Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Photo: VNA
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Every August, we have the opportunity to celebrate the historic revolutionary autumn days of the country. Sharing in that joyful atmosphere, every officer and employee of the Diplomatic Service proudly looks forward to the founding day of the diplomatic service on August 28, 1945.
During 79 years of growth and development, under the leadership of the Party and the direct guidance of President Ho Chi Minh, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese diplomacy has always promoted its glorious tradition of serving the Fatherland and the People, contributing to great victories in the nation's revolutionary cause.
Diplomacy serves the cause of national liberation, nation building and national defense
Over the past 79 years, diplomacy has left important marks in the glorious pages of the country's history. In the early days of the nation's founding, under the wise leadership of Uncle Ho and previous revolutionary leaders, based on the principles of "adapting to all changes with the unchangeable" and with bold and clever strategies such as "peace to advance" and "dividing the enemy", the Preliminary Agreement of March 6 and the Provisional Agreement of September 14 contributed to successfully protecting the young revolutionary government, helping our revolution overcome dangerous situations.
During the two resistance wars for national salvation, foreign affairs and diplomacy gained the great support of peace-loving people around the world, creating a broad international front supporting the cause of national independence and building socialism. Along with the victories on the military front, the victories of the foreign affairs and diplomacy front at the negotiating table in Geneva in 1954 and Paris in 1973 were milestones on the path to regaining national independence and unifying the country, bringing the North and the South together as one.
After the country was unified, foreign affairs and diplomacy were the pioneers in creating a path, paving the way, and gradually breaking the economic embargo and political isolation. At the same time, foreign affairs and diplomacy took the lead in opening up relations with many partners, resolving existing problems in relations with neighboring countries, major countries, and important partners, opening up a new situation to effectively serve the country's comprehensive renovation.
Diplomacy in the process of innovation and international integration
Consistently pursuing a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralization, diversification, proactive and active international integration, for the benefit of the nation and people, in nearly 40 years of innovation, foreign affairs and diplomacy have achieved "important and historic results and achievements" as assessed by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in December 2023, contributing to creating an open and successful foreign situation for the country.
Diplomatic relations have been continuously expanded and deepened. To date, our country has diplomatic relations with 193 countries in the world, including strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries; economic relations with more than 230 countries and territories; and has signed 16 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including many new-generation FTAs. Vietnam has been recognized by the United Nations for its pioneering role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting human rights. The elevation and upgrading of relations with key and important partners, along with vibrant high-level foreign affairs activities in recent years, especially since the beginning of the 13th National Congress term, have contributed to creating a new strategic stature, deepening cooperation, and creating a solid foundation for long-term and sustainable development of relations.
Foreign affairs and multilateral diplomacy have grown strongly, affirming Vietnam as an active and responsible member of the international community. Not only has it successfully organized many major international events such as ASEAN, APEC, etc., diplomacy has also fulfilled many important international responsibilities at international mechanisms such as the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNESCO, etc. In particular, foreign affairs and diplomacy have proactively and actively proposed many ideas and initiatives, participated in solving common regional and world issues, and increasingly participated in international peacekeeping and search and rescue activities.
In serving development and international integration, along with mobilizing important resources for development such as FDI, ODA, foreign affairs, diplomacy has contributed to making Vietnam a link in many regional and global economic links by signing and participating in important economic agreements and frameworks. At the same time, the diplomatic sector has actively coordinated closely with ministries and branches in promoting international integration in the fields of security - defense, society, culture, science - technology, etc., bringing Vietnam into the general flow of the world.
Together with national defense, security, foreign affairs, diplomacy has contributed to the implementation of the "important, regular" task of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, protecting the Fatherland, and protecting peace early and from afar. We have made efforts to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border with neighboring countries. We have fought resolutely, persistently, promptly and effectively against activities that violate our sovereignty, rights and legitimate interests at sea; at the same time, we have proactively and actively promoted negotiations and cooperation to resolve existing issues, effectively implemented the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and actively participated in building a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
Cultural diplomacy and foreign information have contributed to bringing Vietnam's "soft power", strongly promoting the image of the country, its people, its achievements in innovation and its cultural identity to the world. Overseas Vietnamese affairs contribute to implementing the Party and State's care policy for the overseas Vietnamese community, strengthening national unity, mobilizing many community resources for national development and defending the Fatherland. We have also done a good job of protecting our citizens abroad, especially when conflicts, wars and epidemics occur in the world.
Diplomacy in the New Age
In the coming time, the world situation will continue to have many major changes, with opportunities and challenges intertwined. In that context, the most important goal and task of diplomacy in the coming time is to maximize and continue to consolidate the favorable foreign situation, bring the country into the flow of the times, create breakthroughs to successfully implement the strategic goals until 2030 and 2045 set by the 13th National Congress.
Entering the "new era, the era of the Vietnamese people's rise", on the basis of seriously summarizing the foreign affairs lessons of 40 years of renovation and in the context of the new situation and major issues facing the country, the Diplomatic sector will continue to innovate thinking and action, advise and build new solutions to supplement the Party's foreign policy and guidelines, properly implementing the guiding viewpoint stated by General Secretary and President To Lam that "ensuring national defense, security and promoting foreign affairs are essential and regular" [1].
As an important driving force for innovation, the Foreign Affairs sector is determined to continuously strive to both effectively serve security and development interests, enhance the country's position, and contribute to building a fair international order, ensuring the legitimate interests of countries, including Vietnam.
We will continue to enhance, upgrade and make the most of opportunities from strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks; strongly promote the role of foreign methods and channels such as high-level diplomacy, specialized diplomacy, local diplomacy, scholar and business channels, etc.; participate more proactively and responsibly in solving common international and regional issues; demonstrate the core and leading role of multilateral diplomacy in important issues and mechanisms of strategic significance. In particular, we will also give high priority to the work of industry building, Party building, and building a team of diplomatic cadres who are both red and professional, have a firm grasp of expertise and professionalism, and are absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the Party's ideals. Along with that, the Diplomatic sector will continue to closely coordinate with foreign affairs forces, the pillars of Party foreign affairs and people's foreign affairs, maximizing the combined strength and specific advantages of each pillar in the unified whole of comprehensive, modern and professional Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy.
Promoting the glorious tradition and great achievements over the past 79 years and looking forward to the great milestone of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the industry, following the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the People, under the leadership of the Party, Vietnamese diplomacy will continue to move forward, writing the golden pages of revolutionary diplomacy, contributing worthily to the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.
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[1] Speech by General Secretary and President To Lam at the meeting on August 13, 2024 of the Standing Committee of the 14th National Party Congress Document Subcommittee.
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