Foreign relations have contributed to creating a solid foundation for the country to enter a new era.

During the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the world witnessed many epoch-making changes, creating numerous great opportunities and advantages, but also posing unprecedented difficulties and challenges.

Overseas Vietnamese delegation visits military and civilians in Truong Sa island district and DK1 platform, aboard the "Great Unity Ship". (Photo: VNA)

Although peace, cooperation, and development remain the dominant trends and burning aspirations of humanity, many regions around the world are experiencing complex conflict hotspots, linked to increasingly fierce great power competition. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is developing rapidly, driving new productive forces, especially high technology and artificial intelligence, leading to unprecedented breakthroughs. The process of globalization and economic integration is facing numerous challenges and fluctuations, strongly impacted by the rise of protectionism, and fierce competition in technology, trade, and investment. The Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions continue to be dynamic centers of global development, but also harbor many potential risks.

This context has presented both opportunities and challenges for Vietnam. On the one hand, the international environment remains relatively stable for development; the need for economic cooperation and linkages creates conditions for Vietnam to accelerate international integration and reach a new level of development. On the other hand, Vietnam also faces difficulties due to the unpredictable changes in the international situation; increasing risks to the economy and the global 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 a turbulent world, under the wise leadership of the Party, the management of the State, the effective administration of the Government and the National Assembly, and the efforts of all sectors and levels, implementing a foreign policy of peace, cooperation, development, independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, 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 overall success of the country, foreign affairs and international integration during the 13th National Congress term have left historical marks. As the draft Political Report of the 14th National Congress concluded: Foreign affairs have actively and effectively played a pioneering role, contributing to maintaining and consolidating a peaceful and stable environment, opening up an unprecedented new situation for national development.

The most outstanding achievement of foreign affairs during the 13th National Congress term was the expansion and deepening of relations between Vietnam and its neighbors, major powers, and key partners, bringing the number of countries with which Vietnam has diplomatic relations to 194; and the number of countries with which Vietnam has comprehensive strategic partnerships, strategic partnerships, and comprehensive partnerships to 42. Relations with many important partners have been elevated to a new level, creating a strong impetus to promote increasingly broader, deeper, and more effective diplomatic relations.

Accordingly, for the first time, Vietnam established comprehensive strategic partnerships with all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and comprehensive partnerships or higher with 18 out of the 21 members of the Group of Twenty (G20) leading developed and emerging economies. The foundation of relations and political trust with many countries, especially neighboring countries, important partners, and traditional friends, continues to be firmly consolidated. Bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and these countries has achieved impressive breakthroughs in the fields of economics, trade, investment, digital transformation, green transformation, science and technology, and defense and security.

Economic diplomacy and international integration have made significant contributions to driving growth , playing a crucial role as a catalyst for socio-economic development, realizing development goals, and improving people's lives. Through proactive, creative, flexible, and effective foreign relations, Vietnam has mobilized external resources, achieved sustainable national development goals; expanded markets, attracted investment, accessed new knowledge and technology, helping to transition to a new growth model; and successfully addressed complex issues in economic and trade cooperation, including tariff issues. In particular, health diplomacy and vaccine diplomacy have mobilized a large quantity of vaccines and medical equipment from abroad, significantly contributing to Vietnam's rapid containment of the Covid-19 pandemic and laying the groundwork for the country to safely adapt and recover socio-economic development after the pandemic.

Foreign relations have contributed to protecting the Fatherland from early on and from afar, preserving the country even before it faced danger . In the face of major global changes, Vietnam has correctly handled its relations with partners, always emphasizing the peaceful resolution of outstanding issues based on international law. This has helped maintain peaceful, stable, and cooperative land borders, achieved progress in negotiations with other countries, established baselines in the Gulf of Tonkin, submitted a dossier on the extended continental shelf boundary in the central area of ​​the South China Sea, and promoted the development of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC)...

On the multilateral front, Vietnam is increasingly asserting its capacity, role, and responsibility in international affairs. Vietnam has chaired many major international events such as: the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, the 35th United Nations Conference on Parties to UNCLOS, the Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit, and the ASEAN Future Forum; it has also successfully held important positions in international organizations, especially the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. Vietnam actively contributes initiatives to ASEAN, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF), the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Mekong Cooperation, while expanding its participation in UN peacekeeping operations and international relief and rescue activities. At the same time, Vietnam continues to make responsible contributions to addressing common global challenges such as climate change and food security.

With the achievements mentioned above, it can be affirmed that, during the 13th National Congress term, multilateral diplomacy has become an important driving force helping Vietnam consolidate a peaceful and stable environment for development; enhance the country's position and image; and contribute to creating favorable momentum for the country to confidently move into a new era, an era of national progress.

Furthermore, the country's strength and influence have been enhanced by the effective synergy of various areas of foreign affairs, such as external information, cultural diplomacy, work related to overseas Vietnamese, and citizen protection . Cultural diplomacy has contributed to the successful lobbying of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to inscribe 77 titles/heritages, thereby creating new resources for development. Work related to overseas Vietnamese has effectively implemented the Party and State's policy of caring for 6 million Vietnamese people abroad; at the same time, it continues to encourage and create favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to make positive and effective contributions to the development of the homeland and the protection of the Fatherland. In addition, Vietnam has promptly implemented citizen protection work, with the spirit that the safety and lives of citizens are paramount.

Leveraging the pioneering role and regularly implementing key tasks.

In the coming years, the global situation is predicted to continue its unpredictable and complex trajectory. Our country is at a new historical starting point, posing new tasks for foreign affairs. The draft document for the 14th National Congress also affirms that "strengthening national defense and security, promoting foreign relations and international integration are crucial and ongoing." Accordingly, to adapt and align with the new stage of national development, the major tasks of foreign affairs in the coming period are:

Firstly, strengthening foreign relations and international integration is a crucial and ongoing task, closely coordinated with national defense and security in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland, forming a solid "three-legged stool" serving the two strategic tasks of protecting the Fatherland "early and from afar" and achieving rapid and sustainable national development.

Secondly, we must create momentum and open up new opportunities for national development, connecting domestic and external strengths. Foreign policy must identify and seize opportunities from new trends, while pioneering cooperation with leading countries and corporations in breakthrough fields such as the digital economy, green economy, maritime economy, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing…

Thirdly, we need to shift our mindset from receiving to contributing, from learning to leading, from deep integration to full integration, and from a lagging nation to a pioneering nation. Accordingly, we must play a core, leading role in strategically important issues and mechanisms that align with our interests, and make practical and responsible contributions to resolving common global issues.

Fourth, enhance Vietnam's role and position in world politics, the global economy, and human civilization. With the country's new strength and position, "soft power" will continue to be promoted, contributing not only to the country's socio-economic development but also to increasing the status and influence of a rising nation.

Finally, developing foreign relations in the new era means ensuring that the apparatus and mechanisms for implementing foreign affairs activities in the new era are "lean, efficient, and effective," allocating resources to ensure the fulfillment of foreign affairs tasks, commensurate with Vietnam's position and strength, on par with the region and the world average. We firmly believe that, in the light of the 14th Party Congress, under the comprehensive and absolute leadership of the Party, the foreign affairs sector of the entire country, from the central to local levels, with its new role and position, will continue to play a pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful environment, seizing resources and favorable international conditions for development, and enhancing the country's position in the new era.

NGUYEN MINH VU

Alternate Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Source: https://nhandan.vn/doi-ngoai-gop-phan-tao-da-vung-chac-dua-dat-nuoc-buoc-vao-ky-nguyen-moi-post936972.html