Communist Review - A province characterized with land and sea border, an international airport, tourism as the key economic driver, a high level of social mobility, and a large number of people entering and existing, Quang Ninh has been highly exposed tothe COVID-19 pandemic since its very beginning and throughout the past four outbreak waves. In order for its safety and growth momentum is secured under the “new normal”, Quang Ninh has taken measures approved at national and subnational level in a bold, synchronous and efficient manner under the motto “ 3 IN-ADVANCEs” and “4 ON-SPOTs”.

Identifying the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of non-traditional security challenge

Under the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, the task of preventing and responding to traditional and non-traditional security challenges is described as follows: “Security and safety is among the top priorities in people’s life. It should be made clear that “proactive prevention” goes first.Then comes timely efficient response to the pandemic”⁽¹⁾ .What’s more, “asufficient response to traditional and non-traditional security threats should be in place” ⁽²⁾.

Non-traditional security threats have been posing grave risks to the well-being and development of the individuals, social communities, nations and the whole world. If non-traditional security is perceived as non-military and non-state rooted challenges whose rapid non-boundary contagion and high lethalitypotentially put the safety of people, the existence and prosperity of countries at risk, then COVID-19 pandemic is really the case.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a “global pandemic”. As of August 2021, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide had surpassed 220 million, with more than 4 million deaths. The pandemic has induced economic and social impacts globally, impeding supply chains with the worst affected domains being services and tourism. In an effort to prevent and control the pandemic, governments have been forced to close schools, freeze trade, service and production activities, which causes scores of companies to suffer, or even go bankrupt, employees to lose their jobs, and banks to face augmented bad debts. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessed that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause a loss of US$22 trillion in world GDP between 2020 and 2025. In Viet Nam, since the first COVID-19 case was reported, there were 695,744 ones until September 21^st, 2021. The pandemic has led to the disruption of manufacturing and trading activities in several localities, directly affecting people's lives. Those doing businesses in the service, tourism and transportation sectors were hit hard, with revenue plummeting, forced to reduce their labour force or temporarily stop operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic fully embracestypical features of a non - traditional security threat, namely:

Regarding the subject, COVID-19 viruses are intangible, non-violent with the ability to transform into more dangerous and contagious variants on a global scale.

Regarding characteristics, degree and severity, the COVID-19 pandemic is detrimental to socio-economic development of countries, well-being, health and daily life of people around the world. It has become a global issue with no boundary, causingserious aftermaths in the short and long run, both directly and indirectly.

Regarding influence periphery, the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally in most places where people reside, live and interact; happening at an unprecedented speed, forcing countries to close their borders to isolate themselves from the viruses. For backward and ill-prepared countries, the socio-economic picture looks gloomier.

Regarding the response, the epidemic spares no country, so concerted effort of the international community andindividual responsibility of each country in mutual support is needed, especially in sharing of medical devices and vaccines.

From the perspective of non-traditional security threats, it can be seen that in the years 2020 and 2021, the world and Viet Nam have suffered a lot as the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the world, the COVID-19 pandemic comes as a major health shock, affecting all aspects of the global economy. Negative growth rate has been witnessed in dozens of countries and in the world as a whole; global trade and investment has been on the decline; stigma and discrimination against people of Asian descenthas spikedin some countries; inequalities in access to vaccines between rich and poor countries heightens the risk further outbreaks; children and vulnerable people are hardest hit by the epidemic, both physically and mentally.

For Viet Nam, the country's achievements in economic development and people's wealth accumulation have shrunk during the time of social distancing when major resources were spent on long-lasting COVID-19 prevention and control. Disrupted supply chain, in the short term, directly affects the production and business activities of enterprises which are forecast to be unlikely to recover in the medium term. Prolonged school closure is detrimental to students’ psychology and knowledge. In the long term, an unbalanced labor market potentially creates a “lost generation” of those who reach the working age finding jobs unavailable for all. Controlling, preventing, responding to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic from a non-traditional security perspective is one of the central and urgent tasks of national governance in the current context.

Preventing and responding to non-traditional security threats requires the participation of many actors, the mobilization of various forces and resources, and the adoption ofnew methods which are completely different from those taken in response to traditional security challenges. To do it effectively, a proper analysis of the situation is demanded, a multi-sectoral approach should be developed, including a non-traditional security management-based approach, and practical solutions should be offered.

