Foreign affairs tasks of local governments at 2 levels

Department of Foreign Affairs of Quang Tri province, No. 02-Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dong Hoi ward - Photo: A. Tuan

This Circular guides the functions, tasks and powers on foreign affairs of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities (hereinafter referred to as provincial level) and the People's Committees of communes, wards and special zones under provinces and centrally run cities (hereinafter referred to as commune level), including:

a) Department of Foreign Affairs;

b) The Office of the Provincial People's Committee in provinces and centrally run cities does not establish a Department of Foreign Affairs;

c) Office of People's Council and People's Committee at commune level.

The Circular clearly states: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs, public service units and branches (if any) under provincial-level professional agencies are not subject to this Circular.

Position, functions and tasks of the Department of Foreign Affairs

According to the Circular, the Department of Foreign Affairs is a specialized agency under the Provincial People's Committee, with the function of advising and assisting the Provincial People's Committee in performing the state management function on local foreign affairs, including border and national territory affairs (for provinces with borders); performing public services within the scope of state management of the Department according to the provisions of law (if any).

The Department of Foreign Affairs has legal status, its own seal and account; is subject to the direction and management of the Provincial People's Committee in terms of organization, staffing and operation; at the same time, is subject to the direction, guidance and inspection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in terms of expertise and profession.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has 24 tasks and powers, including: Advising and submitting to the People's Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee documents on foreign affairs (resolutions, plans, decentralization, organizational structure, socialization, etc.), organizing the implementation and dissemination of regulations, plans, and foreign affairs projects after approval; carrying out international cooperation and integration work; Party foreign affairs and people's foreign affairs; economic and cultural diplomacy; work on overseas Vietnamese: Consular work and international migration activities; national border and territory work; state reception work at the local level; foreign information work; work on organizing and managing outgoing and incoming delegations; work on organizing and managing international conferences and seminars; work on signing and implementing international agreements; foreign non-governmental work; work on training and fostering knowledge and skills in foreign affairs; making periodic and ad hoc reports on foreign affairs work;...

Focal point for promoting economic diplomacy and promoting local potential

Regarding economic diplomacy, the Department of Foreign Affairs has the following tasks:

Advise the Provincial People's Committee on economic diplomacy, develop and implement strategies, projects, plans, and action programs to carry out economic diplomacy to serve local socio-economic development.

Being the focal point of the provincial People's Committee in exchanging and cooperating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, foreign representative agencies in Vietnam in promoting and introducing the potential and strengths of the locality; coordinating the implementation of tasks on trade promotion, investment, tourism, science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, protecting the legitimate and legal rights and interests of local economic organizations abroad.

Handling of local citizen protection abroad

Regarding consular work and international migration activities, the Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for:

Advise the Provincial People's Committee to perform the state management function on exit and entry of people eligible for diplomatic passports and official passports and manage diplomatic passports and official passports according to the provisions of law.

As the focal point for coordination with the Consular Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles issues related to the protection of local citizens abroad and in consular work for foreigners in the locality.

Advise on performing tasks related to consular certification and consular legalization in accordance with the provisions of law.

Act as a focal point for communication with foreign representative agencies in Vietnam to resolve routine, less complicated consular cases in the locality under the authorization of the provincial People's Committee based on the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Coordinate with relevant agencies and the Consular Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advise the provincial People's Committee on policies and guidelines on overseas migration of local citizens; collect information and data on international migration in the locality and every 6 months advise the provincial People's Committee to report on migration to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Guidance and support for Vietnamese people abroad

Regarding work for Vietnamese people abroad, the Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for:

As the focal point of the provincial People's Committee, coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct research, synthesize the situation, advise on policies and laws on overseas Vietnamese under the responsibility and authority of the provincial People's Committee.

Advise the Provincial People's Committee on the work of overseas Vietnamese; preside over the development and implementation of provincial policies, plans and programs for overseas Vietnamese under the responsibility and authority of the Provincial People's Committee on the basis of the policies of the Party, the State and regulations of law.

Organize information and propaganda on the Party and State's policies and guidelines for overseas Vietnamese; mobilize, guide and support overseas Vietnamese and their relatives in working, investing, doing business, living and studying locally.

Preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to compile statistics on Vietnamese people living abroad of local origin; manage, provide and update data on Vietnamese people living abroad of local origin for the Database on Vietnamese People Living Abroad managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Advise the Provincial People's Committee to report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to regulations on the results of implementing work for overseas Vietnamese under the responsibility and authority of the Provincial People's Committee.

Functions, tasks and powers on foreign affairs of the Office of the Provincial People's Committee in case the Department of Foreign Affairs is not established

The Circular clearly states that in cases where there is no separate Department of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Provincial People's Committee has the function of advising and assisting the Provincial People's Committee in state management of foreign affairs.

The Office of the Provincial People's Committee performs the tasks and powers on foreign affairs as prescribed for the Department of Home Affairs mentioned above.

Functions, tasks and powers on foreign affairs of the Office of the People's Council and People's Committee at the commune level

For the commune level, the Circular stipulates that the Office of the People's Council and People's Committee at the commune level has the function of advising and assisting the People's Committee at the commune level in state management of local foreign affairs, including border and national territory affairs (for commune-level administrative units with land, sea and island borders).

Specific duties and powers include:

a) Advise on the coordination of implementation of policies and guidelines on international cooperation; implement foreign affairs activities according to decentralization, authorization, and division of authority (if any), under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and professional guidance of the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the Provincial People's Committee.

b) Advise on coordination of state management tasks in the field of foreign affairs according to law.

c) For commune-level administrative units with land, sea and island borders: Advise the People's Committee at the commune level on proposing the signing and implementation of international agreements on behalf of the People's Committee at the commune level in border areas and perform assigned tasks on border and territorial work.

d) Perform other tasks and powers on foreign affairs assigned by the People's Council, People's Committee at the commune level, and Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level.

This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2025; replaces Circular No. 03/2021/TT-BNG dated October 28, 2021 of the Minister of Foreign Affairs guiding the functions, tasks and powers on foreign affairs of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and districts.

(According to Chinhphu.vn )

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nhiem-vu-doi-ngoai-cua-chinh-quyen-dia-phuong-2-cap-195803.htm