly changing security environment.

Operational strategies have been designed to reflect on-the-ground realities while strengthening coordination with police, military units, and local authorities. This integrated approach has amplified collective capacity, ensuring that border management and protection remain effective, responsive, and resilient in the face of any potential challenge or situation. The Party Committee and Command of the Dong Nai Border Guard have fostered strong, practical cooperation with Cambodian border forces, creating a solid framework for joint security. This partnership has contributed to strengthening an all-people national defence posture, while ensuring political stability, social order, and sustained security across the province’s border areas under their responsibility.

“Under any circumstances, the Dong Nai Border Guard remains fully prepared to accept and excellently accomplish all assigned tasks, aiming to firmly safeguard national sovereignty, maintain border stability, and contribute to building a border regions defined by peace, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development.” stated Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Anh Duc, Commander of the Dong Nai Provincial Border Guard under the Provincial Military Command

By Dong Kiem - Translated by Tam Binh, Thu Ha