Control, prevention and response to non-traditional security threats includes a range of interventions that can be carried out before, during and after specific risks, threats or impacts to minimize loss of life and property, and accelerate recovery and development at the same time. It is common across the globe that countries manage non-traditional security disasters through 5 steps, namely prevention, mitigation - adaptation, preparedness (in terms of forces and materials), response, and recovery. Useful experience and lessons drawn fromthe COVID-19 prevention and control in Quang Ninh province over the past time can enrich the above-mentioned theory.

Reality and experience lessons learned from Quang Ninh’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic - a perilous, global non-traditional security challenge

As soon as it received the documents, directives and urges of the leaders of the Party and the State, directly the guidance of the Prime Minister on COVID-19 prevention and control, Quang Ninh province analyzed and assessed the impacts of the epidemic on socio-economic development, thereby devising an effective prevention and control plan which was suitable to a province with border trade with China,  industrial parks with a large number of workers from different localities, a developed tourism industry, etc. The Party committees, authorities and people of Quang Ninh always consider its safety and immunity against the virus a vital order and an urgent task. Despite its traffic diversity and demographic variation with the International Border Gate of Mong Cai, International Airport of Van Don, a number of key tourist attractions, and high volume of trade, Quang Ninh has always proactively managed the pandemic and advoided being put into passive and unexpected situation. The COVID-19 cases in the first and second outbreaks were timely detected and recovered thanks to active treatment. During the third outbreak from January 2021, 42 positive community-transmitted cases were reported in Quang Ninh on February 3, 2021. These were the highest-ever figure confirmed in Quang Ninh with the potential to swiftly spread, a high risk of F1 (close contacts) in the community turning into F0 (infected cases) and a new outbreak.

Firmly grasping the combination of guiding ideology of the Central Committee and the reality, since the very beginning of 2020, to  prevent and control epidemics and maintain a stable environment for economic development, in the absence of vaccine, along with the issuance of many important documents to lead, direct and strengthen measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic in the province, Quang Ninh has developed plans for COVID-19 prevention and control based on non-traditional security management, namely:

Regarding leadership and direction, to bring the pandemic under control, Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee has turned to the same strategies that had been successful in  the prevention and control of storms, floods and natural disasters over the years, with the application of the “3 FIRSTs” model (identify and proactively prevent and control in advance; prepare plans and supplies in advance) and “4 ON-SPOTs” (on-spot forces; on-spot command; on-spot vehicles; on-spot logistics) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee has approved many important documents to lead, direct and intensify measures to bring the COVID-19 epidemic under control⁽⁴⁾.

Heads of Party committees, authorities at all levels, heads of branches assume direct command and full responsibility for epidemic prevention and controlwith zero-tolerance policy and in a spirit of “to fight the pandemic is like to fight against foreign aggressors”. Mobilizing the entire political system, the armed forces and the mass in taking measures to prevent and control the epidemic, and be determined to prevent community transmission.

Consistently implementing the principles and motto: “prevention is better than cure”, “Locking up the risk of disease transmission from outside, targeted lockdown, thoroughly extinguishing the epidemic from within, effectively treating”, preventing, screening, proactively detecting in time, isolation, targeted zoning, epidemic eradication, rapid testing, preventing the epidemic from spreading to a large area. If the epidemic is not localized at an early stage and grassroots level (minimum scope), difficulties in epidemic prevention and control will be foreseeable due to insufficient resources to respond in case of widespread transmission.

Regarding the mobilization and distribution of forces, allocation of resources intended for epidemic prevention and control, Quang Ninh has mobilized military and police forces to address non-traditional security challenges, in conjunction with the grassroots governments and the massinvolve in the prevention and control of COVID-19 under the direction of the Provincial Party Committee, such as: 1- The provincial police direct the grassroots-level police to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the COVID-19 self-management community team to “monitor every single suspected case at every corner of the residence”, supporting functional units in inspecting, reviewing and tracing cases returning from epidemic areas without truthful declaration, people escaping from quarantine, people entering and illegally entering the country, people illegally residing in the area, cases of violation of regulations on epidemic prevention and control; 2- The Provincial Military Command in conjunction with the Provincial Border Guard Command strictly controls the trails and openings, preventing people from entering Viet Nam illegally. Military units stand ready to receive quarantined cases from outside in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health and act as the core force in the management of concentrated isolation facilities; 3- The Provincial Committee for Mass Mobilization, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations from the province to the grassroots should develop specific plans, actively and proactively coordinate with the health sector and authorities at all levels to conduct extensive, regular and continuous propaganda to raise public awareness in synchronously implementing solutions to the epidemic prevention and control, promoting the role and responsibility of each individual in protecting and improving the quality of life, health for himself and his community. Well performing the “3 IN-ADVANCEs” and “4 ON-SPOTs” model.

