Canh Sat Bien Viet Nam
Vietnam Coast Guard
Vietnam Marine Police (VMP)

The end of World War II saw an end to territorial disputes In Europe, Russia excepted. The end of World War II gave rise to a host of territorial disputes in Asia, many of which have become increasingly acute in the new century. Most of these disputes center on small islands. Asian countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan have postured the Coast Guards to contest these disputes. They have deployed cutters that are either armed only with water cannon, or with only medium caliber guns that might damage but not sink their counterparts. The intent is to limit the potential for escalation inherent in a full scale naval engagement.

Established in 1998, the Vietnam Marine Police (VMP) are responsible for security and order along the coastline and in Vietnam's territorial seas, as well as carrying out Vietnam's responsibilities related to international conventions, such as the Law of the Sea.

Implementing Ordinance Guard Vietnam and Decree No. 53 / ND-CP of the Government dated 28-8-1998, Defense Minister issued Decision No. 1069 established the Coast Guard Bureau (CSB - Canh sat bien) Vietnam, of the Navy. Since then, every year the day 28-8 to become the traditional day of Vietnam CSB forces. with the requirements, sovereign duty to protect the sea, islands and maintain maritime law enforcement with new developments, dated 15-9-2008, the Secretary of Defense decided to move the Department of the CSB under the Ministry of Defense.

Independent of the Vietnamese People's Navy since 2008, the VMP was a “Coast Guard-like” maritime law enforcement component within their Ministry of Defense. In October 2013 it started using the English language title Vietnam Coast Guard [the name of the agency in Vietnamese remained unchanged]. The move was apparently intended to make Hanoi eligible to acquire new patrol vessels and other equipment from Japan within the framework of Japanese aid programs. Japan's ODA is available for only nonmilitary purposes.

The VMP's mission and duties closely mirror those of the US Coast Guard. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to enjoy a cooperative relationship with the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG), and the VCG participates actively in the US-led Gulf of Thailand Initiative, an ongoing maritime law enforcement capacity building initiative involving Southeast Asian states.

Since 2009, the US Coast Guard, in close coordination with the Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, helped Vietnam to build their maritime governance capacity by providing training assistance to the Vietnam Marine Police.

The Coast Guard’s training focused on maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and operational planning. Focused on “Train the trainer”, the US Coast Guard’s curriculum development assistance would have lasting benefits to Vietnamese maritime safety and security, fostering a stable environment for economic development. In another enduring form of support the US Coast Guard, supported by Department of State funding, assisted the VMP with constructing a new maritime law enforcement classroom at the VMP Region 1 Headquarters in Haiphong.

The US Coast Guard’s direct assistance began with a series of US and Vietnamese agreements, including a bilateral search and rescue agreement in 2002, a counternarcotics letter of agreement in 2006 and a bilateral maritime agreement in 2007 and the Megaports Agreement in 2010 to better identify weapons of mass destruction components in maritime shipping.

The South China Sea, or the East Sea as it is known in Vietnam, is the second busiest after the Mediterranean. Given Vietnam's geographical location, the Vietnam Marine Police has a responsibility to ensure that ships traveling in these waters are safe. As such, the organization serves as the GVN point of contact for information sharing on piracy and actively participates in the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Center in Singapore.

The organization's main missions include: 1) preserving and protecting security, law and order; 2) countering drug trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, and fraud; 3) conducting search and rescue operations; 4) protecting the environment and responding to environmental incidents at sea, e.g. oil spills; 5) cooperating with international partners; 6)combating piracy at sea. While the VMP was initially headquartered in Hai Phong, the headquarters moved to Ha Dong City, an outlying area of Hanoi, in the future.

The Vietnam Marine Police fall under the Ministry of National Defense (MOD); however, while the MOD provides administrative management for the VMP, the organization is not military and is "completely transparent." The VMP is not like MOD and is open to international cooperation and coordination. The rationale for having a law enforcement organization under the MOD is that VMP ships have to coordinate closely with the People's Navy of Vietnam (PNV) ships when operating at sea and VMP ships are dependent upon PNV shipyards for maintenance and repair.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) simply did not have the technical expertise to manage a sea-going organization Over 60 percent of the VMP officers and staff have degrees in engineering. MPS does provide professional instruction and training on the law enforcement aspects of VMP's mission and frequently gives lectures and seminars to VMP staff.

