Vietnam's defense diplomacy, promoting tradition, moving steadily towards the future

Defense diplomacy is an important and inseparable part of the Party's overall foreign affairs, State diplomacy, and people's diplomacy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visits the British defence industry exhibition space at the 2024 International Defence Exhibition. (Source: British Embassy in Vietnam)

Overcoming difficulties to pave the way

International integration and defense diplomacy are important parts of the Party's foreign policy; sensitive areas, directly related to independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national defense, with characteristics of both defense and diplomacy. Defense diplomacy is conducted cautiously and firmly, with a lag compared to other areas and depends on political relations.

At the same time, integration and defense diplomacy have made important contributions to strengthening political trust, intertwining interests, balancing relations with other countries, promoting cooperation in other fields, and mobilizing external resources. In difficult times, defense diplomacy has proactively and actively promoted its pioneering role.

On July 4, 1954, the General Command of the Vietnam People's Army proactively organized the Trung Gia Military Conference - the first foreign conference with the General Command of the French Army in Indochina, to discuss and agree on specific measures to realize the regulations of the Geneva Conference on ceasefire, troop regrouping, prisoner exchange... In July 1991, General and Minister of National Defense Le Duc Anh was appointed as the Politburo's envoy to meet with Chinese leaders, to discuss specifically the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Although the US opposed the normalization of relations, with its humanitarian tradition, in the 1980s, Vietnam searched for and returned 302 sets of remains. Our efforts and goodwill were the initial steps, creating conditions for the two countries to normalize diplomatic relations (July 12, 1995). Cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war became a bright spot in the Vietnam-US relationship.

Defense diplomacy is not only carried out by the military. Under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State, the Ministry of Defense acts as the core, specialized force, closely coordinating with ministries, branches, localities and widely mobilizing people to participate. Border friendship exchanges with China, Laos, and Cambodia have been enthusiastically responded to by local Party committees, authorities and people, symbolizing the national character of defense diplomacy.

There are many similar events in practice. This affirms that defense diplomacy is an important and inseparable part of the overall foreign affairs of the Party, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy. Vietnam has defense relations with all countries, international and regional organizations, in many fields, with diverse forms of cooperation, at the Government, ministerial, sectoral, and local levels.

Practice has shown that international integration and defense diplomacy are important tasks, strategies to protect the country early and from afar by peaceful means; to create and strengthen trust, maintain independence and sovereignty, and protect national and ethnic interests; to preserve a peaceful and stable environment for national development; to combine national strength with the strength of the times, to create a comprehensive strength, to enhance the country's international position and independence and autonomy.

General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, visited and presented gifts to Pahang Primary and Secondary School, within the framework of the second Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange, on October 23. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Inheritance and development

2024 will see many outstanding events, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory, and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day. Thoroughly grasping the Party's guidelines and the viewpoints of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, inheriting and promoting traditions, international integration and defense diplomacy will be actively, proactively, firmly, synchronously, extensively, innovatively, creatively, flexibly, and effectively implemented, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

We have carried out comprehensive activities: delegation exchanges, training cooperation, exercises, overcoming the consequences of natural disasters, catastrophes, military trade, defense industry, information sharing, policy dialogue, defense strategy... Signing and effectively implementing the Joint Vision Statement on defense relations, Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation, protocols, programs, and cooperation plans; proactively proposing new cooperation mechanisms, deepening and bringing relations into depth, substance, and practicality.

Expand and strengthen defense relations with more than 100 countries and international organizations, especially neighboring countries, comprehensive strategic partners, ASEAN countries and traditional friends, contributing to balancing relations with major countries, creating a position of intertwined strategic interests.

Defense diplomacy has actively participated in regional and international multilateral defense cooperation mechanisms and forums, with the mindset of "proactively contributing to building common rules of the game"; proposed viewpoints and initiatives, and successfully undertook and chaired many activities within the framework of ASEAN defense and military cooperation mechanisms. Thereby, affirming that Vietnam is a responsible member, actively contributing to complex regional and international issues, building trust, and contributing to protecting the interests of the nation.

The journey over the years has left many outstanding marks. Border defense friendship exchanges, strengthening relations between functional forces and local people, contributing to building a peaceful and friendly border; maintaining cooperation, control, and handling complex issues at sea.

Over the past 10 years, Vietnam has sent more than 1,000 officers, soldiers, 6 level 2 field hospitals, and 3 engineering teams to participate in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force. Many units and individuals have excellently completed their tasks, becoming role models in the force and in relations with local people. The Vietnam International Defense Exhibitions in 2022 and 2024 are highlights of international significance and stature, affirming the strength, mettle, position, and prestige of the country and the army.

Actively research, forecast and provide strategic advice to the Party and State on appropriate policies, solutions and effective countermeasures to complex issues related to national defense and security; on a balanced stance with hot spots, gaining international consensus, avoiding being passive or surprised. Innovate, diversify forms, improve the effectiveness of foreign information and propaganda work, and act as a bridge for countries to understand Vietnam's defense and military policies.

International integration and defense diplomacy have inherited and promoted traditions, achieved many results and achievements, and are truly a strategy to protect the country early and from afar by peaceful means, preventing the risk of conflict and war; enhancing the position and prestige of the country and the army; contributing to the goal of building and protecting the Fatherland, actively contributing to maintaining peace in the region and the world.

Performance at the opening ceremony of the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition at Gia Lam Airport on the morning of December 19. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Sing the military march

2025 is the final year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, a pivotal year for preparing all aspects for the 14th Party Congress, paving the way for the nation to enter a new era. Many important tasks must be carried out simultaneously: Digital transformation, carrying out the organizational revolution, holding party congresses at all levels, and completing the goals of the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress. The international situation continues to develop in a complex manner, with many mutations, confrontations, and increasingly fierce fragmentation.

The new context places high demands on the pioneering role of foreign affairs, including defense diplomacy. There are many challenges, but we have traditional strength, the guiding light of the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, the Resolution of the Politburo (13th tenure) on the strategy of defending the Fatherland in the new situation, and Conclusion No. 53-KL/TW of the Politburo on international integration and defense diplomacy until 2030 and the following years.

Defense diplomacy needs to thoroughly grasp the Party's viewpoints and the direction of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, clearly recognizing both opportunities and challenges. On that basis, deploy foreign affairs activities with strategic thinking, vision, and new methods, exploiting the power of digital technology; promoting the core and specialized role of a team of professional officers and soldiers who are politically steadfast, enthusiastic, skilled in expertise and professionalism, and closely coordinate with other forces.

The Spring of At Ty beckons, the pioneering role urges, Vietnam's defense diplomacy sings the military march, joining the journey of the country and the army, towards a bright future.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/doi-ngoai-quoc-phong-viet-nam-phat-huy-truyen-thong-vung-buoc-huong-toi-tuong-lai-298014.html