President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, opening a new era for the history of the Vietnamese nation, for Vietnam's Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy. (Photo: Archive)
Since ancient times, diplomacy has been an inevitable and indispensable relationship between nations, helping mankind expand communication in all aspects to develop productive forces and production relations on a global scale, serving the legitimate development needs of human society. For our country, throughout the journey accompanying the nation's history, Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy have always been a fundamental method in governing the country, affirming the indispensable role in protecting sovereignty, creating a peaceful environment, promoting cooperation, development and constantly enhancing the country's international prestige.
Water diplomacy
In the history of building and defending the country, diplomacy has always been an important shield to protect the country's fences, territory and sovereignty from threats of invasion, helping our country to be "peaceful inside and calm outside". The idea of "peace and filial piety" was emphasized by Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan in the Essentials of Military Strategy: "Peace and filial piety is a very good way in governing the country and conducting military operations. Peace at home means less need to use troops, peace at the border means no fear of alarm" is the guiding principle in preventing war, maintaining peace for the country and firmly protecting the country's borders. In the history of our ancestors' diplomacy, to have lasting peace, one of the strengths of our ancestors' diplomacy is to always use justice and public diplomacy to win the hearts and minds of the opponent, clearly shown in the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu (1428) by Nguyen Trai: "Using great justice to defeat cruelty/Using benevolence to replace violence".
In the modern era, when the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born in 1945, diplomacy continued to play a vital role in protecting the young revolutionary government from pressure from many sides. In a "critical" situation, President Ho Chi Minh directed the signing of the Preliminary Agreement (March 6, 1946) and the Provisional Agreement (September 14, 1946) with France, temporarily making peace to avoid simultaneous confrontation with both Chiang Kai-shek's army and French colonialists. These steps demonstrated the art of flexible diplomacy, helping Vietnam gain time to consolidate its forces and protect its young independence.
During the two long resistance wars of the nation, Vietnamese diplomacy contributed to ending the war, restoring peace, and unifying the country. The Geneva Agreement (1954) and the Paris Agreement (1973) are testament to the tireless diplomatic efforts, to the ingenious art of combining "fighting" and "negotiating" to help end the war and pave the way for national unification. Especially in today's era when the trend of globalization is at a very high level, diplomacy has more basis to play a pioneering role in protecting national security and sovereignty early and from afar, enhancing the ability to respond to new risks. Together with other foreign forces, resolutely and persistently protect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, legitimate and legal interests of Vietnam, build a border of peace, friendship, security, cooperation and development with neighboring countries; At the same time, promote the settlement of outstanding issues by peaceful means, strengthen international cooperation on the basis of respect and compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
The vibrant foreign affairs activities of the country's key leaders in recent times have contributed to enhancing Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena. (Source: VNA)
Creating a favorable environment
Foreign affairs and diplomacy have always taken the lead in creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, constantly consolidating a favorable foreign situation, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Maintaining and consolidating the belt of peace, friendship and cooperation plays a key role in the country's security and development. During the Doi Moi period, resolutions bearing the mark of turning points in renewing foreign thinking such as Resolution 32 (1986) and Resolution 13 (1988) of the Politburo laid the foundation for a foreign policy of diversification, multilateralization, "making more friends, fewer enemies", leading to the normalization of relations with China (1991), the US (1995), and joining ASEAN (1995). Since then, Vietnam has persistently implemented a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification. Independence and autonomy mean that all decisions must be based on national interests and the common principles of the international community. Peace, friendship, cooperation and development are to link the country's cause with the goal of human progress. Diversification and multilateralization are to combine national strength and international conditions to create a favorable situation for the country's security and development.
On that basis, national interests are ensured, independence and sovereignty are maintained, national security and social order and safety are maintained. Vietnam integrates deeply into the world, actively contributes to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world. Currently, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, built a network of 32 strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks, including all 5 countries that are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the economies of the G7 Group. This relationship is maintained based on the principles of mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutually beneficial cooperation, helping Vietnam ensure a peaceful environment to focus on socio-economic development. Stability in international relations also minimizes the risk of conflict, creating conditions for Vietnam to deeply and sustainably integrate with the world.
Resources for development
Whether in war or peacetime, with its characteristic advantage of “peaceful and negotiating methods”, diplomacy always plays a constructive, motivating role, opening up new opportunities for the country to rise up. Not only that, diplomacy also has a dialectical relationship with other fields, as President Ho Chi Minh once summarized in the saying “Real strength is the gong, diplomacy is the sound”. Accordingly, diplomacy is the thread connecting internal strength with external strength, in which internal strength is fundamental and long-term, external strength is important and breakthrough, creating the overall strength of the country, including both hard strength and soft strength in implementing foreign policy.
The comprehensive strength of diplomacy is also the combination of foreign affairs pillars and arms, internal and external forces, national strength and the strength of the times. In particular, among external resources, including both material and spiritual resources, we can mention resources of trade, investment, aid, economic development and association trends, a multipolar, multi-center world order based on international law, the strength of the era of scientific and technological revolution, knowledge economy, globalization...
At a higher level, Vietnam's foreign affairs and diplomacy also play an important role in positioning Vietnam in an optimal position in development trends and movements, maximizing external resources, constantly enhancing the country's position and prestige, Economic diplomacy has become a pillar for development with the signing and effective implementation of nearly 20 Free Trade Agreements, bringing trade turnover to a record of nearly 800 billion USD, while expanding cooperation in new fields such as semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence, innovation...