Regarding the organization and management ofthe pandemic prevention and control posture, with the spirit of “to fight the epidemic is like to fightagainst foreign invaders”, Quang Ninh province has implemented a variety of epidemic prevention and control measures associated with  multi-layered forces, from the core force to the coordination force and the entire population: 1- Develop and perfect scenarios to effectively respond to each specific situation (confirmed cases,reported outbreaks and community transmission, especially whenseveral cases are detected or suspected at the border gate area, in the community, it is necessary to conduct targeted lockdown, epidemic eradication and thorough isolation right on the spot); 2- Taking a community-centered approach to and building an all-people posturein the movement named “All people unite to prevent and fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, detect and notify illegal entry, escapers and those who do not strictly comply with isolation” to ensure a safe area; Investigating, tracing, classifying and isolating F1s in concentrated isolation areas and, when overloaded, isolating F1, F2 at home under the supervision of the community and self-managed COVID-19 team, reducing pressure on the authorities in the COVID-19 prevention and control; 3- The police forces coordinate with functional units in each area with F0 to drastically accelerate the speed of tracing on a large scale, taking samples and testing with no omission of suspected cases; 4- Consolidating and improving the capacity of concentrated isolation of F1s, especially outside medical facilities (on-site isolation); Getting military forces, police, health care and grassroots authorities to form the “core army” that directly participates in control, support, close supervision, strict management, and observance of prevention regulations, fight against the COVID-19 epidemic at isolation facilities, preventing the community transmission; 5- Strengthening treatment capacity at provincial and district health levels. Tightening regulations on epidemic prevention and control in hospitals, medical facilities, treatment places, especially private medical ones. In case cross-contamination and outbreaks occur, the head must be held accountable to the Party committee and authority, and handle it in accordance with law; 6- The Propaganda Department at all levels, the Department of Information and Communications, the Provincial Media Center actively and regularly propagates strongly and methodically about the situation and measures to prevent and control the epidemic, so that people raise vigilance and their sense of responsibility in protecting themselves and the community from the COVID-19 epidemic. Each citizen, each family acts as a soldier, each residential community a fortress, with a vital role and position in the pandemic prevention, control and elimination.

During the fourth outbreak wave, although dozens of infections in the community and infiltrated cases appeared, thanks to the rapid strategy of testing, tracing, and maximum use of supporting information technology, the province of Quang Ninh has stalled all sources of infection, “locked up infected cases”, quickly “cleaned the area”, prevented these cases from turning to  an outbreak. Up to now, over 80 days have passed; Quang Ninh records no new case in the community.The campaign of the first dose COVID-19 vaccination for 100% of people over 18 years old was quickly implemented. Economic growth momentum is secured with an eye todouble-digit growth in 2021, and people lead a stable life.

From the results of the COVID-19 prevention and control in the second, third and fourth outbreaks in Quang Ninh province, on the basis of a non-traditional security management-based approach, the following lessons could be drawn:

Firstly, the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic must be based on a multi-sectoral approach, taking the non-traditional security approach as the key in identifying targets, subjects, organizing forces, and allocating resources, shaping appropriate response and control methods. From the perspective of non-traditional security threats, it is noticeable that the COVID-19 pandemic differs from a common one whose impacts are exerted on an individual, a group of people or a region alone. Rather, it threatens the whole society, the whole nation and all mankind in every aspect of life including health, economy, culture, society and national security. The targeted object here is invisible and unpredictable with unmatched case in human history in terms of speed and severity. Because of the fast spread, epidemic prevention and control only works when isolating objects without letting the risk turn into a threat, infected cases turn into an outbreak, and the outbreak spread in the community. Implementing the “dual goal”, i.e, maintaining and developing production, and preventing and controlling the epidemic presents a huge challenge for leadership and direction. By grasping that and the approach from the non-traditional security management perspective, Quang Ninh has effectively responded to the epidemic, while maintaining production, trade, and growth momentum.

