Directive No. 34/2004/CT-TTg On Strengthening Coordination in Management and Protection of Sovereignty and Public Order in Vietnam's Marine Areas and Continental Shelf

DIRECTIVE

Regarding Strengthening Coordination in Management and Protection of Sovereignty and Security Order in Vietnam's Marine Areas and Continental Shelf

In recent years, ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees along the central coast have made significant efforts in coordinating management and protection of sovereignty and security order in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf, contributing to maintaining political stability and economic development of the country.

However, serious incidents still occur in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf, causing loss of life and property for citizens, depletion of national marine resources, environmental damage, and even violations of national sovereignty, adversely affecting foreign relations.

The main cause of the above situation is due to insufficient and infrequent propaganda and education for the public, especially fishermen operating at sea regarding Vietnam's maritime sovereignty; limitations in organizing and implementing tasks by relevant levels and sectors; inadequate coordination and cooperation among forces, failing to form a comprehensive strength commensurate with the requirements of marine management tasks; lack of synchronization between economic and social development tasks on marine islands and consolidation of national defense and security in some fields, resulting in low effectiveness.

To address the above situation, enhance coordination in managing and protecting sovereignty and security order in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf, and effectively implement the Law on National Boundaries, the Prime Minister requests ministries, sectors, and related localities to implement the following tasks:

1. Ministry of National Defense:

a) Based on the functions and responsibilities of border guard, naval, and maritime police forces as stipulated by law, the Ministry of National Defense shall clearly define the scope of operation and specify the responsibilities of each force in specific marine areas, particularly the Gulf of Tonkin and the Southwestern Sea; simultaneously, the Ministry of National Defense shall take the lead in directing military regions and provincial people's committees along the central coast to establish mechanisms for coordination and cooperation among forces in each specific area, ensuring that there are always forces conducting patrols, inspections, and timely handling of situations that may arise in key marine areas.

b) Direct the Maritime Police Corps and Border Guard Force to coordinate and cooperate with relevant ministries, sectors, and coastal local authorities in:

- Managing, patrolling, inspecting, and protecting sovereignty and security order in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf.

- Developing plans to protect fishermen engaged in distant sea fishing.

- Organizing propaganda and education for those working at sea about Vietnam's maritime sovereignty; the schemes, methods, and tactics of maritime criminals; and guiding measures to combat them, especially piracy. On this basis, launch mass movements actively participating in protecting sovereignty and security order in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf.

c) Direct the Border Guard Force and the Vietnam Maritime Police Force to coordinate with other forces and sectors to advise the Ministry of National Defense and coastal local authorities on strategies to handle acts infringing upon sovereignty and security order by foreign individuals and vessels in Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf. Timely provide information and closely coordinate with competent agencies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to handle incidents involving foreign countries occurring at sea.

2. The Ministry of Public Security:

a) Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to effectively implement Decision No. 107/2003/QĐ-TTg dated June 2, 2003 of the Prime Minister on Regulations on Coordination Between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense in New Circumstances and Government Decree No. 161/2003/NĐ-CP dated December 18, 2003 on Regulations on Border Sea Zones. Pay attention to exchanging information on situations and measures to coordinate in handling complex security and order situations in coastal communes, wards, and towns.

b) Direct coastal public security organs to coordinate with the Border Guard Force and the Maritime Police to effectively combat activities threatening national security, crimes related to smuggling, piracy; transportation, sale, storage, and use of explosives for illegal fishing in coastal communes, wards, and towns.

c) Direct the inland waterway traffic police force to coordinate with the Border Guard Force and the fisheries sector to strengthen propaganda and education for those working at sea to comply with regulations related to ensuring order and safety in inland waterways to reduce losses caused by accidents and collisions on inland waterways.

3. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

a) Direct and guide related sectors and localities to regularly report on border sea management and Vietnam's marine areas and continental shelf based on international treaties on delimitation of national boundaries at sea signed between our country and neighboring countries. Promote negotiations to resolve disputes, delimitation of marine areas and continental shelf with related countries; determine the scope, sovereignty, and rights of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in marine areas, islands, and continental shelf.

b) Guide coastal local authorities and related ministries and sectors on policies and strategies in handling incidents involving foreign countries occurring at sea; while proactively and promptly exchange relevant information so that coastal local authorities and related ministries and sectors can coordinate in implementation.

4. Ministry of Fisheries:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and local authorities to strictly implement Directive No. 01/1998/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister prohibiting the use of electric shock, explosives, and toxic substances for fishing.

b) Strengthen the guidance for the Fisheries Surveillance Force to closely coordinate with the Border Guard, Coast Guard to inspect and control fishing activities at sea. Guide and organize information dissemination and timely instructions to ensure safety for our fishermen operating in Vietnam's maritime zones.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, coastal local authorities, the Border Guard, Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Border Committee) to compile materials and organize extensive propaganda and education for fishermen on the sovereignty of Vietnam's maritime zones, ensuring they do not violate other countries' waters for fishing, leading to arrest and punishment.

d) Study and propose negotiation cooperation plans for fishing with some countries in the region to create a stable environment and order security in the maritime zones.

5. The Ministry of Transport:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to implement measures to ensure inland waterway traffic safety and maritime safety.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and mass media to carry out the work of disseminating and promoting laws and regulations on inland waterway traffic safety, maritime safety, and environmental pollution prevention.

6. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment:

a) Ensure funding for relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to implement this Directive; review budget estimates and provide funding promptly for management and protection activities concerning sovereignty, security, and order in Vietnam's maritime zones and continental shelf according to the annual state budget approved by the Government; coordinate with related ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees to check the management and use of allocated financial resources.

b) The Ministry of Finance directs the General Customs Department to coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and coastal local authorities to effectively carry out anti-smuggling and illegal cross-border transportation activities and other violations of customs law.

7. Other relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial people's committees under the central government located along the coast: Chapter:

a) Other relevant ministries and sectors: based on their functions, tasks, and scope of activities at sea as prescribed by law, when operating at sea, they must closely coordinate with the Navy, Coast Guard, and Border Guard forces to support when necessary and participate in protecting sovereignty, security, and order in Vietnam's maritime zones and continental shelf. Effectively implement coordination work to address the situation where multiple inspection and control forces operate simultaneously in the same maritime area, causing inconvenience to people and production means.

b) Provincial people's committees under the central government located along the coast: direct competent departments to strengthen propaganda and educational work to enhance public awareness of Vietnam's maritime sovereignty; build a mass movement actively participating in protecting sovereignty, security, and order in Vietnam's maritime zones and continental shelf; while respecting and not infringing upon the sovereignty of other countries' maritime zones.

8. Implementation:

- This Directive shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

- Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of governmental agencies, and chairpersons of provincial people's committees under the central government located along the coast are responsible for implementing this Directive.

Assign the Ministry of National Defense to lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to monitor and urge the implementation of this Directive; annually, the Ministry of National Defense is responsible for reporting to the Prime Minister on the results of implementing this Directive./.