Pride and determination

At the opening ceremony of the 32nd Diplomatic Conference, looking back at the half-term implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress on foreign affairs in general and diplomacy in particular, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that we "feel proud of our country, of our Fatherland and see the correctness of the Party's foreign policy".

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receives a bouquet of flowers from Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on the occasion of attending and giving a speech at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference on December 19. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Looking back is also to move forward, determined to complete the remaining half of the term to have a complete victory, in line with the direction of the General Secretary "to build and develop a modern, comprehensively strong Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy, imbued with the identity of Vietnamese bamboo".

In the last days of 2023, from all over the world, Ambassadors and Heads of Vietnamese Representative Agencies gathered at the "common house" of diplomacy, to celebrate the festival of "professionals". The feeling of surprise at the cold of the Northeast monsoon suddenly hitting the sky of the Capital was the feeling of many children far from home who now had the opportunity to return.

Happiness, pride and enthusiasm are also the most noticeable things in them, exuding from their smiles, gestures, stories they tell each other and everyone, in all meetings... Happy with the mission of "bringing bells to strike foreign lands", proud of the "sweet fruits" after so many hardships and difficulties, boiling with enthusiasm on the road ahead with so many plans and projects.

Highlights

“Pride”! That will be the feeling in everyone when imagining the picture of Vietnam's foreign affairs in nearly three years with impressive milestones and figures, summarized through the overall assessment of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. Since the National Foreign Affairs Conference (December 2021) up to now, the diplomatic sector together with other sectors and levels have successfully organized 45 visits by key leaders to neighboring countries, important partners, traditional friends and nearly 50 visits by leaders of other countries to Vietnam, including historic visits such as the visit to China by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the visits to Vietnam by General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden... creating a new qualitative development in the foreign affairs and international integration situation of our country.

Along with that, the framework of relations with many important partners has been raised to new heights, political trust with many countries has been firmly consolidated, and cooperation has been increasingly expanded, substantive and effective.

On the multilateral level, Vietnam's international position and prestige continue to be enhanced. Vietnam has been fulfilling many important international responsibilities, promoting its role in many important multilateral organizations and forums such as ASEAN, the United Nations, the Mekong sub-region, APEC, AIPA, IPU, UNESCO, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP), the Belt and Road Summit... at the same time, contributing responsibly to common world issues such as climate change response, food security, peacekeeping in Africa, and timely humanitarian assistance to countries suffering from natural disasters and conflicts.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivers a speech at the Conference. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

“With the results and achievements since the beginning of the term, especially in 2023, I believe and hope that in the coming time, despite continuing to face many new difficulties and challenges, generations of foreign affairs and diplomatic officials across the country will definitely continue to demonstrate the intelligence, mettle, morality and character of the Ho Chi Minh era diplomacy and continue the indomitable but peaceful foreign affairs tradition of the Vietnamese people, continue to innovate, build and develop a modern, comprehensively strong Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy, imbued with the identity of the “Vietnamese bamboo tree”; be even more worthy of the pioneering role in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland; contribute together with the whole country to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress”.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference

Foreign affairs and diplomacy have played a pioneering role in mobilizing external resources, making important contributions to effectively controlling the Covid-19 pandemic and recovering and developing the economy and society. Economic diplomacy activities have expanded and deepened economic cooperation with many partners, contributing to ensuring macroeconomic stability, major balances, promoting economic growth, boosting import and export, attracting many new resources, including FDI, ODA, science and technology... bringing Vietnam into the group of 40 largest economies in the world and the top 20 economies in terms of trade and attracting foreign investment...

That picture is a highlight in the country's overall achievements. "It can be said that never before has the position, prestige and image of an independent, self-reliant, dynamically developing Vietnam, a loyal and sincere friend, a reliable partner, an active and responsible member been as prominent in the international arena as it is today," General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong assessed at the Conference.

