Highlights in the country's overall achievements

“With the outstanding efforts of the entire Party, people and army, foreign affairs and diplomacy have clearly affirmed the identity of 'Vietnam's bamboo diplomacy', a bright spot in the country's overall achievements,” Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son told TG&VN Newspaper in an interview ahead of the 32nd Diplomatic Conference and the 21st Foreign Affairs Conference, from December 19-23.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife chaired the official welcoming ceremony for General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and his wife on a state visit to Vietnam from December 12-13, 2023.

2023 is the mid-term year for implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, and is also the year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organizes the 32nd Diplomatic Conference. Could you please tell us about the outstanding results in foreign affairs from the 31st Diplomatic Conference as well as in the past half of the term?

As we know, since the 13th National Party Congress, the world and domestic situation, in addition to opportunities and advantages, has had many rapid and more complex developments than predicted, with many new difficulties and challenges emerging and becoming more severe.

In that context, the tasks and requirements for foreign affairs are heavier than before. However, it can be affirmed that, with the outstanding efforts of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army, foreign affairs and diplomacy have clearly affirmed the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy", a prominent highlight in the country's overall achievements. Specifically:

Firstly, the Party's 13th Congress's foreign policy has been thoroughly implemented in a synchronous, unified and effective manner. The Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat have approved many important foreign policy projects and issued resolutions, directives and conclusions to concretize the 13th Congress's foreign policy, such as Resolution of the 13th Central Committee, Session 8, on the Strategy for National Defense in the New Situation, Resolution 34 of the Politburo on a number of major orientations and policies to implement the 13th Congress's foreign policy, conclusions and directives on developing relations with a number of important partners, ASEAN cooperation, Mekong sub-region cooperation, economic diplomacy, work with overseas Vietnamese, people-to-people diplomacy, etc.

Second, to more firmly consolidate the open foreign affairs situation, favorable for national development and national defense in the new period. The success of visits and phone calls by Party and State leaders, especially 45 visits by key leaders to neighboring countries, strategic partner countries, most ASEAN countries, many important partners, traditional friends and nearly 50 visits by leaders of other countries to Vietnam, including historic visits such as the visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the visit to Vietnam by General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden..., has created a new qualitative step in our country's foreign affairs and international integration. Along with that, the framework of relations with many important partners has been raised to a new level, political trust with many countries has been firmly consolidated, cooperation has been increasingly expanded, substantive and effective.

Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith welcomed President Vo Van Thuong during his visit to Laos from April 10-11, 2023. (Source: VNA)

Third, foreign affairs play a pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment and protecting the Fatherland. Although the world has undergone great and complicated changes, we have properly handled foreign affairs and relations with partners on the basis of steadfast independence, self-reliance, and peace, while being flexible in strategy and behavior. In addition, we have proactively and actively promoted dialogue and achieved very important results in delimiting and resolving a number of border and territorial issues on the basis of respecting international law, firmly protecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Fourth, foreign affairs take the lead in mobilizing external resources, making important contributions to effectively controlling the Covid-19 pandemic and developing the economy and society. "Vaccine diplomacy" directly contributes to the successful implementation of the vaccination strategy, creating the premise for repelling the Covid-19 pandemic. We have taken advantage of free trade agreements and new development trends to boost import and export, attract investment, science and technology, contributing to maintaining macroeconomic stability, promoting economic growth, making Vietnam a bright spot in the gray picture of the world economy.

Fifth, Vietnam's international position and prestige continue to be enhanced. Vietnam has been elected to many important international positions and responsibilities, especially in ASEAN and the United Nations, such as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Vice President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, the World Heritage Committee, the International Law Commission, etc. We have actively contributed to common issues such as combating climate change, reducing emissions, sending officers and soldiers to participate in peacekeeping missions, and providing humanitarian assistance to countries suffering from natural disasters and conflicts, etc. It can be said that never before has the position, prestige and image of an independent, self-reliant, dynamically developing Vietnam, a loyal and sincere friend, a reliable partner, an active and responsible member been as prominent in the international arena as it is today.

The above achievements are vivid evidence of the correct foreign policy of our Party and State as well as the close and wise leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Party and State leaders; they are the crystallization of the efforts of all sectors, all levels and the entire political system, including important contributions from foreign affairs agencies and the Diplomatic sector. These results affirm the very unique identity of Vietnamese diplomacy based on the foundation of Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology, imbued with the soul, character, spirit and tradition of friendly diplomacy of the nation, selectively absorbing the quintessence of human thought.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during his visit to Vietnam from December 11-12, 2023.

The year 2023 marks a vibrant and impressive foreign affairs activity in the context of many fluctuations in the world. Could the Minister tell us about the most outstanding and meaningful milestones of the past year? What are the factors leading to the success of foreign affairs in 2023?

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, take place vibrantly, 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 15 foreign visits by key leaders and 21 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 contributing to common world issues such as combating climate change, maintaining peace in Africa, and sending rescue forces to Türkiye.

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 make an important contribution 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.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue chaired the welcoming ceremony for Indian House of Representatives Speaker Om Birla on April 19, 2022 during his official visit to Vietnam.

A peaceful and stable environment continues to be maintained for national development. In the face of fluctuations in the international situation, the Foreign Affairs 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 also 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; 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 Party 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 Foreign Affairs 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 regional situations, "knew oneself, knew others", "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.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

Could you please tell us the main content of the 32nd Diplomatic Conference?

The 32nd Diplomatic Conference is an important conference not only for the Diplomatic sector, but also for the staff working in foreign affairs in central and local ministries and sectors. The theme of this Conference is “Promoting the pioneering role, building a comprehensive, modern, and strong diplomacy, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress”, clearly reflecting the nature and central content of the Conference.

In addition to assessing and forecasting the international situation, the Conference will review and comprehensively evaluate the results of the past two years of implementation and more than half of the term of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress, draw lessons, and seriously grasp the important resolutions, conclusions, directives, and projects on foreign affairs that the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat have issued since the beginning of the term; thereby proposing key foreign affairs tasks and measures that need to be focused on until the end of the 13th term and the following years. This Conference is also an opportunity for the Diplomatic sector to discuss a number of major and new issues on foreign affairs to contribute to the summary of 40 years of implementing foreign policy in the Doi Moi period.

The conference also spent a lot of time discussing in depth the directions, tasks and solutions for the development of the Diplomatic sector, especially key issues such as personnel work, Party building, foreign policy mechanisms, and innovation in working methods with the determination to build a strong, comprehensive and modern Diplomatic sector.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/cong-tac-doi-ngoai-va-ngoai-giao-diem-sang-noi-bat-trong-thanh-tuu-chung-cua-dat-nuoc-253972.html