Chương 1 Pháp lệnh Bộ đội biên phòng năm 1997: Những quy định chung

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.- To build and defend the national border is the task of the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the obligation of the entire population.

The Border Guard is a people’s armed force of the Party, the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, constitutes part of the Vietnam People’s Army, plays as a core and specializes in managing and protecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and order of the national border on the land, islands and sea and at the border gates according to its tasks prescribed by law and is a member force in the defense areas of the border provinces and districts.

Article 2.- The Border Guard is placed under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, directly under the Central Military Commission (of the Communist Party of Vietnam Organization in the Army), under the supreme command of the President of the State, the unified State management of the Government and the management and command of the Ministry of Defense.

The State shall build the Border Guard into a revolutionary, regular, well-trained and step-by-step modernized force.

Article 3.- The Border Guard shall operate in accordance with the law of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the international agreements on the sovereignty and security of the national border on the land, islands and sea and at the border gates, which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has signed or acceded to.

Article 4.- The State agencies, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations, the People’s Armed Force units, economic and social organizations and all citizens shall have to build and safeguard the sovereignty and security of the national border and contribute to building a strong Border Guard.