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| General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and delegates attending the 32nd Diplomatic Conference on December 19. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
In 2023, Vietnam recorded many foreign affairs milestones in the context of many fluctuations in the world. Could the Minister share about the significance and factors leading to the success of foreign affairs this year?
2023 is a vibrant year in foreign affairs with many outstanding highlights. First of all, foreign relations on the bilateral and multilateral levels continue to be expanded and deepened, in which relations with many important partners have been raised to new heights with new qualitative developments, notably relations with neighboring countries, China, the US, Japan and many other partners.
Foreign affairs activities, especially high-level foreign affairs, have been vibrant and widespread across continents and at many important multilateral forums and mechanisms such as ASEAN, the United Nations, the Mekong Sub-region, APEC, AIPA, COP 28, BRI, etc. Over the past year, we have successfully organized 22 foreign visits by key leaders and 28 visits by high-ranking leaders of other countries to Vietnam, affirming Vietnam's new stature and position in the world. We continue to promote our role in important international organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNESCO, etc., as well as actively and responsibly contribute to common world issues such as combating climate change, maintaining peace in Africa, and sending rescue forces to Türkiye, etc.
Research, advisory and forecasting work on foreign affairs has achieved many important results. In the face of the very complicated developments of the international situation, the diplomatic sector, together with other sectors and levels, has advised the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Government to pass many important projects on foreign affairs, especially the project on developing relations with a number of important partners, ASEAN cooperation, the Mekong sub-region, policies on responding to initiatives of other countries, etc.
Economic diplomacy continues to be promoted on the basis of thoroughly grasping the spirit of Directive 15 of the Secretariat, taking localities, businesses and people as the center of service. Economic diplomacy activities have made important contributions to promoting economic growth, with import and export in 2023 reaching nearly 700 billion USD, over 30 items with export turnover of over 1 billion USD, FDI attraction increasing by 14.8%, accessing many new sources of quality capital in the context of many difficulties in the world economy.
A peaceful and stable environment continues to be maintained for national development. In the face of fluctuations in the international situation, the diplomatic sector, together with national defense and security, and other sectors and levels persistently promote dialogue and negotiations to resolve border and territorial issues, and properly and promptly handle activities that violate Vietnam's independence, sovereignty, rights and legitimate interests.
The fields of foreign information, cultural diplomacy, work with overseas Vietnamese, and citizen protection have achieved many important results. In 2023, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage, with two more cities, Da Lat and Hoi An, recognized as UNESCO creative cities; Vietnam was elected to important UNESCO bodies such as Vice President of the UNESCO General Assembly, Vice President of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term... We have promptly protected and safely brought back many citizens, especially from areas with conflicts and natural disasters.
The above results were achieved first of all thanks to the correct leadership of the Party, the centralized and effective management of the State; the solidarity, unity with high determination and great efforts of the entire political system; the close and smooth coordination between the Party's foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy; between foreign affairs and national defense, security, economy, culture and society. Under the leadership and close direction of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Government, the diplomatic sector has closely followed the foreign policy of the Party and State, promoted the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy", closely monitored developments in the world and the region, "knew oneself, knew the enemy", "knew the times, knew the situation", was flexible and creative in strategies, handled foreign affairs issues according to the motto "with the unchanging, responding to all changes", from which appropriate measures were taken, taking advantage of opportunities and resolving challenges to successfully complete foreign affairs tasks.
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| President Vo Van Thuong and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Based on the achieved results, could the Minister please tell us what the key directions of Vietnam's diplomacy will be in 2024?
The year 2024 is of great significance in successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. In the coming years, the instability and uncertainty of the international situation will continue, and new and more complex factors may emerge. Domestically, the socio-economic situation continues to recover and develop, but there are still many difficulties and challenges. However, the country's potential, position, international prestige and foreign affairs achievements in 2023 are a solid foundation for Vietnam's foreign affairs and diplomacy to overcome difficulties and challenges to contribute to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.
On the basis of effectively implementing the foreign policy of the 13th National Congress and the resolutions, conclusions and directives on foreign affairs that the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat have issued since the beginning of the term, strongly promoting the identity of "Vietnam's bamboo diplomacy", the diplomatic sector focuses on the following key points:
First, continue to promote innovation in foreign affairs thinking. With the new position and strength of our country that has never been seen before, we need to boldly go beyond conventional thinking and find new ways to do things for the benefit of the nation. To do so, we need to step up the organization and implementation of research, consulting, and strategic forecasting on foreign affairs; be sensitive to detecting new issues, accurately identifying opportunities, correctly positioning the country's strategic position, and taking advantage of international trends to proactively have appropriate foreign policies, decisions, and steps.