General Secretary and President To Lam speaks at the Future Summit, 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 22, 2024. (Source: VNA)
Enhance international prestige and position
During 80 years of growth and development, under the leadership of the Party and the direct guidance of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese diplomacy has always promoted its glorious tradition, serving the Fatherland and the People, contributing to great victories in the revolutionary cause of the nation. During nearly 40 years of renovation, foreign affairs and diplomacy have achieved "important and historic results and achievements", an important premise for successfully implementing the goal of the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding, creating a foundation for successfully implementing the goal of the 100th anniversary of the country's founding. Political, economic, cultural, social, scientific - technological, defense and security potentials have been constantly improved. From a poor, backward economy, the level. In 2024, GDP growth reached 7.09% (exceeding the target of 6 - 6.5%), among the few countries with high growth rates in the region and the world; The economic scale is nearly 500 billion USD, nearly 100 times higher than in 1986, ranking fourth in Southeast Asia and 34th in the world; The national brand value in 2024 will reach 507 billion USD, ranking 32/193 globally.
In multilateral forums such as ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, G20, BRICS, Vietnam has increasingly affirmed its active and responsible role. In particular, in 2024 and 2025, our country initiated and successfully organized two ASEAN Future Forums, demonstrating Vietnam's contribution to shaping the future of the ASEAN Community.
Contribute to peace and common development
After 40 years of renovation, our country's position and strength in terms of economy, security, defense and foreign affairs have changed, posing new requirements for Vietnam's mindset and position in international relations. With the maturity of foreign affairs, diplomacy in the new period requires a new, more comprehensive approach to the role of foreign affairs, shifting from receiving to contributing, from learning to leading, from deep integration to full integration, from a country that follows behind, integrating into the world to a country that is striving, ready to pioneer in new fields and take on new responsibilities. On the one hand, Vietnam has the conditions to participate more, with more responsibility, on the other hand, the international community also expects Vietnam to contribute more actively to solving common problems.
For every country, peace is a prerequisite for mobilizing and concentrating all resources for development. A fair, equal, law-based world order is in line with the country's interests and the common aspirations of the world's people. With the current deep integration, the interests of the Vietnamese state, businesses and citizens are closely linked to a peaceful, stable and cooperative external environment. Foreign affairs and diplomacy must contribute to creating the most favorable regional and global order for the country's interests.
For non-traditional security challenges such as economic security, energy security, water security, cyber security, climate change, epidemics, etc., foreign affairs and diplomacy not only play a role in promoting external resources, seeking support and cooperation from the international community, but also proactively contribute to building regional and global institutions and frameworks, joining hands to respond to these challenges.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attend the Plenary Session on Economic Diplomacy for National Development within the framework of the 32nd Diplomatic Conference, December 2023. (Photo: Tuan Anh)
Promoting the pioneering role in the new era of the nation
Entering the “new era, the era of the Vietnamese people's rise”, the role of the diplomatic sector has been raised to a new level, as the guiding viewpoint of General Secretary and President To Lam stated that “ensuring national defense, security and promoting foreign affairs are essential and regular”. With that strategic vision, the requirement for diplomacy in the new era must be a diplomacy commensurate with the cultural, historical, political and economic stature of the country, with the contributions of our people to the common cause of the people of the world. Diplomacy must be a pioneer in the task of connecting the country with the world, the nation with the era; bringing the country to proactively participate in solving common problems of the world; preserving and constantly cultivating the good feelings of the people of the world with the people and country of Vietnam; create new positions and forces, create an international environment favorable to the Vietnamese revolution, effectively contribute to building the country's appearance, strength and position, consolidate and enhance the role and position of Vietnam in world politics, global economy and human civilization.
To fulfill that mission, the Diplomatic sector needs to continue to innovate its thinking and actions, advise and develop new solutions to supplement the Party's foreign policy and guidelines. Foreign affairs and diplomacy in the new era must continue to maintain its mettle, adaptability and creativity in new spaces and new positions, demonstrated both at the strategic and artistic levels of diplomacy. Specifically: (i) In thinking and acting, always be ready to adapt to all circumstances, avoid dogmatism and stereotypes; there must be breakthroughs in research and assessment of current events; (ii) Be "strategically proactive" in all situations, promptly assess and forecast the direction of the world's movements, the policies of neighboring countries, major countries, development trends, new trends, thereby proposing to the Party and State appropriate policies and decisions, avoiding being passive and surprised; (iii) Recognizing the harmony between Vietnam's national interests and the interests of other partners on the basis of the United Nations Charter and international law.
In the era of national development, under the leadership of the Party, on the foundation of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, crystallized with national traditions and the cultural quintessence of humanity, diplomats and soldiers in peacetime are pioneering on the foreign affairs front, continuing to shoulder the glorious mission: to position Vietnam favorably in the flow of the times, to bring the country to new heights, "standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the five continents".
* Institute for Strategic Diplomatic Studies, Diplomatic Academy.
Baoquocte.vn
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/doi-ngoai-ngoai-giao-viet-nam-trong-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc-306632.html
Comment (0)