Lao Dong respectfully introduces the content of the article: "Foreign relations contribute to creating a solid impetus to bring the country into a new era of development" by Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.
During the XIII Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the world witnessed many timely changes, creating many great opportunities and advantages, but also posing unprecedented difficulties and challenges.
Although peace, cooperation and development are still major trends and burning aspirations of humanity, in many regions of the world, conflict hotspots are developing complicatedly, associated with increasingly fierce major-country competition.
The 4.0 Industrial Revolution developed strongly, promoting new production forces, especially high technology and artificial intelligence, and unprecedented breakthrough development.
The process of globalization and economic integration is going through many challenges and fluctuations, strongly affected by the increase of protectionism, fierce competition in technology, trade and investment. The Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions continue to be dynamic development centers of the world, but also contain many risks.
That context has been and is posing intertwined advantages and challenges for Vietnam. On the one hand, the international environment is still relatively stable for development; the need for cooperation and economic linkages creates conditions for Vietnam to promote international integration and reach new levels of development.
On the other hand, Vietnam also faces difficulties due to the unpredictable changes of the international situation; the increasing risks of the global economy and security environment; and the risk of falling behind if it does not promptly take advantage of scientific and technological achievements and new development trends.
Historical achievements
In the context of a volatile world, under the wise leadership of the Party, the management of the State, the effective management of the Government and the National Assembly, along with the efforts of sectors and levels, implementing the foreign policy line of peace, cooperation and development, independence and self-reliance, multilateralization, and diversification, we can be proud that Vietnam continues to emerge as a "bright spot" for peace, stability and development in the region.
Contributing to the common successes of the country, foreign affairs and international integration in the term of the XIII Congress have marked historical milestones.
As the draft Political Report of the 14th National Congress summarized: Foreign affairs has actively and effectively promoted its pioneering role, contributing to maintaining and consolidating a peaceful and stable environment, opening up a new unprecedented situation for national development.
The most outstanding achievement of foreign affairs work in the XIII Congress term is to expand and deepen relations between Vietnam and neighboring countries, major countries and key partners, bringing the number of Vietnamese countries with diplomatic relations to 194 countries; the number of Vietnamese countries with the framework of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Partnership to 42 countries.
Relations with many important partners have been elevated to new levels, creating strong momentum to promote increasingly expanded diplomatic relations, going deeper and more effectively.
Accordingly, for the first time, Vietnam established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with all five member countries of the United Nations Security Council and a Comprehensive Partnership or more with 18 out of a total of 21 members of the Group of Leading Developed and Emerging Economies (G20).
The foundation of political relations and trust with many countries, especially neighboring countries, important partners and traditional friends, continues to be firmly consolidated.
Bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and other countries achieved impressive breakthroughs in the fields of economy, trade, investment, digital transformation, green transformation, science and technology, and defense and security.
Economic diplomacy and international integration have made an important contribution to creating a breakthrough momentum for growth, promoting the role of driving force in socio-economic development, realizing development goals and improving people's lives.
Through the implementation of proactive, creative, flexible and effective foreign affairs activities, Vietnam has mobilized external resources, implemented the country's sustainable development goals; expanded markets, attracted investment, accessed new knowledge and technology, helped transition to a new growth model; and handled complex issues in economic and trade cooperation, including tariff issues.
In particular, medical diplomacy and vaccine diplomacy have mobilized a large number of vaccines and medical equipment from outside, making an important contribution to helping Vietnam quickly push back the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a basis for our country to switch to safe adaptation and restore socio-economic development after the pandemic.
Foreign affairs have contributed to protecting the Fatherland from early on, from afar, and defending the country since the country was not yet in danger. Faced with major changes in the world, Vietnam has properly handled relations with partners, always upholding the resolution of existing problems by peaceful means on the basis of international law, thereby maintaining a land border of peace, stability and cooperation, achieving progress in negotiations with countries, establishing a baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin, submitting applications for expanded continental shelf boundaries in the central East Sea, and promoting the development of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)...
On the multilateral front, Vietnam is increasingly affirming its capacity, role and responsibility in international issues. Vietnam chairs many major international events such as the Opening Ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, chairing the 35th United Nations Conference on UNCLOS Parties, the Summit of the Green Growth Partnership and the 2030 Global Goals (P4G), the ASEAN Future Forum; and well performs important positions in international organizations, especially the 2023-2025 term of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Vietnam actively contributes initiatives at ASEAN, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIF), the Non-Aligned Movement, Mekong Cooperation, and expands its participation in United Nations peacekeeping and international relief and relief activities. At the same time, Vietnam continues to make responsible contributions to solving global common challenges such as climate change, food security...
With the above achievements, it can be affirmed that, in the term of the 13th Congress, multilateral diplomacy has become an important driving force to help Vietnam consolidate a peaceful and stable environment for development; enhance national position and image; contribute to creating favorable momentum to bring the country firmly into a new era, the era of national rise.
Along with that, the country's position and strength have been enhanced by the effective synergy of foreign affairs areas such as foreign information, cultural diplomacy, Vietnamese affairs abroad, and citizen protection. Cultural diplomacy has contributed to successfully mobilizing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to register 77 titles/heritages, thereby creating new resources for development.
The work of overseas Vietnamese implements well the care policy of the Party and State for six million of our compatriots abroad; and at the same time continues to encourage and create favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to contribute positively and effectively to the development of their homeland, country and national defense. In addition, Vietnam has deployed citizen protection work very promptly, in the spirit of safety and citizens' lives are paramount and primordial.
Promoting the pioneering role, deploying key and regular tasks
In the coming years, the world situation is forecast to continue the trend of unpredictable and complex developments. Our country is facing a new historical starting point, posing new tasks for foreign affairs.
The draft Document of the 14th Congress also affirms that "strengthening national defense and security, promoting foreign affairs and international integration are important and regular". Accordingly, to adapt and be suitable for the new development phase of the country, the major tasks of foreign affairs work in the coming time are:
First, promoting foreign affairs and international integration is an important and regular task, closely coordinating with national defense and security in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland, creating a solid "three-legged bridge" serving two strategic tasks of protecting the Fatherland "from the beginning, from the distance" and rapid and sustainable development of the country.
Second, create motivation, open up new opportunities for national development, connect internal strength with external strength. Foreign affairs must identify and seize opportunities from new trends, and at the same time pioneer opening cooperation with leading countries and corporations in breakthrough fields such as digital economy, green economy, marine economy, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, internet of things, cloud computing...
Third, change the mindset from receiving to contributing, from learning to leading, from deep integration to full integration, from a lagging country to a pioneering country.
Accordingly, promote the core role, leading in important issues and mechanisms of strategic significance, in accordance with our interests as well as making practical and responsible contributions to solving common problems of the world.
Fourth, enhance Vietnam's role and position in world politics, global economy and human civilization. With the new position and strength of the country, "soft power" will continue to be promoted, not only contributing to the socio-economic development of the country but also contributing to increasing the position and influence of a rising country.
Finally, developing foreign affairs in the new era, ensuring the apparatus and mechanism for deploying foreign affairs activities in the new era in the direction of "simplified, streamlined, and effective", arranging resources to ensure the implementation of foreign affairs tasks, commensurate with Vietnam's position and strength, on par with the regional level and the world average.
We firmly believe that under the light of the 14th Party Congress, under the comprehensive and absolute leadership of the Party, the foreign affairs sector of the whole country, from central to local levels, with a new role and position, will continue to play a pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful environment, taking advantage of resources and favorable international conditions for development, and enhancing the country's position in the new era.