Secondly, proactively, anticipating and preventing early, from afar and from the source even when there is no sign of the epidemic in the locality; actively preparing and staying ready to deal with high political determination, drastic action, and sense of urgency at the first evidence of the epidemic risk. Urgently and promptly shifting the state from prevention and containment to combating the epidemic at the first evidence of community spread. Preventing these cases from turning intooutbreaks in the spirit of “fastest testing, quickly thorough tracing with no F1s left unfound. Resolutely eradicating the pandemic, preventing it from spreading to the community, and turning into a health crisis and economic stagnation. The motto “3 IN-ADVANCEs” is aimed to prevent epidemics from afar, early, prepare conditions and position to fight the epidemic at the time when Quang Ninh is still a safe locality and a “green area”. That helps each organization and individual raise a constant sense of vigilance; stay proactive and ready for all possibilities that may happen in the future without being put in a passive unpredictable situation; Staying ready to switch the state of response from containment and prevention to pandemiceliminationat an early stage.

Thirdly, formulating a posture against the COVID-19 epidemic to ensure unity in leadership and direction, with the promotion of operational independence, to effectively handle each task on an ad hoc basis, taking the community as a “fortress”. The reason why residential community is considered a “fortress” is that unlike other types of non-traditional security, the COVID-19 epidemic spread through human transmission. Only in the localities can the administrations knowdemographic features well. The smaller the community (family, family cluster, village), the more effective the monitoring of each other is to detect potentially infectious cases, help authorities grasp the situation and quickly isolate F0s, F1s. The motto “4 ON-SPOTs” is also a way to ensure the promotion of the role of the grassroots level and the population in preparing and responding to the epidemic, even play a decisive part in preventing and stopping the epidemic at the first evidence of the virus. That helps each community, village to actively prepare and directly handle arising situations without relying on senior levels. Quang Ninh has established more than 1,000 community self-management groups for COVID-19 prevention and control, which is the foundation for long-term security at the facility in response to non-traditional security.

Fourthly, promote synergy, take the people as the center, take the specialized force as the core, including the strength of the whole political system, the entire people, the core forces in the pandemic prevention and control. The Party committee and the government must bear a high responsibility before the Central Committee, before the people, and always be sensitive to changes in the situation in order to make sound and wise decisions. The central role of the people is reflected in all aspects of epidemic prevention and control activities, from awareness of prevention, containment, self-isolation, self-protection and community protection, surveillance from each other, to contribute resources, to provide social support, to join self-management groups to prevent and combat COVID-19, to help reduce pressure on the core forces, to form a “all-people posture” to deal with the pandemic. The core forces, including medical staff, army, police, grassroots political system, have a direct role in managing the population in compliance with regulations on prevention, tracing and immigration management, organize medical isolation to prevent cross-infection, outbreak formation, and outside spread. It should be emphasized that human and material resources performingconventional security functions such as the army and police have been mobilized to timely engage in epidemic prevention and control, and to respond to non-traditional security challenges. The core force that is fully promoted with its responsibilities is the basis for mobilizing the strength of the whole society in epidemic prevention and control, regardless of the public sector or the private sector.

Fifthly, the method of non-traditional security management and control of the COVID-19 epidemic must ensure diversity, flexibility and creativity in association with appropriate cycle selection. The diversity of methods shown in each specific case between epidemic prevention and control; preparation, containment and elimination; between using local resources and enhanced support resources; between disease prevention and control and maintaining and promoting socio-economic development; between disease response when there is no vaccine and when vaccination has reached a certain rate. Flexibility is reflected in the ability to change the state from proactive prevention to proactive epidemic suppression, policy intervention in the face of unexpected situations, associated with local governance in the context of the health crisis, etc.The cycle of non-traditional security management and disease control in Quang Ninh province is: prevention, containment - mitigation, relief, recovery, adaptation, reconstruction and development. When vaccination reaches a high rate in the population, it is necessary to move to the adaptation phase, which includes both adaptation and readiness to respond and mitigate on a case-by-case basis.

Persevering in implementing the directions and tasks of COVID-19 prevention and control in a multi-sectoral approach, taking the non-traditional security management approach as the main pillar

National governance in general, and effective non-traditional security governance in particular, is how non-traditional security threats cause the least harm to people, society and the country. Therefore, adapting to some non-traditional security threats is an important content and an important step in non-traditional security management. The adaptation to climate change, global warming, erratic storms and floods, epidemics need to be developed into national and local scenarios and plans, ministries, sectors, agencies, units, schools, businesses. In this case, adaptation means that we have to live, work, produce and do business in the condition that there are constant non-traditional security threats and ready-made plan for measures to minimize the risk of invasion of non-traditional security threats. In other words, this is the “new normal” of society and people in the face of non-traditional security threats.

