Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
The year 2025 holds foundational significance, creating momentum and a strong foundation for the country to advance rapidly and powerfully into a new era of development. In the context of a volatile world and unprecedented domestic challenges posed by natural disasters, economic diplomacy has demonstrated its role as a central driving force, not only contributing to "turning the tide" but also creating sustainable value for the future. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang held an interview with the press to reflect on this breakthrough journey.
Reporter: Madam Deputy Minister, looking back at 2025, how do you assess the role and contribution of economic diplomacy to the country's growth and development?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hang: In 2025, the world will continue to undergo rapid, profound, and unpredictable changes; global economic growth will slow down and the risk of instability will increase; strategic competition will intensify; tariff policies and trade protectionism will increase; supply chain and value chain restructuring, fragmentation trends in trade and technology, and green and digital development standards will become increasingly evident. Domestically, unprecedented heavy losses from natural disasters, storms, and floods will make the development challenge demand stronger governance and adaptability than ever before.
In this context, economic diplomacy has closely followed the directives of the Party, State, and Government, implementing comprehensively, systematically, and decisively, both in breadth and depth, achieving many important results that represent a "transformation of the state and a reversal of the situation," as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed at the Conference on summarizing economic diplomacy work in 2025 on January 10, 2026.
It can be said that 2025 will be a year in which economic diplomacy maintains a proactive stance amidst changes, creates momentum in difficult times, and lays the foundation for breakthroughs, effectively contributing to growth targets, strengthening confidence, and expanding the scope for development. Economic diplomacy has shifted its thinking from advancing alongside growth to pioneering the creation of development opportunities, creating strategic space, generating resources, and laying the groundwork for the economy to participate more deeply in the global value chain.
The most significant achievement is the elevation of our strategic position, creating political and diplomatic leverage, and opening up new opportunities for cooperation. Over the past year, we have implemented 75 diplomatic activities by key leaders, upgraded relations with 17 countries, and signed a record 350 cooperation agreements, a sharp increase of 2.5 times compared to 2024, focusing on economics, trade, investment, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. These are not just signed documents, but the establishment of an unprecedentedly favorable political and economic space with leading partners, creating an important foundation for attracting high-quality investment, expanding sustainable markets, improving access to and ownership of technology, thereby enhancing the potential and competitiveness of the economy.
Secondly , it has contributed to a breakthrough in domestic economic strength. By 2025, Vietnam will officially enter the group of the 15 largest trading nations globally, with total import and export turnover exceeding US$930 billion. Diplomacy has played a pioneering role in enabling key agricultural products such as durian, bird's nest, and passion fruit to penetrate deeply into the Chinese market; resolving tariff issues with the United States; placing Vietnam in the priority group for negotiating fair trade agreements; actively expanding markets and creating breakthroughs in several new, potential markets such as Latin America, the Middle East-Africa, Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Halal markets; and advocating for the opening of numerous new international direct flights, even amidst complex geopolitical circumstances, contributing to the impressive growth in tourism with 21.5 million international visitors, the highest ever.
Thirdly , a key focus of this "transformation" is science and technology diplomacy, promoted in various aspects, from policy formulation and framework establishment to connecting business and investment opportunities both domestically and internationally, fostering multilateral cooperation, developing knowledge networks, contributing to the development of 11 strategic technology groups, and making a substantial contribution to the implementation of Resolution 57 of the Politburo.
Economic and scientific-technological content has become the focus of foreign relations activities, especially high-level diplomacy, creating a strong impetus for Vietnam's economic, trade, and scientific-technological relations with partners. Thanks to this, we have gradually built strategic linkages in future technology sectors. The establishment of R&D centers for artificial intelligence and semiconductors in Vietnam by corporations such as NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Samsung; the opening of an R&D and Center of Excellence for digital cloning and artificial intelligence by Dassault Systèmes; ASML's consideration of opening a representative office and its commitment to supporting training, research, and development of semiconductor chips; and Viettel's groundbreaking ceremony for Vietnam's first high-tech semiconductor chip manufacturing plant are all recognitions of our country's potential and new position in the global value chain.
