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Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdech Krolahorm Sar Kheng attended the 12th Vietnam-Cambodia Border Provinces Cooperation and Development Conference, April 2023 |
With the tradition of being a peace-loving nation, Vietnam is always determined and persistent in maintaining the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The work of building and protecting borders, protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, the rights and interests of the nation associated with borders and territorial sovereignty plays a crucial role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, maintaining friendly relations with neighboring countries on land and at sea, creating favorable conditions for the country's socio-economic development.
Adhering to the guidelines of the Party and State, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made efforts, together with ministries, branches, localities and relevant agencies, to effectively perform the task of managing and firmly protecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, thereby maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, while promoting cooperative relations with neighboring countries, achieving many positive results. Specifically:
On the management and protection of borders and islands
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has closely coordinated with ministries, sectors, border localities, relevant agencies and forces of neighboring countries to comprehensively implement border management coordination work according to legal documents on borders between Vietnam and other countries. Incidents arising in border management work have been properly handled, without affecting the relationship between Vietnam and other countries as well as between border localities. The situation along the entire land border is basically stable, the border line and the system of national border markers, and national sovereignty are maintained; social order and security in border areas are ensured, facilitating negotiations, management as well as socio-economic development of border provinces and the whole country in general.
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15th International Scientific Conference on the East Sea (October 2023) |
At sea, the situation in the East Sea is evolving rapidly, becoming more complex and unpredictable, increasing the risk of friction, directly affecting the peaceful and prosperous environment of the region in general, and the protection of our sovereignty, rights and interests at sea in particular. In this situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proactively monitored the situation, actively coordinated with ministries, branches and functional forces to promptly propose and advise on measures to fight to protect our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea early and from afar; and taken appropriate measures to combat acts that violate our rights in the East Sea. Thanks to that, cooperation activities in exploration, exploitation of resources and fishing are ensured to take place normally on the continental shelf and in Vietnam's seas.
On negotiations to resolve border issues
Regarding some remaining disputes, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has continued to maintain and promote negotiation mechanisms with relevant countries, achieving many remarkable results. Regarding the 16% of the border that has not been demarcated and marked on the Vietnam-Cambodia land border, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also actively and proactively coordinated with relevant ministries and branches to promote negotiations with the Cambodian side to seek satisfactory solutions.
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Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held a meeting between the two heads of the Government-level negotiation delegations on the Vietnam-China territorial border (November 2023). |
By upholding the principle of resolving disputes by peaceful means and persistently striving to achieve fundamental and long-term solutions on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, we have maintained and promoted many negotiation mechanisms on maritime issues with other countries, such as the negotiation mechanism with China within the framework of the Working Group on Cooperation in Less Sensitive Areas, the Working Group outside the Gulf of Tonkin, and the maritime negotiation mechanism with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In addition, Vietnam and ASEAN countries maintain the bloc's unified stance on the East Sea, and together with ASEAN countries and China actively and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promote negotiations and develop the content of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
On socio-economic development, border exchange and international cooperation
In addition to efforts to resolve border issues, one of the bright spots is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made positive and effective contributions to the national master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, approved by the National Assembly in 2023, contributing to orienting the country's socio-economic development, especially in border and island areas.
Along with that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regularly coordinates closely with ministries, departments and branches to support border localities in opening/recognizing/upgrading border gates, specialized roads for transporting goods, developing infrastructure, connecting traffic in border areas; quickly removing difficulties, creating conditions for customs clearance of goods, exporting agricultural products... The work of modernizing border management and development, along with putting into operation digital border gates, researching and piloting the construction of smart border gates has initially brought about efficiency for the import and export of goods across the border. In the field of border tourism development, one of the outstanding highlights in recent times is the event when Vietnam and China officially piloted the Ban Gioc waterfall landscape area (Vietnam) - Detian (China) on September 15, 2023, contributing to promoting tourism cooperation, enhancing friendly exchanges between the people of the two countries, promoting the development and deepening of Vietnam - China relations.
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Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the National Border Committee Nguyen Minh Vu chaired the International Workshop on Border and Territorial Law in Hanoi (September 2023) |
At sea, implementing Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam's Marine Economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, we have actively exchanged and expanded international cooperation on the sea with countries in and outside the region with similar interests such as India, France, Australia, etc. in many fields, making positive contributions to ensuring energy security, food security and protecting the country's sovereignty over its seas and islands. In addition, we have actively participated in regional and international forums on the sea and oceans; proactively studied and participated in international treaties on the sea, signed projects and cooperation programs on the sea. Thereby, promoting the development of the marine economy, further consolidating friendly relations, strengthening trust building, building an active coordination mechanism in management cooperation, ensuring safety and security at sea, creating a favorable environment to soon complete the goal of making Vietnam a rich and strong maritime nation.
On information and propaganda work
With many efforts in information and propaganda work in many new and diverse forms, cadres, party members, and the masses at home and abroad have had a correct understanding of the Party and State's guidelines and policies in resolving border and territorial issues. Our just stance has been widely supported by international partners and friends. Many activities of propaganda, dissemination of laws on territorial borders, and training to improve border management capacity that have been focused on by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have contributed to deepening people's understanding and awareness of the work of building, managing and protecting territorial borders, including the Conference on propaganda and dissemination of policies and laws for typical village elders and village chiefs on both sides of the Vietnam - Laos border (December 2022), international seminars to propagate the 40th anniversary of the signing of UNCLOS 1982, 10 years of promulgation of the Law on the Sea of Vietnam, 20 years of promulgation of the Law on National Borders, etc.
It can be said that since the 31st Diplomatic Conference, border and territorial work has continued to make many positive contributions to promoting friendly and substantive relations with other countries; thereby effectively implementing the foreign policy set out at the 13th National Party Congress; significantly enhancing Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena.
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Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu delivered a speech at the Conference on propaganda and dissemination of legal policies for typical village chiefs on both sides of the Vietnam-Laos border (December 2022) |
In the context of the world and regional situation still having many instabilities and challenges, in order to continue to effectively carry out the work of managing and protecting the territorial borders as well as to promote the potential for development in border areas and islands, practically serving the cause of national construction and development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ministries, branches and localities in the coming time need to perform well a number of tasks: (i) thoroughly grasp and seriously implement the viewpoints and policies of our Party and State on national borders and territories; effectively promote border management coordination mechanisms; (ii) promptly resolve incidents arising at the border; (iii) respond effectively, creatively and flexibly to emerging issues and challenges in border areas as well as at sea; (iv) continue to perfect the system of legal documents on border management; (iv) further promote friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between our border localities and those of neighboring countries; (v) Do a good job of information and propaganda work to firmly consolidate people's trust in the Party and State, creating favorable conditions for the implementation of guidelines and policies on territorial borders.
To soon achieve these goals, it is important to promote synchronous and smooth coordination among ministries, branches, localities, agencies and forces working on border affairs, closely following the guiding principles and specific goals set out at the 13th National Congress, taking advantage of favorable conditions to promote the resolution and handling of border and territorial issues and promote cooperation in socio-economic development.
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