The Vietnam Marine Police Force will be strengthened to ensure security, order and safety in the territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam. This was stated by Lieutenant-General Pham Duc Linh, General Director of the Vietnam Marine Police Force, at an interview with the press on the sideline of the meeting to prepare for the 7th Meeting of Heads of Asia Coast Guard Agencies (HACGAM) held in Hanoi in October 2011.

President Truong Tan Sang said the marine police force must defend national marine sovereignty and economy during a visit to the Vietnamese marine police and fisheries resources surveillance forces July 01, 2014. President Truong Tan Sang said the marine police must not only struggle to make China withdraw its oilrig but also protect Vietnamese fishermen and Vietnam’s oil and gas exploration as well as fight smuggling. He asked the marine police to be ready for any contingencies and increase communications to make Chinese forces understand their illegal acts.

Vietnam CSB forces perform management functions of security, order and safety and to ensure the observance of the laws of Vietnam, treaties concerned, which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Socialist) is a member, on the seas, the continental shelf of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. CSB forces operating on the range, large area, many waters are important, sensitive and complex movements. Officers and soldiers faced many difficulties and challenges, especially on the sea weather conditions harsh climate, dining, accommodation, activities deprivation; whereas violations, crimes at sea, such as smuggling, commercial fraud, trade, illegal transportation of goods, weapons, explosives and narcotics; natural disasters, storms, floods often happen.

To accomplish the assigned tasks, the Party Committee, Department Heads CSB has thoroughly grasped the Party's military line, resolutions and directives of the Central Military Commission and the Department of Defense, focused on building strong unit on politics, ideology and organization and leadership ability. The fighting force of the whole Party is raised, with positive renewal forms and methods of political education, ideological, the team has built a strong political stance, ready to receive and complete all assigned tasks.

Notably, committees, commanders at all levels closely and key political task, solidarity, unity, overcoming difficulties, focused leadership, direct and perform synchronized, efficient, full- face area of work, there are many excellent task completion as patrol, inspection, control, maintain, enforce laws on the sea, the continental shelf of Vietnam. Coordination, synergy with the police forces, border guards, customs and other forces in the struggle to prevent and combat drug crime in border areas, sea gate and successfully completed tasks search and rescue.

The ability to defend the sovereignty of the sea, the island nation's continental shelf under combat mission raised the quality of combat training, specialized training; construction of Coast Guard forces grow stronger and stronger, to fulfill the assigned tasks. CSB Department has implemented foreign operations and defense, international cooperation in the field of CSB, especially for countries in the region to achieve practical results, contributing to promoting international cooperation, peaceful settlement of issues related to security, safety at sea, creating a favorable environment, stability in the waters to develop the socio-economic of the country. In addition, the Bureau CSB also proactively coordinate with the Navy, Border Guard; committees, local government organizations active propaganda sea, island deep in the country's general population and in the fishermen, the maritime force operations in particular, reinforce, strengthen posture national defense, security posture associated with people's increasingly strong sea.

In order to meet the requirements and tasks in the new period, next time, the Party Committee directs the Department of CSB Vietnam commander to focus on building strong CSB. In particular, committees, commanders at all levels as well the political education and ideological to officers and soldiers who thoroughly grasp the situation, task, building willpower, determination and the political stability gold. Frequently mentioned high alert, ready to fight, to actively coordinate forces defeat the conspiracy "peaceful evolution" of violent overthrow imperialism and hostile forces. Focus on improving leadership capacity, and overall combat power of party organizations; each branch of officers, members really are typical examples of virtue, and their political action capability. Construction of party organizations in the clean and strong association with body building units comprehensively strong, the strong mass organizations.

To continuously improve the quality of training, practice mastering the combat plans, proficient use of weapons is equipped. Emphasis synthetic training, training in complex conditions, improve operations CSB, mastery of policy, flexible handle situations happen at sea. Maintain strict law enforcement at sea, and perform well in search and rescue missions and other duties assigned. Coordinate with Navy plays a pivotal role in protecting the sovereignty sea, islands, continental shelf, protecting national interests and economic interests at sea. At the same time as the core force, coordinated and synergistic forces and people throughout the country to manage, maintain maritime security in accordance with the laws of Vietnam and international, to hold peaceful stable environment to develop the socio-economic, meet the requirements of the construction industry and national defense in the new era.