Diplomatic identity of "Vietnamese bamboo"

Success does not come naturally, and it cannot be achieved easily in a world with many great changes, complex developments, many dimensions, and difficult to predict. The "lighthouse" that guides foreign affairs and diplomacy, according to Minister Bui Thanh Son, is: The foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, the directions of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the leaders of the Party and State, especially the directions of the General Secretary at the National Foreign Affairs Conference, while strongly promoting the diplomatic identity of "Vietnam's bamboo tree".

The head of the Foreign Affairs sector affirmed that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong used the image of the Vietnamese bamboo tree, which is very familiar and simple, but vividly reflects and summarizes the core and consistent content of the foreign policy of our Party and State, which is: firm roots, strong trunk, flexible branches.

Vietnam’s comprehensive, modern diplomacy, imbued with the “Vietnamese bamboo” identity, has therefore become a consistent orientation for every diplomat working abroad. As shared by Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung, “It is the certainty in diplomatic strategy and the flexibility in implementation that has created conditions for Vietnam to express its views and take steps in line with the general trend, from which we have more friends and other partners.”

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that the foreign policy and diplomacy school is very special and unique, bearing the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo" and is increasingly being widely recognized internationally. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Guidance for the road ahead

The five suggestions for the diplomatic sector outlined by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in his opening speech at the Conference are very important directions that "the entire diplomatic sector seriously and fully absorbs, promptly concretizes the instructions into programs, projects, action plans and organizes effective implementation", Minister Bui Thanh Son said in his acceptance of the instructions.

Firstly, continue to closely follow the Resolution and foreign policy of the 13th National Congress and the resolutions of the Central Committee, the leadership and direction of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Action Program of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; strengthen the work of grasping the situation, analyzing, forecasting, promptly advising on adjusting and supplementing new trends and newly arising issues to concretize, build and organize the strict and good implementation of specific programs and plans of each agency and unit in a synchronous, scientific, methodical and unified manner with high determination and great efforts of the entire political system!

Second, we must always pay attention to skillfully combining the strength of the nation with the strength of the times; harmoniously handling the relationship between national interests and international obligations and responsibilities.

Third, always be steadfast in principles and flexible in strategies.

Fourth, we must always pay attention to building solidarity and consensus within the entire Party, army and people as Uncle Ho advised: "A career is made of Unity".

Fifth, we must pay more attention to and do better in perfecting the organizational apparatus and building a team of foreign affairs cadres who are comprehensive in terms of courage, qualities, ethics and intelligence, modern in working methods and manners; professional in demeanor and behavior; proficient in professional skills and foreign languages.

In addition to the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Conference received the direction of Party and State leaders to discuss and propose programs, projects, and measures to synchronously, creatively, and effectively implement foreign affairs work.

The results of the Conference, according to Minister Bui Thanh Son, not only orient the work of the Industry in the next 2-3 years, but also prepare for the summary of 40 years of implementing the foreign policy of the reform period and building the foreign policy content of the 14th Party Congress. That is also the luggage of the Ambassadors and Heads of Representative Offices returning to their localities after the Conference. With pride and love for the Fatherland, the diplomats are determined to conquer all challenges, realize all wishes regardless of the continent, regardless of the difficulties, big or small.

We will miss the sweet cold of Hanoi in the months before Tet, miss our homeland, family and relatives... However, "diplomats and foreign affairs activists need to always remember that behind them is the Party, the Country, and the People", as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong advised at the National Foreign Affairs Conference exactly two years ago.

“Determining local diplomacy as one of the important components of foreign affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs upholds the spirit of service, always attaches importance to coordination, support, guidance and accompaniment with localities in all areas of political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, territorial borders, foreign relations traditions, work with overseas Vietnamese, citizen protection... Thanks to that, it has contributed to ensuring local diplomacy closely follows the guidelines, lines and foreign policies of the Party and State, while promoting the socio-economic development of localities”. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son spoke at the 21st National Foreign Affairs Conference

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hoi-nghi-ngoai-giao-32-hoi-nghi-ngoai-vu-21-tu-hao-va-quyet-tam-254682.html