Vibrant Foreign Affairs with Outstanding Impressions

Vietnam’s diplomacy achieved remarkable results and left many imprints in the international arena in 2023. These achievements will serve as a strong basis for Vietnam to pursue its foreign policy and diplomacy objectives amid the complex and uncertain global situation in 2024. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son shared his views on this topic with the press.

What were the most prominent and impactful achievements of Vietnam’s foreign and diplomatic activities in 2023? How did they contribute to the success of Vietnam’s foreign policy and diplomacy in the year?”

2023 was an exciting year in foreign affairs with many outstanding milestones. First of all, bilateral and multilateral foreign relations continued to be expanded and deepened. Particularly, relations with many important partners were raised to new highs with new developments in quality, especially with neighboring countries, China, the United States, Japan and many other partners. Foreign affairs, especially high-level ones, took place vibrantly across continents and at many important multilateral forums and mechanisms like ASEAN, the United Nations, the Mekong Subregion, APEC, AIPA, COP 28 and BRI. In the past year, we successfully organized 22 foreign visits of senior leaders and received 28 visits of foreign senior leaders to Vietnam, thus affirming the new stature and position of Vietnam in the world. We continued to play its role in important international organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council and UNESCO and contributed actively and responsibly to common world issues such as combating climate change, peacekeeping in Africa and sending rescue forces to Turkey.

Foreign research, consultation and forecasting yielded many significant results. In the face of complex international developments, the diplomatic sector, in coordination with other branches and levels of authority, provided counsel to the Politburo, the Party Secretariat and the Government on many important foreign projects, especially the project on enhancing relations with several important partners, ASEAN and Greater Mekong Subregion cooperation, and policies on responding to other countries’ initiatives.

Economic diplomacy was enhanced, based on a thorough understanding of Directive 15 of the Party Secretariat, which prioritized localities, businesses and people as the core of service. Economic diplomacy contributed significantly to stimulating economic growth, increasing the import and export value to nearly US$700 billion in 2023, with over 30 exports, each exceeding US$1 billion, attracting 14.8% more FDI capital and accessing many new quality capital sources in a challenging world economic context.

Vietnam maintained a peaceful and stable environment for its development, despite the volatile global developments. The diplomatic sector, in collaboration with national defense, security and other sectors, persistently pursued dialogues and negotiations to resolve border and territorial issues, and appropriately and promptly addressed any acts of infringement on Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, rights and interests.

Vietnam’s foreign information, cultural diplomacy, overseas Vietnamese and citizen protection affairs attained significant results in 2023. The UNESCO recognized Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago as a world natural heritage site. Da Lat and Hoi An cities received the UNESCO’s accreditation as creative cities. Vietnam was elected to important UNESCO bodies, such as Vice President of the UNESCO’s General Conference, Vice Chair of the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term. Vietnam promptly protected and safely repatriated many citizens, especially from areas affected by conflicts and natural disasters.

The above achievements are attributed to the right leadership of the Party; the centralized and effective administration of the State; the solidarity, resolute unity and great effort of the entire political system; the close and smooth coordination of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people’s diplomacy; and the cooperation between the diplomatic sector and the defense, security, economic, cultural and social sectors. Under the leadership and close guidance of the Politburo, the Party Secretariat and the Government, the diplomatic sector adhered to the foreign policy of the Party and the State, maintained the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy”, closely observed global and regional developments to acquire the best knowledge and skills to handle foreign affairs flexibly and creatively. Suitable measures were adopted to seize opportunities and overcome challenges to successfully accomplish foreign tasks.

National Assembly President Vuong Dinh Hue holds a working session in with a delegation of the Vietnamese representative agencies abroad led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, within the framework of the 32nd Diplomatic Conference

In light of the above achievements, what are the main objectives and approaches of Vietnam’s diplomatic sector in 2024? What specific measures and actions will be taken to realize them?

2024 is a crucial year for the successful implementation of the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. In the upcoming years, the international situations will remain unstable and uncertain, with the possibility of new and more complex factors emerging. At the domestic level, the socio-economy will pursue recovery and development, but will also face many difficulties and challenges. Nevertheless, the country’s potential, position, international prestige and diplomatic achievements in 2023 provide a solid foundation for Vietnam’s foreign affairs and diplomacy to overcome difficulties and challenges and fulfil the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

In accordance with the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress and the resolutions, conclusions and directives on foreign affairs issued by the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat since the beginning of the current term, and by reinforcing the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy”, the diplomatic sector will concentrate on the following aspects:

First, enhancing innovative thinking on foreign affairs. With the unprecedented position and strength that our country has today, we need to transcend conventional thinking and discover new methods for national interests. To achieve this, it is essential to accelerate and conduct research, consultation and strategic forecasting on foreign affairs; perceptively recognize new issues, accurately identify opportunities, correctly assess the country’s strategic position and leverage international trends to proactively adopt suitable foreign policies and decisions.

Second, enhancing the pioneering role and coordinating closely with the Party diplomacy, people’s diplomacy, branches and levels to implement foreign affairs and diplomatic corps consistently, to firmly maintain the peaceful, stable environment, to initiate early and remote national safeguarding, to mobilize new external resources for socioeconomic development, and to improve the country’s position and prestige. The core contents include effectively promoting the upgraded relationship frameworks in the past year, successfully executing cooperation agreements and deepening and elevating cooperation relations with other partners, to expand markets, attract high-quality investment, transfer new technology, create new development opportunities for the country, localities, businesses and people, and to further advance Vietnam’s new role and position in strategically important multilateral forums and mechanisms.

