The opening ceremony saw the presence of Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Thanh, Deputy Minister of Public Security; Major General Dao Gia Bao, Director of the Department for Party and Political Work, head of the organizing board of the tournament; Major General Mai Van Ha, Director of the Department for Information and Communications of the Public Security Forces; and representatives from relevant units of the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Thua Thien – Hue Provincial Police Department.

The tourney sees the participation of 101 teams with 1600 athletes, representing under-ministerial departments, provincial-level police departments, and other units nationwide under the Ministry of Public Security.

The 2018 Public Security Sport Tournament, considered as the largest edition held by the forces, runs from 23 to 27 October in 4 main events: table tennis (held at Thua Thien-Hue Provincial Sport Center); chess (at the Thua Thien – Hue Provincial Police Department headquarter); swimming (at the Hue City Aquatic Sport Center) and running (around Hue Citadel).

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Thanh addressing the event.

Addressing the event, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Thanh welcomed all delegates, athletes, coaches and referees, and stressed that the tournament is the largest sporting event of the Public Security Forces in the year, which has been awaited by public security officers.

He said that the tasks of maintaining national security and social order and safety in the current context require every public security officer to have good moral virtues, firm political stance, excellent professional skills as well as good health and fitness in order to be able and ready to tackle dangerous criminals and overcome working hardships and difficulties.

Major General Mai Van Ha and athletes of the Department for Information and Communications of the Public Security Forces.

“The Central Party Committee of Public Security and leaders of the Ministry of Public Security always attach great importance to promoting sport movements across the forces,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Thanh emphasized.

According to Deputy Minister Thanh, in years, professional athletes of the Ministry of Public Security have won many medals at the domestic and international sport tournaments, contributing to improving Vietnam’s status in the international sport arena.

Athletes competing in table-tennis.

Minister Thanh asked the referees and athletes to comply with the regulations set out by the organizing board and to compete with each other in an honest and fair manner.

In addition, the Deputy Minister suggested the Party committees and chains of command of units at all levels to continue to pay attention to sport movements and create favorable conditions for officers and soldiers to play sports and improve their fitness.

By Thien Minh

Source: Public Security News