Create breakthroughs to achieve goals.

Since the beginning of the 13th National Congress term, the world has experienced many major, complex, and unpredictable changes, posing many challenges to peace, stability, and development in the world and in the region.

Đối ngoại từ đầu nhiệm kỳ Đại hội XIII của Đảng đến nay: Tạo đột phá để hoàn thành mục tiêu

Since the beginning of the 13th National Congress of the Party, foreign affairs and diplomacy have achieved many important accomplishments. (Source: VNA)

In this context, under the close leadership of the Party and the State, foreign affairs work has been implemented synchronously and effectively, achieving very important achievements of strategic significance. As the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in December 2023, foreign affairs work "has achieved many important results and achievements of historical significance, becoming an impressive highlight in the overall results and achievements of the country in recent years."

Significant and comprehensive results

The significant and comprehensive success of foreign policy is reflected in all aspects, with the overarching result being the maximization of opportunities and favorable international factors, overcoming challenges and difficulties, and consolidating a more favorable foreign policy situation for the cause of national renewal, development, and defense, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party.

The international landscape is open, peace and friendship are firmly consolidated, and the framework of 30 strategic and comprehensive partnerships, including relations with many key partners, has been elevated to a new level and institutionalized at a higher level. Notably, Vietnam and China have agreed to jointly build a Community of Shared Future, which has strategic significance. Relations with the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia have been upgraded to comprehensive strategic partnerships. Simultaneously, we have expanded diplomatic relations with many countries, bringing the total number of countries with which Vietnam has established diplomatic relations to 193. With over 220 important bilateral and multilateral activities, high-level diplomatic activities have been proactively and effectively promoted, even during the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic, contributing to strengthening the foundation of relations and political trust with many countries. It can be said that the vibrant diplomatic activities and the upgrading of relations since the beginning of this term have created a new qualitative leap in the country's foreign policy and international integration.

Diplomacy has effectively fulfilled its "crucial and ongoing" task of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, protecting the Fatherland from early on and from afar. In close coordination with national defense and security, diplomacy has resolutely, persistently, and promptly fought against activities violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. At the same time, it has proactively and actively campaigned and promoted negotiations and cooperation to resolve outstanding issues such as demarcation of maritime boundaries with relevant countries, submitting the dossier on the extended continental shelf boundary beyond 200 nautical miles of Vietnam in the central area of the East Sea… as well as effectively handling issues of democracy, human rights, and religion. Through these efforts, it has made a significant contribution to consolidating peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing borders, maintaining national security, order, and social safety.

In fulfilling the task of enhancing the country's position and prestige on the multilateral diplomatic front, we confidently and proactively successfully assumed important positions at multilateral forums, most notably as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, Vice President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, and members of UNESCO mechanisms. We proposed many initiatives and ideas for cooperation; persistently worked with other countries to uphold international law and support the global multilateral system centered on the UN; proactively and actively implemented commitments on global issues such as climate change and food security; and made many practical contributions to resolving conflicts and hotspots, such as participating more deeply in peacekeeping operations and, for the first time, participating in international search and rescue operations. At the regional level, Vietnam has affirmed its pivotal role in building a strong, united, and self-reliant ASEAN community, and in promoting its central role in the region.

In the spirit of "putting people, localities, and businesses at the center of service," economic diplomacy has been comprehensively promoted, increasingly deepening, focusing on key areas, contributing to the safe prevention and adaptation to the Covid-19 pandemic, promoting economic and social recovery and development; seizing opportunities for cooperation in new fields such as green transformation, digital transformation, and innovation; attracting foreign investment, especially high-quality FDI; mobilizing partners to provide ODA, especially new-generation ODA, bringing annual trade and foreign investment turnover to the highest figures ever. International economic integration supports localities and businesses in effectively implementing signed FTAs, continuing to promote negotiations for new FTAs, and mobilizing countries to recognize our market economy status. We have effectively implemented diverse forms of diplomacy such as health diplomacy, environmental diplomacy, agricultural diplomacy, and technology diplomacy...