Considering the practice of COVID-19 prevention and control in Quang Ninh province recently, non-traditional security threats’ developments and possible impacts are unpredictable. In the long term, in order to achieve the “dual goal” in epidemic conditions, it is necessary to ensure the following factors:

Firstly, the Party committees of the Provincial Party Committee, the Fatherland Front, the socio-political organizations of the province, the standing committees of the local Party Committees step up inspection and supervision of the implementation of the provisions of the law, epidemic prevention and control measures under the direction of the central government and the province. Urgently develop and complete epidemic prevention and control procedures in accordance with the new variants of corona virus with higher requirements on response speed and drastic and thorough according to the motto “3 IN-ADVANCEs” and “4 ON-SPOTs”.

Secondly, strengthening the mechanism to cope with all developments of the epidemic in the direction of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of leadership and direction of the Party committees and local authorities; maximize the core role of the police force in fast, accurate and effective tracing; of military forces in concentrated isolation; of the medical force in sampling, testing and treatment. Tightening the management of the whole border line on land and at sea; prevent illegal entry; at the same time, manage immigration - strictly, in line with the epidemic levels of the areas bordering other provinces, especially the areas with F0s, F1s; avoiding being put under passive and unprepared situation; detecting and strictly handling all cases of law violation.

Thirdly, utilizing communication activities to intensify the consensus of the society, intensify the great solidarity of the whole people, mobilize synergy in epidemic prevention and control under the motto “active prevention, early detection, quick isolation, effective treatment, reasonable scientific zoning, definitive handling, quickly stabilizing the situation”; Continuing to strengthen the model of community self-managing for epidemic prevention and control in each population group and neighborhood to ensure security and disease safety, associated with replicating the model “COVID-19-freevillages, neighborhoods. Bringing into full play people’s sense of self-discipline, responsibility, self-management, and sense of community.Capitalizing on the power of the great national unity bloc   in epidemic prevention and control, especially in the strict implementation of the 5Ks and 5Ts recommended by the Ministry of Health.

Fourthly, all levels, branches, agencies, localities and units are required to always grasp, forecast closely, correct the situation, take the initiative from afar, early, from the grassroots, to deploy drastically  synchronized and effective measures to control and prevent four sources of infection from entering the area, implementing the motto “prevention is better than cure”, including: subjects entering illegally; subjects who entered lawfully but failed to strictly comply with regulations on isolation and medical supervision; disease sources circulating in the community, especially from localities where undetected F0s and F1s have entered the province; Some types of goods are produced or transported via countries and regions with a hig risk of the pandemic.

Fifthly, implementingreality-based solutions to “tighten fromthe outside, loosen from the inside in a controlled manner” in accordance with the epidemic risk levels for each specific region and location in Quang Ninh province in order to keep the area safe and stable and realize the “dual goal” of maintaining the stability of production and business; there is no room for negligence, subjectivity. Strengthening inspection and close supervision of the implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures in the area, especially at border gates, border ports, medical facilities, schools, industrial parks, and factories, markets, supermarkets, areas where mass gatherings are common. All violations must be subject to strict and zero-tolerance punishments.

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(1), (2) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Deputies, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, t.I, p. 156, 279

(3) See: Ta Ngoc Tan, Pham Thanh Dung, Doan Minh Huan (co-editor): Non-traditional security - Theoretical and practical issues, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2015, p. 45 - 49

(4) See: Directive No. 32-CT/TU, dated January 30, 2020, of the Standing Board of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, “On strengthening urgent measures to prevent and control acute respiratory infections caused by a new strain of Corona virus (nCoV)”; Directive No. 36-CT/TU, dated April 28, 2020, of the Standing Board of Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, “On continuing to implement measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in the new situation and stabilize the economy socio-economic in Quang Ninh province”; Directive No. 40-CT/TU, dated July 29, 2020, of the Standing Board of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, “On strengthening leadership, directing and organizing the synchronous and drastic implementation of prevention and control measures Covid-19 epidemic in the new situation”; Directive No. 04-CT/TU, dated December 30, 2020, of the Standing Board of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, "On strengthening measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic before, during and after the Tan Suu Lunar New Year"; Directive No. 08-CT/TU, dated February 3, 2021, of the Standing Board of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, “On strengthening the implementation of urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in the province in nowaday situation"; Directive No. 09-CT/TU, dated 3-5-2021, of the Standing Board of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, “On strengthening leadership and directing the implementation of the peak period of Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control in the situation new”.

Source: The Communist Review, online version (October 3^rd, 2021)