Major General Hoang Huu Chien, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Border Guard, spoke with VietNamNet about the fight against illegal entrants.

Could you please tell us about the current situation of illegal entries and exits amid the ongoing Covid outbreaks in neighboring countries?

Our border has a total length of more than 8,000 kilometers (4,639 kilometers of land and 3,444 kilometers of sea). Vietnam borders China in the North, Laos and Cambodia in the West, the Gulf of Thailand in the South, and the Gulf of Tonkin and the East Sea in the East.

With such a long border, illegal entries and exits in border areas have become more complicated in neighboring countries amid the pandemic.

In addition to unorganized groups, many rings that organize illegal entry and exit have recently been created. These large-scale rings are well organized with masterminds overseas who take full advantage of Facebook and Zalo and establish contacts with domestic subjects to help people escape over the border to enter Vietnam.

We have found that the number of Chinese illegally entering Vietnam and exiting Vietnam to third countries has soared recently.

Since the beginning of the year, the Border Guard has successfully presided over the implementation of 51 specialized investigation projects and cases of organizing illegal entries/exits; discovered and handled nearly 3,000 cases with 14,000 people illegally entering and exiting the country; and received nearly 15,000 people penetrating the territory through the border gates, handing them over to localities for isolation and handling them in accordance with the laws.

Is the fight against illegal entrants still facing many difficulties?

The terrain is very complex and the climate is harsh in many areas, especially in the border areas with China and Laos. The border area with Cambodia has an even and flat terrain. Vietnamese and Cambodian people travel between the two countries regularly.

The Border Guard force is thin, and it has to cover more than 8,000 kilometers of border. So we have a lot of difficulties patrolling and controlling border areas.

With the current pandemic situation in Cambodia, it is very challenging to prevent and fight illegal immigration by land and by sea. With more than 9,000 square kilometers of water and 4,000 operational watercrafts, we have big challenges.

The pressure on Vietnam’s control of the pandemic depends on the pandemic prevention and control in neighboring countries. The methods and tricks used to illegally enter Vietnam are very sophisticated, while the demand to visit relatives, seek jobs and escape the pandemic is really high.

The awareness of a part of the population is still low. They are negligent in epidemic prevention and control. Some are greedy and lend a hand to people illegally entering or exiting.

What is the Border Guard Command doing to urgently reactivate the forces for the entire border to combat illegal entries and exits, and prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic?

The Border Guard Command has drastically implemented solutions to strengthen the management and protection of the border and prevent and control illegal entries and exits, with the spirit of "fighting the epidemic is like fighting the enemy".

We have issued a resolution on leading border management and protection during Covid-19 prevention and control.

We have strengthened forces in border areas and intensified control in key areas, seriously directing the management and protection of the border, fighting against illegal entries and exits. the temperature 

We have 1,853 units and posts along the border (1,469 fixed and 384 mobile), with 7,463 officers and soldiers belonging to the Border Guard and 4,152 people from other forces.

The Border Guard Command recently mobilized an additional 2,000 officers and soldiers, 20 sniffer dogs, and other equipment for patrolling, controlling and preventing the Covid-19 epidemic.

As for the historical waters between Vietnam and Cambodia, we have dispatched 11 ships and 20 boats with more than 300 soldiers, setting up a control belt. The outer area is covered by patrol ships in coordination with the Navy and the Vietnam Coast Guard, while the inner area by boat and jolly boats. On large islands like Phu Quoc, the Border Guard has established fixed and mobile check-points to be sure there is 24-hour round the clock patrol.

We give advice on measures to prevent and control the pandemic; and have asked military zones and local armed forces to increase forces in border areas to coordinate in preventing and combating illegal entries and exits.

We have intensified the propaganda among the people, mobilized public opinion to detect and denounce criminals, and strictly handled individuals and groups organizing illegal entries.

We have coordinated with neighboring border forces to implement border management and protection.

Since the pandemic outbreak, border guards have had to perform their duties in difficult conditions. What has the Border Guard Command done to ensure the health of the troops?

We have determined that it is necessary to ensure absolute safety for officers and soldiers in charge of epidemic prevention and control on the border. 

We have directed the Border Guard of provinces and cities to coordinate with functional agencies to reinforce command positions, and provide units with equipment, insecticides, tonics and medical supplies for epidemic prevention so that soldiers can stay a long time at the command positions along the border.

Soldiers working at border gates have enough food and foodstuff, clean water and aids for daily living. They can have periodic health examinations. Vaccines have been distributed to units in 44 cities and provinces. Nearly 8,500 soldiers have been vaccinated (first dose). 

Dieu Thuy

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