Specialized areas of foreign affairs work continued to be implemented effectively and comprehensively. Work concerning nearly six million Vietnamese people abroad was carried out well, demonstrating the concern and care of the Party and State, while strengthening the bond between overseas Vietnamese, consolidating national unity, and creating conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute to the development of their homeland. Citizen protection work was implemented promptly and effectively, contributing to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens and businesses. We protected and evacuated tens of thousands of our citizens from war zones and those who had been defrauded abroad. Foreign affairs information widely promoted the image of Vietnam, its people, culture, and development achievements to the world with increasingly innovative and creative content and methods. Cultural diplomacy continues to successfully lobby UNESCO for the recognition of Vietnam's heritage sites, thereby contributing to the protection and preservation of the nation's valuable cultural values, while also opening up opportunities to mobilize new resources for socio-economic and cultural development in localities.

To successfully accomplish foreign policy tasks, one of the essential elements is building a strong, comprehensive, and modern Vietnamese diplomacy. During the past term, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has placed great importance and high priority on building and developing the sector in accordance with the spirit of the 13th National Congress of the Party. Besides implementing comprehensive and synchronized measures regarding organizational structure, personnel, infrastructure, and operational methods, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has intensified efforts to build and rectify the Party in terms of politics, ethics, and lifestyle. It has also streamlined and improved the organizational structure towards efficiency and effectiveness, coupled with innovation in management thinking, working methods, and practices towards professionalism and modernity, and enhancing the quality of diplomatic staff to be courageous, intelligent, innovative, and professional, gradually reaching regional and global standards.

Alternate member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.

Following the times

The world and the region have recently undergone unprecedented changes since the Cold War, with increasing geopolitical tensions. However, peace, stability, cooperation, and development remain the dominant trends, and international integration and cooperation will continue to be the driving force for sustainable development and prosperity for humanity. In this context, the most important goal and task in the coming period is to maximize and further consolidate the favorable foreign policy position already established, placing the country in the right direction of the times, and creating breakthroughs to successfully achieve the strategic goals for 2030 and 2045 set forth by the 13th National Congress. Based on a serious review of the foreign policy lessons of 40 years of reform and in the context of the new situation and major issues facing the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to innovate its thinking and actions, correctly implementing the guiding principles stated by General Secretary and President To Lam: ensuring national defense and security and promoting foreign relations are crucial and ongoing priorities, continuing to promote our country's integration and making responsible contributions to world politics, the global economy, and human civilization.

Inheriting the foreign policy guidelines of the đổi mới (renovation) period, under the leadership and guidance of the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Party and State leaders, we will continue to steadfastly pursue an independent, self-reliant, multilateral, and diversified foreign policy, being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community. At the same time, as an important driving force for renovation, foreign policy needs to be further elevated to effectively serve security and development interests, enhance the country's position, and contribute to building a just international order, ensuring the legitimate interests of all countries, including Vietnam.

Accordingly, we will continue to upgrade and maximize opportunities from strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks; strongly promote the role of diplomatic methods and channels such as high-level diplomacy, specialized diplomacy, local diplomacy, academic and business channels…; participate more proactively and responsibly in resolving common international and regional issues; and demonstrate the core and leading role of multilateral diplomacy in important strategic issues and mechanisms. In particular, we will give high priority to building the diplomatic sector and developing a team of diplomatic officials who are both politically sound and professionally competent, possessing strong expertise and skills, and absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the ideals of the Party, within the overall framework of Vietnam's "comprehensive, modern, and professional" foreign policy and diplomacy, meeting the demands of the new situation.

Under the leadership of the Party, creatively applying Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought and the nation's diplomatic traditions, and building upon the achievements of the reform process as well as from the beginning of the 13th Party Congress term to the present, Vietnamese diplomacy continues to make worthy contributions to the successful implementation of the Resolution and foreign policy guidelines in the spirit of the 13th Party Congress, effectively serving the country's strategic goals.

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