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| General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong chaired and delivered a speech at the National Foreign Affairs Conference in December 2021. (Source: VNA) |
During the first half of the 13th National Party Congress, the world and regional situation changed rapidly, complicatedly, unpredictably, and unprecedentedly, deeply affecting the world and countries, including Vietnam.
The Covid-19 pandemic will last until early 2023. US-China tensions show no signs of abating. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has entered its 16th month, with no end in sight; the confrontation between Russia and the West has peaked with 11 rounds of sanctions and a number of treaties on strategic offensive arms and military forces being canceled. The trend of “multipolarity, multicenter” is increasingly evident. Traditional and non-traditional security challenges are increasing. Supply chains and production are fragmented, and the global economy is at risk of recession. All of these factors affect Vietnam’s foreign affairs and international integration.
Highlights and results
In that context, foreign affairs and international integration basically achieved the goals and tasks of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress with outstanding achievements.
Firstly , strongly, comprehensively and synchronously deploy foreign affairs activities of all three pillars, at many levels and in many fields, creating a combined strength. Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy are closely combined, mobilizing diverse forces, applying many forms and tools of foreign affairs, promoting the combined strength of Vietnamese diplomacy.
Second , promote synchronous, harmonious and balanced relations with partners, especially with neighboring countries, major countries, important partners and traditional friends. Since the beginning of the term, about 170 high-level foreign affairs activities have taken place, including 32 foreign visits by key leaders, more than 80 phone calls/online talks, and participation in nearly 30 online international conferences; at the same time, welcoming 31 delegations of high-level leaders of countries and international organizations. Relations with partners, especially neighboring countries, important partners and traditional friends, have increasingly expanded, deepened, become more substantial and effective.
Third, to raise the level of multilateral diplomacy, promote comprehensive, deep and practical international integration to serve socio-economic development, enhance Vietnam's potential, position and prestige in the international arena. Vietnam has successfully fulfilled its role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, Vice President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly; been elected and performed the duties of a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, the International Law Commission (ILC), the UNESCO Executive Council, etc.
We are increasingly proactively and responsibly contributing to multilateral institutions in the region and the world, protecting national and ethnic interests, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and solving common challenges such as maritime security, water resources, food, and climate change, etc., contributing to creating a better position for Vietnam's bilateral relations with important partners, especially major countries. Vietnam actively participates in the United Nations peacekeeping force with a larger scale, composition, and tasks, which is highly appreciated by the United Nations and other countries.
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| President Vo Van Thuong paid an official visit to the Lao PDR in April 2023. (Source: VNA) |
Fourth, continue to mobilize economic, scientific - technological, educational - training resources from outside for national development. Vietnam has participated more deeply, becoming an increasingly important link in the global value and supply chain. In 2022, trade turnover exceeded 700 billion USD; contributing to making Vietnam one of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world in the past 5 years and in the group of 20 countries with the largest trade scale in the world.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have vigorously and effectively implemented medical diplomacy and vaccine diplomacy through bilateral and multilateral channels, receiving more than 151 million doses of vaccine, contributing to repelling the pandemic. We have also provided material and financial support to more than 50 countries and world health organizations, affirming that Vietnam is an active and responsible member of the international community.
Fifth , closely coordinate between foreign affairs and national defense and security to contribute to firmly protecting national sovereignty, territorial integrity, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development, preventing risks, and protecting the Fatherland early and from afar; continue to promote and improve the effectiveness of forms and measures such as border defense friendship exchanges; twinning between agencies, units, localities and people in border areas; participate in joint patrols, search and rescue exercises at sea... Regarding historical problems, newly arising issues, disputes over sovereignty of islands and borders, we have calmly and firmly handled many complicated cases, resolutely and persistently fought with peaceful measures.
Sixth, continue to vigorously implement cultural diplomacy and foreign information, widely promote the image of the country, people and culture of Vietnam to the world; mobilize UNESCO to recognize many heritages and titles, enhance the national image and brand, attract many international tourists to Vietnam, actively and proactively integrate into the international community; proactively and resolutely fight against wrong and distorted viewpoints.
Seventh , continue to comprehensively, strongly, synchronously, promptly and more effectively implement the work of overseas Vietnamese and citizen protection, promptly and effectively handle many urgent, complicated and unprecedented situations and incidents, protect the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Vietnamese, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict; attract resources from overseas Vietnamese for the cause of national development and defense.
It is also worth mentioning that we have handled many complex and sensitive situations in international relations in a very complicated context in a clever, flexible and effective manner. We always adhere to the principle of respecting national independence and sovereignty, resolving all disagreements and disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of international law; not choosing sides but choosing reason and justice. On that basis, we have handled relations flexibly, cleverly, harmoniously and balancedly both bilaterally and multilaterally, not letting relations with one partner hinder or affect relations with another; protecting national and ethnic interests, while contributing to peace, stability and cooperation in the world and the region.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends a meeting within the framework of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, May 2023. (Source: VNA) |
Causes and lessons learned
The above results are due to many reasons. The main and most decisive reason is the correct foreign policy, reflected in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; the leadership of the Party, directly and regularly by the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Central Executive Committee; and the unified management of the State.
The Party and State clearly identify the important role of foreign affairs in firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; taking the lead in creating and preserving a peaceful environment, taking advantage of favorable conditions for national development and enhancing Vietnam's position; thereby institutionalizing and legalizing the implementation and bringing the resolution into life.