Institutionally and in terms of direction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued the Plan for the Implementation of Science and Technology Diplomacy until 2030 and is submitting to the Government the Strategy for International Cooperation on Strategic Technologies until 2030, with a vision to 2045. The overarching principle is to make science and technology diplomacy and innovation a top priority of foreign policy serving development.
It is also important to emphasize that economic diplomacy has become more substantive in supporting and connecting localities and businesses. The promotion of Vietnamese product brands has seen significant progress. In 2025, Vietnamese representative offices abroad implemented nearly 500 trade, investment, and tourism promotion activities; supported localities in organizing over 150 activities; and facilitated the signing of approximately 100 cooperation agreements between localities and international partners. Diplomacy has "accompanied" localities and businesses in removing bottlenecks, opening access channels, and helping to bring Vietnamese goods, brands, and products closer to key and emerging markets.
Reporter: As we enter 2026, what prominent trends does the Deputy Minister foresee in the international context? How will these trends impact the economies of various countries in the coming period? What should Vietnam's economic diplomacy do in this context?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hang: We are entering a new phase of development with different strengths and capabilities than before, with very high development goals in the context of the world and the region continuing to undergo fundamental and profound transformations, shaping new trends. It is clear that the trend of slowing growth is emerging, with potential risks of instability due to conflicts, tariff policies, policy adjustments by other countries, competition for resources, markets, technology, and high-quality human resources. Technological innovation is happening very rapidly, and the trend of technological decoupling, while creating conditions for countries to accelerate development, also makes it difficult to access advanced technologies and poses a significant risk of falling behind. The process of globalization and international integration continues, but the trend of increasing protectionism, fragmentation, clustering, inequality; and increasingly fierce geoeconomic and political competition, especially in the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia, are increasing pressure on small and medium-sized countries. Traditional and non-traditional security issues are having an increasingly profound impact on the security and development of many countries.
2026 is a strategically significant year for the nation, marking the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party and the 2026-2030 Socio-Economic Development Plan. It will initially establish a development model and long-term growth trajectory for the country, aiming towards achieving the two centenary strategic goals. With the foundation, potential, position, and international prestige accumulated over the past period, along with the revolutionary strategic decisions being implemented decisively, our country stands at a new turning point, a new historical opportunity to strive for faster, stronger, higher, and further breakthroughs into a new era of prosperity, civilization, and happiness.
The Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam stipulates that foreign policy and international integration must play a pioneering and creative role, alongside national defense and security, as a "crucial and ongoing" task, and "accelerate the implementation of a comprehensive foreign policy strategy at a new level," contributing to the world economy, global politics, and human civilization.
The new context, new potential, and new expectations present new tasks and requirements, demanding that economic diplomacy, or more broadly, foreign relations serving development, must constantly innovate in thinking, be sensitive and decisive in implementation; be creative and groundbreaking in approach; and remain consistent with the principle of placing national interests above all else, with businesses and people at the center of service.
Accordingly, the guiding principle for economic diplomacy in 2026 needs to be: Creating new development spaces; connecting strategic resources and verifying effectiveness through implementation; resolutely accelerating the implementation of new viewpoints and guidelines of the Party and State policies, especially the orientations of the 14th National Congress and the Resolutions of the Party, National Assembly, Government, Resolution 59 of the Politburo, and Resolution 250 of the National Assembly on international integration; transforming strategic orientations into concrete, substantive, and measurable results.
Firstly, it involves creating new development spaces in terms of markets, technology, capital, energy, and supply chains. This creation also means positioning Vietnam within future value chains and on the global technology map in key sectors (artificial intelligence, semiconductors, data, green technology, new energy, etc.).
Secondly , it involves connecting strategic resources for development, including connecting partners and projects; connecting the central government with local authorities and businesses; and connecting the knowledge and resources of Vietnamese people abroad.
