Elevating foreign affairs, contributing to creating momentum for the country to break through and step firmly into the new era

In 2025, the overarching task for foreign affairs and diplomacy is to further promote the pioneering and important role in creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment while firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, mobilizing external resources, contributing to creating momentum for the country to accelerate, break through, and firmly enter a new era - the era of national growth.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son speaks at the Conference to review the work of the diplomatic sector in 2024 and key directions and tasks in 2025 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The above task was emphasized by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son when speaking at the Conference to review the diplomatic sector's work in 2024 and key directions and tasks in 2025, which took place on the morning of January 6.

Fundamental changes in foreign affairs

Reviewing 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the world situation continues to change very complicatedly, with many new issues, exceeding forecasts compared to previous years, clearly promoting the formation of a multipolar, multi-center, multi-layered world order characterized by instability, unpredictability and many risks.

In that context, under the direct and regular leadership of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Party and State leaders and the Prime Minister, foreign affairs and diplomacy have been proactively, synchronously, creatively and effectively implemented, continuing to make important contributions to firmly consolidating a peaceful and stable environment and an open foreign policy situation, favorable for socio-economic development and protection of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while continuing to enhance the country's international position and prestige.

In particular, the vision and strategic thinking on foreign affairs, along with the decisions, strategic orientations and direct participation in foreign affairs activities of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Party and State leaders and the Prime Minister, especially the upgrading and elevation of relations with important partners and traditional friends, have created fundamental changes in the foreign affairs situation of our country.

"Thanks to that, foreign affairs work has been increasingly raised to a new level, strongly promoting its pioneering role, creating increasingly high consensus and achieving many new developments in all foreign affairs fields," the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed.

Notably, economic diplomacy and foreign economic relations under the close and drastic direction of the Prime Minister have made strong changes in many areas such as trade, investment, digital transformation, green transformation, semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence, etc., making important contributions to helping Vietnam maintain its position in the group of high-growth countries, being a bright spot in trade and attracting foreign investment in the context of many fluctuations in the world.

Along with the synchronous implementation of foreign affairs work, the construction and development of the diplomatic sector continues to be promoted to meet the requirements of the task, focusing on strengthening Party building, building a comprehensive, modern, professional diplomatic staff, preserving and promoting the unique identity of Vietnamese diplomacy, building a "refined, compact, strong, efficient, effective and efficient" apparatus.

In addition to the achievements and results, the Deputy Prime Minister also pointed out that foreign affairs and diplomacy still have some shortcomings and limitations. For example, the potential of partnership frameworks has not been fully exploited; the implementation of some agreements and cooperation commitments is still confusing and entangled, which partly affects the taking advantage of opportunities opened up by foreign affairs activities; resources and some policy mechanisms for foreign affairs and diplomacy are not commensurate with the new position and strength of the country.

Conference to review diplomatic work in 2024 and key directions and tasks in 2025, held on the morning of January 6 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

3 key tasks

The year 2025 is of special significance, a year of acceleration and breakthrough to the finish line to successfully implement the 5-year socio-economic development plan 2021-2025, a year of many important events of the country and also the year of holding party congresses at all levels towards the 14th National Party Congress. Meanwhile, the world situation is forecast to continue to develop in a complex and unpredictable manner, with new factors likely to appear, with both opportunities and challenges intertwined.

To effectively carry out the overarching task, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs requested the sector to focus on implementing a number of key directions and tasks.

Firstly, grasp and accurately forecast the situation, be sensitive to detect new issues and trends, and accurately identify opportunities to always maintain strategic initiative in the face of rapid and complex developments in the situation.

In addition to handling complex foreign affairs situations that arise, special attention should be paid to comprehensive, long-term and in-depth research on foreign affairs to proactively advise, update, supplement and perfect foreign affairs policies and guidelines.

Second, continue to synchronously deploy and raise the level of foreign affairs, including Party foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy, bilateral and multilateral diplomacy; political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, foreign information, work with overseas Vietnamese, citizen protection, etc.

The final content of key significance is to effectively implement the policy of summarizing Resolution 18 of the Central Committee and streamlining the organization and apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after taking over the main functions and tasks of the Central External Relations Commission and the National Assembly's External Relations Committee, ensuring smooth and unified implementation of foreign affairs work, promoting the combined strength of the Party's foreign affairs, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy, creating a breakthrough in building a comprehensive and modern Vietnamese diplomacy.

"Along with that, synchronously deploy tasks and measures to build a team of diplomatic staff that is absolutely loyal to national interests, trustworthy in character, steadfast in character, profound in strategy, sensitive to the times, clever in behavior and proficient in professional skills," the Deputy Prime Minister suggested.

Also at the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son launched the year celebrating the 80th anniversary of the diplomatic sector./.

Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/nang-tam-doi-ngoai-gop-phan-tao-da-cho-dat-nuoc-but-pha-vung-buoc-vao-ky-nguyen-moi-385366.html