It is the solidarity and consensus of the entire political system and the entire people; the contribution and close coordination of agencies and sectors, of which Diplomacy is the core and vanguard force, creating the great combined strength of comprehensive and modern Vietnamese diplomacy.
Through the practice of foreign affairs and international integration in the first half of the 13th Party Congress term, the following lessons can be drawn:
Firstly , the absolute, direct and comprehensive leadership of the Party and the centralized and unified management of the State in foreign affairs and international integration are decisive factors. Closely coordinate the three pillars of Party foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy and channels and fields.
Second, organizing the implementation of the resolution is a decisive step in the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration; as stated by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: “The resolution is very important, but above all, it must be thoroughly understood and implemented, turning the guiding ideology, policies and guidelines into vivid reality, creating material wealth. Only then will the resolution be successfully implemented.”
Third, combine national strength and the strength of the times; maximize endogenous strength, take advantage of external resources for national development and national defense; build a new position and mindset for Vietnam in dealing with and handling relations with other countries, bilaterally and multilaterally; create a position of intertwined strategic interests, prevent conflicts, avoid confrontation, isolation and dependence.
Fourth , be steadfast in principles and flexible in strategies in handling relationships and situations, ensuring the highest national and ethnic interests on the basis of international law; harmoniously handle the relationship between national and ethnic interests and international obligations and responsibilities; cooperate while struggling, apply the motto of "adapting to all changes with the unchanging", knowing softness and firmness; knowing the times and the situation; knowing oneself and the enemy; knowing how to advance and retreat; "adapting to the situation".
Fifth , regularly do a good job of researching, evaluating, forecasting the situation, partners, and subjects, seizing opportunities, providing strategic advice in policy planning and implementation, proposing appropriate, effective, and feasible foreign policies and measures, and avoiding being passive or surprised.
Sixth, the more volatile, difficult and complicated the situation is, the more we must innovate our thinking, content and methods of foreign affairs and international integration; thoroughly implement the General Secretary's direction, be sharp, dare to think, dare to do, have a proactive offensive spirit, dare to go beyond the framework of old thinking and familiar fields to have thoughts and actions beyond the national level, reaching the regional and international level; boldly break through, be creative, find new ways of doing things, expand into new fields, seek new partners and new directions.
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| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue signed a cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Australian Parliament with President of the Senate Sue Lines and Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick in November 2022. (Source: VNA) |
Efforts to successfully implement Resolution XIII of the Congress
The achievements in the first half of the term create momentum, and the lessons learned are the basis for continuing to strive to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. However, the world situation continues to change rapidly, new difficulties and challenges arise, and higher requirements are set. In that context, to implement the foreign affairs directions and tasks clearly stated in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, it is necessary to synchronously carry out the following main solutions:
Firstly, continue to thoroughly grasp and properly implement the foreign policy in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress; the guiding speech of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the National Foreign Affairs Conference and the 13th Mid-Term Party Central Committee Conference, creating high unity in perception and action.
Second , continue to expand, closely combine and improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs activities in all fields, especially political, economic, security, defense and cultural cooperation with other countries; continue to deepen, stabilize and effectively develop relations with partners, first of all neighboring countries and major countries; prioritize maintaining stability and maintaining relations, enhancing political trust, promoting cooperation in all fields, and at the same time handling differences and issues arising in the spirit of cooperation, friendship, and controlling disagreements, based on international law.
Third, actively and effectively implement the policy of proactive and active international economic integration; improve the effectiveness of economic diplomacy; prioritize searching for and expanding markets for goods and services; attract capital, technology, and management experience into the country's priority areas; synchronously, effectively, and creatively implement economic diplomacy, focusing on localities, businesses, and people.
Fourth, step up the implementation of Directive No. 25 of the Secretariat on enhancing multilateral foreign affairs; implement it more vigorously, effectively and creatively; maximize all favorable factors of the country, proactively and actively participate in contributing, building and shaping multilateral mechanisms; demonstrate a stronger core role in building the ASEAN Community; be more proactive in responding to and handling complex and sensitive issues and situations; continue to actively participate in United Nations organizations.
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Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Secretary General Marcin Czepelak cut the ribbon to inaugurate the PCA Representative Office in Hanoi, November 2022. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
Fifth, improve the quality of research, forecasting, strategic consulting, and foreign information and propaganda work; focus on assessing trends in policies and relations between major countries, neighboring countries and the region; invest in modern equipment; apply science, technology, and digital technology to improve the quality of information collection, synthesis, processing, conclusions, and accurate assessment of trends in the situation; propose appropriate policies, countermeasures, and measures.
Sixth, continue to vigorously implement cultural diplomacy, innovate content and methods, improve the effectiveness of foreign information work; promote the image of Vietnam as a peaceful, cooperative and developing country; proactively fight against fake and distorted information.
Seventh, promote the building of a comprehensive and modern Vietnamese diplomacy; the “bamboo diplomacy” school; supplement, perfect and improve the effectiveness of the inter-sectoral coordination mechanism in the foreign affairs field. Diplomatic agencies continue to promote the implementation of the resolution on strengthening the building and rectification of the Party and the political system.
Strengthen management, training, regularly do a good job of training and fostering cadres, improve the mettle, qualities, ethics, capacity, professional style, modernity, innovation, creativity, daring to think, daring to do of the diplomatic team, to best meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation.
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