Third, advancing the construction and development of a strong, comprehensive and modern diplomatic sector. Specifically, the focus is on effectively executing projects and plans on training reform and personnel placement; steadily improving facilities and policy mechanisms for foreign affairs; and further transforming working methods and practices to boost professionalism, efficiency and modernity.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong first mentioned the concept of Bamboo Diplomacy at the 29th Diplomatic Conference in 2016. However, at the first Foreign Affairs Conference in 2021, the first year of the 13th Party Congress term, he elaborated on Bamboo Diplomacy in more detail. How do you interpret the meaning and implications of this diplomacy and its relevance to Vietnam in the current situation?

At the 29th Diplomatic Conference in 2016, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong first coined the term “Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy”, and at the first National Conference on Foreign Affairs in December 2021, he elaborated on the fundamental implications of foreign affairs and diplomacy that reflect the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo”.

This is a concise and comprehensive summary of the core and enduring content of the foreign policy of our Party and State, as well as the distinctive identity of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy, which is built and developed on the legacy and creative application of Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic ideology, style and arts, and the nation’s cultural and diplomatic identity forged through millennia of national construction and defense.

The image of “Vietnamese bamboo” vividly illustrates the core and consistent contents of our Party’s foreign policy, as well as the unique identity of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy. The firm root of this policy is the principle of national interests, an independent and self-reliant foreign policy based on real strength, and the promotion of multilateralism and diversification of comprehensive and far-reaching foreign relations and international integration to build a position and create opportunities. The solid trunk represents the way to create strength, where the strength of great national unity is a fundamental and vital factor. This is achieved through the combination of national strength and the power of the times, as well as respect for righteousness, humanity, fidelity, and the rule of law. The resilient branch represents the style and art of flexible behaviors, based on the principle of “firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics”, and the behavior of “knowing ourselves, knowing others”, “knowing the right time, knowing the situation”, “knowing when to advance, knowing when to retreat”, “knowing when to stop, knowing when to change”, and other factors.

His direction is the guideline for Vietnamese diplomacy to carry out its tasks during the 13th Congress term and has been thoroughly understood by the diplomatic sector that is resolved to build Vietnam's comprehensive, modern, strong foreign affairs and diplomacy, with the strong identity of “Vietnamese bamboo”.

How did economic diplomacy support the nation’s socioeconomic development in 2023? What are the key directions and tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that economic diplomacy remains an important driving force for rapid and sustainable national development and a catalyst for achieving the socioeconomic development goals in 2024 set by the Government?

Vietnamese diplomacy has been executing the policy of “building economic diplomacy to serve development, placing people, localities and businesses at the heart”. This policy closely follows the new thinking on economic diplomacy as per Directive 15 of the Party Secretariat and the Government’s Action Program. As a result, economic diplomacy has been carried out consistently and has made important contributions to the country’s socioeconomic development.

First of all, economic diplomacy is widely deployed in foreign affairs, especially high-level diplomacy, and is closely linked with political, cultural, and other fields of diplomacy. Economic cooperation is always a central relationship, particularly with important partners. Our upgrading of relations with other countries in the past year has created a breakthrough in economic cooperation and opened up many opportunities for Vietnamese localities and businesses. International economic integration and participation in international economic links have been more active, positive, and effective. In addition to effectively enforcing signed FTAs, we signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with Israel in 2023, actively negotiated FTAs with other partners, and signed over 70 cooperation documents of ministries and agencies, nearly 100 cooperation agreements of localities, and hundreds of cooperation agreements of businesses.

In 2024, the world economy will still face many difficulties and risks. Besides opportunities and advantages, there are also challenges and adversities. The diplomatic sector will continue to thoroughly grasp the Party's policies and orientations on economic diplomacy, closely follow the 2024 Socioeconomic Development Plan and domestic and global developments. Economic diplomacy continues to take advantage of the country's new position and strength, concretize newly upgraded relationship frameworks into practical and effective economic cooperation programs and projects, especially in terms of market expansion and access to new capital sources for infrastructure development, high technology, digital transformation, green growth, tourist attraction and skilled labor export.

Moreover, together with sectors and localities, the diplomatic sector will actively remove obstacles in economic cooperation with partners, especially important ones. It will improve the effectiveness of supporting industries, localities and businesses on the principle of “people, localities and businesses at the heart of service “.

As the New Year 2024 approaches, what are your messages and wishes to the Vietnamese people at home and abroad and the international friends?

Under the leadership of the Party and the State’s administration, coupled with the active engagement of the entire political system, our compatriots both domestically and internationally have fostered the tradition of profound national unity, upheld the spirit of patriotism and self-reliance, and have achieved remarkable outcomes in 2023.

Our diplomatic officials and Party members have worked hard to overcome challenges. Their devoted service to the Party, the Fatherland, and the People has made important contributions to the country’s comprehensive achievements.As we usher in a new spring, every official and party member within the diplomatic sector harbors aspirations for a world of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development. Our country will have stronger fortune and potential, higher position and growing international reputation, and our people have a prosperous and happy life.

Thank you very much!

Source: VGP