Thirdly , verifying and measuring results, following up, and urging implementation are the "measures of effectiveness" of economic diplomacy. Verification begins with commitments to progress, documents are verified through projects, and declarations are verified through actions. We need to continue improving the effectiveness of mechanisms for reviewing, urging, and monitoring the implementation of signed agreements; clearly defining focal points, roadmaps, and responsibilities; promptly resolving obstacles and protecting the legitimate interests of businesses, localities, and people. Verification also involves measuring output effectiveness through specific markets, projects, and technologies that are strategically significant and highly feasible.
With that approach, economic diplomacy in 2026 and beyond will focus on strategic priorities that yield concrete results, adhering to the following five priorities:
Firstly , prioritize promoting new growth drivers, with science and technology diplomacy, semiconductor diplomacy, and digital economy diplomacy as central drivers and breakthroughs in the new era of economic diplomacy. Promote the enhancement of research capabilities, access to, and ownership of technology by Vietnamese businesses; support the formation of R&D clusters, innovation centers, high-tech human resource training cooperation programs, and digital ecosystem connectivity; and support Vietnamese technology companies in expanding into foreign markets. Seek opportunities for mergers and acquisitions, and connect with multinational corporations, especially large technology corporations worldwide; and attract Vietnamese scientists abroad.
Secondly , prioritize creating breakthroughs in expanding markets and supply chains with potential partners in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, while consolidating and expanding cooperation with major, traditional partners, and leveraging new cooperation frameworks to broaden development opportunities. Promote and market Vietnamese branded products abroad. Accelerate negotiations on FTA agreements with Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, African countries such as Egypt and Algeria, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and expedite the signing of an FTA with Mercosur…
Thirdly , prioritize supporting localities and businesses (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) to enhance the effectiveness of international economic integration and leverage commitments. Actively support businesses in expanding investment and operations to international markets and participate more deeply in global value chains. Promote and market Vietnamese branded products abroad. Maximize the potential, strengths, and new development opportunities of localities in the context of implementing a two-tiered local government system.
Fourth , further improve the quality and practicality of research, connecting it with the pulse of life, closely following the actual situation, and promptly advising on "accurate" and "correct" policies, while simultaneously creating strategic space and promoting the pillars of domestic development.
This year , the priority is to strengthen and elevate multilateral diplomacy and international economic integration, proactively participate in shaping new rules and norms; and at the same time, prepare well to chair important multilateral mechanisms, with high priority given to completing all preparations for APEC Year 2027.
Reporter: What message would the Deputy Minister like to convey for the year 2026?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hang: In my opinion, 2026 will be the year when economic diplomacy shifts strongly from "paving the way" to "creating development," from "connecting opportunities" to "connecting strategic resources," and from "commitment" to "verifying effectiveness."
We have a broad and open foreign policy platform with a network of 17 free trade agreements, diplomatic relations with 194 countries, including comprehensive or higher-level partnerships with 42 countries, 17 of which are G20 members, and comprehensive strategic partnerships with all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. However, this foundation is only meaningful when it is transformed into concrete values, high-quality investment projects, sustainable export markets, technology and knowledge to support innovation, secure supply chains, enhanced competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses, and improved international standing of the country in the region and the world.
Entering a new phase of development, amidst greater difficulties and challenges, we need even more courage, steadfastness, proactiveness, and decisiveness. "Build-Connect-Verify" is not just a slogan, but a discipline of action. Building opens up the future, connecting transforms opportunities into resources, and verifying ensures that all foreign policy efforts serve the practical interests of the country, its people, and businesses.
I believe that with the close attention, leadership, and guidance of the Party, State, and Government, with the spirit of unity and concerted effort, with the determination to innovate and the strong involvement of the entire political, diplomatic, and economic system, 2026 will create new impetus for Vietnam to accelerate, break through, and advance quickly, strongly, and steadily in this era of self-improvement, contributing to the realization of the nation's aspiration for strength and prosperity.
Reporter: Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Minister!
PV
Source: https://nhandan.vn/ngoai-giao-kinh-te-2025-xoay-chuyen-tinh-the-khoi-thong-nguon-luc-kien-tao-khong-gian-phat-trien-moi-post943159.html
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