Second, promote the pioneering role, at the same time closely coordinate with the Party's foreign affairs, people's foreign affairs, sectors and levels to synchronously deploy foreign affairs and diplomatic services to firmly consolidate the peaceful and stable environment, protect the Fatherland early and from afar, effectively mobilize new resources from outside for socio-economic development and enhance the country's position and prestige.
The focus is on effectively promoting the frameworks of relations that have just been upgraded during the year, implementing well the cooperation agreements that have been reached, and continuing to deepen and enhance relations with other partners to expand the market, attract high-quality investment, transfer new technologies, create new development spaces for the country, localities, businesses and people, as well as further promoting Vietnam's new role and position in multilateral forums and mechanisms of strategic importance.
Third, focus on creating a new step in building and developing a strong, comprehensive, and modern diplomatic sector. In particular, the focus is on organizing and implementing well projects and plans on innovation in training, fostering, planning, and arranging cadres; gradually perfecting the material facilities, policies and mechanisms for foreign affairs; continuing to innovate working methods and styles towards professionalism, efficiency, and modernity...
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates attending the conference pose for a souvenir photo. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Faced with the fluctuations of the world situation in 2024, what will the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do to continue to maintain the successes of the old year and make economic diplomacy truly an important driving force contributing to the socio-economic development goals set by the Government in the new year?
Implementing the policy of "building economic diplomacy to serve development, focusing on people, localities and enterprises", closely following the new thinking on economic diplomacy in the spirit of Directive No. 15 of the Secretariat and the Government's Action Program, economic diplomacy has been implemented synchronously, making important contributions to the country's socio-economic development.
First of all, economic diplomacy is widely deployed in foreign affairs activities, especially high-level foreign affairs, closely linked with political diplomacy, cultural diplomacy and other fields of diplomacy; in which, economic cooperation is always the central content in the content of relations, especially relations with important partners.
Our upgrading of relations with other countries in the past year has created a breakthrough in economic cooperation with these countries, opening up many opportunities for Vietnamese localities and businesses. International economic integration and participation in international economic links have been more proactive, positive and effective.
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| The National Assembly Chairman met with Ambassadors and Heads of Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
In addition to effectively implementing signed free trade agreements (FTAs), in 2023, we signed an FTA with Israel and are actively negotiating FTAs with other partners; signed over 70 cooperation documents of ministries and branches and nearly 100 cooperation agreements of localities, hundreds of agreements of enterprises... As a result, economic diplomacy activities have contributed to promoting economic growth, exports increased by 6-7%, attracting FDI investment of over 28 billion USD...
Entering 2024, the world economy still faces many difficulties and risks. In addition to opportunities and advantages, there are also challenges and unfavorable impacts. The diplomatic sector continues to thoroughly grasp the Party's policies and orientations on economic diplomacy, closely following the 2024 Socio-Economic Development Plan and developments in the international and domestic situation. Economic diplomacy continues to take advantage of the country's new position and strength, concretizing the newly upgraded relationship frameworks into practical and effective economic cooperation programs and projects, especially in terms of market expansion, access to new capital sources for infrastructure development, high technology, digital transformation, green growth, tourism attraction, skilled labor export, etc. In addition, together with sectors and localities, proactively and actively remove obstacles in economic cooperation with partners, especially important partners. Improve the effectiveness of supporting industries, localities and businesses in the spirit of "taking people, localities and businesses as the center of service".
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| Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son speaks at the conference. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
On the occasion of the New Year 2024, what message does the Minister want to send to diplomatic officials, people across the country, overseas Vietnamese and international friends?
Under the leadership of the Party, the management of the State, the active participation of the entire political system and with the support and cooperation of the international community, our compatriots at home and abroad have promoted the tradition of great national unity, upheld patriotism, self-reliance and self-reliance, and achieved great achievements in 2023.
Officials and party members in the diplomatic sector have made outstanding efforts, overcome difficulties and challenges, devotedly served the Party, the Fatherland and the People and made important contributions to the country's overall achievements.
A new spring is coming, every cadre and party member in the diplomatic sector wishes for a world of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, our country's foundation and potential are increasingly strong, its international position and prestige are increasingly high, our people have a prosperous and happy life.
Thank you, Minister!
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