Speech by the General Secretary and President at Trinity College Dublin

Continuing his State visit to Ireland, on the afternoon of October 2, in the capital Dublin, General Secretary and President To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation visited Trinity College Dublin.

General Secretary and President To Lam waves to Irish children at the official welcoming ceremony at noon on October 2 (local time). Photo: VNA

According to VNA, here, General Secretary and President To Lam delivered an important policy speech "Vision for a new era in Vietnam-Ireland friendship and cooperation, for peace , cooperation and development."

Lao Dong respectfully introduces the content of the speech by General Secretary and President To Lam:

“Dear Mr Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science Ireland,

Dear Ms Orla Sheils, Vice-Chancellor, Trinity College Dublin,

Dear Mr. Martin Murray, Executive Director of Asia Matters,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear Vietnamese students,

1. I am very pleased to visit Trinity College Dublin, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. I have long been impressed by the school, which has produced great talents, including Sir Douglas Hyde - the first President of Ireland; Mrs. Mary Robinson - the first female President of Ireland and the great writer Oscar Wilde.

Coming to your University today, I have admired the Book of Kells and the famous harp “Brian Boru”. The entrusting of these artistic masterpieces to your University shows the respect of the Government and people of Ireland for your University in particular and for the education and training sector in general.

My first day in Ireland has been a special experience for me. On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Government and People of Ireland for their warm welcome. I would also like to thank the Management Board of Trinity College Dublin and Asia Matters for organizing this very meaningful meeting today.

The presence of so many of you, including many Vietnamese students, gives me confidence in the bright prospects of the relationship between our two countries.

Vietnam – Ireland: Shared common values

Ladies and gentlemen,

2. During his State visit to Vietnam in 2016, Irish President Michael Higgins shared that Vietnam and Ireland have many similarities in history and culture.

Our two peoples have both suffered great sacrifices and losses on their journey of steadfast and indomitable struggle for freedom and national independence. The 1916 Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence from 1919 to 1921 have left an unforgettable legacy for the struggle for national independence around the world.

Vietnam is known for the Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954 – marking the beginning of the collapse of old colonialism worldwide, and the Great Spring Victory in 1975 – a symbolic victory for justice and righteousness, for social progress, for humanism and conscience of the era.

If Ireland has national hero Michael Collins, who devoted his whole life to the ideals of freedom and national independence, then Vietnam is extremely proud of President Ho Chi Minh, the national liberation hero and world cultural celebrity.

Our two countries both uphold the tradition of learning, harmony and hospitality, family values and solidarity. Therefore, in our relations with international partners and friends, we always seek harmony, promote commonalities and minimize differences, uphold multilateral cooperation and the spirit of international solidarity.

I believe that patriotism, the ideal of freedom, national independence, the desire for peace and common cultural values will be the “glue” that binds our two peoples today and tomorrow, and will be the foundation for the Vietnam-Ireland relationship to develop more strongly in the future.

Ladies and gentlemen,

3. Vietnam highly appreciates Ireland's remarkable achievements in socio-economic development. In just over a decade, from one of the poorest countries in Europe, Ireland has risen to become a leading knowledge-based economy in the world, a model of development for small and medium-sized countries.

Ireland is also a symbol of solidarity and international prestige. For over 6 decades, Ireland has continuously sent troops to participate in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force; it has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council 4 times.

Ireland is also one of the world's leading countries in development aid. The Irish and Irish-origin community of nearly 80 million people abroad has made outstanding contributions to the growth and prosperity of many world powers, including the United States.

4. I would like to share with you the story of Vietnam. In nearly 80 years of founding the country and nearly 40 years of Renovation, under the comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people have won freedom, national independence, and have achieved many achievements of historical significance.

From a poor, backward country, devastated by war and embargoed, Vietnam has become an open, dynamic economy, a bright spot in growth. After nearly 4 decades since the Doi Moi and opening up (from 1986 to present), the size of Vietnam's economy has increased 96 times.

The network of free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed and implemented with more than 60 countries and major economies has contributed to making Vietnam one of the 40 largest economies in the world and the top 20 economies in the world in terms of attracting foreign investment and trade scale.

Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, most recently with Malawi, on the occasion of my attendance at the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

We have also upgraded and elevated our relations with the network of 31 Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Partnership frameworks, including all the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the G7 economies. Just yesterday, I and the President of Mongolia issued a Joint Statement on the establishment of the Vietnam-Mongolia Comprehensive Partnership.

These achievements are first of all thanks to the consensus, joint efforts, determination and spirit of "Self-reliance, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-strengthening and national pride" of more than 100 million Vietnamese people and more than 6 million Vietnamese people around the world.

The results that Vietnam has achieved today would not be possible without the valuable, wholehearted and meaningful contributions and support of friendly countries and the international community, including Ireland.

On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the valuable support that the Government and people of Ireland have given to Vietnam's development over the past 30 years, especially in the areas of poverty reduction, overcoming the consequences of war, supporting vulnerable groups, improving economic management capacity, gender equality and responding to climate change.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnam firmly adheres to the goal of "national independence associated with socialism", taking this as the ideology and guideline to protect and develop the country.

Vietnam also continues to take people as the center and driving force of development; build a rule-of-law State, of the people, by the people and for the people; consistently implement a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralize and diversify relations, be a friend, a reliable partner, an active and responsible member of the international community; proactively and actively integrate deeply and comprehensively into the international community.

As a member of the ASEAN Community, Vietnam is striving to contribute to the realization of the Vision 2045. Vietnam is also considered by international friends as a success story, a leading country in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and is actively implementing its commitment to bring net emissions to “zero” by 2050.

Together with international partners and friends, Vietnam is striving to find solutions to global challenges, including climate change, food security, epidemics, and water security; and contributing to the building of a fair, equitable, and transparent international order based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. We also believe that peace is the foundation for development.

Therefore, inheriting the nation's tradition of loving peace, "peaceful and friendly", "using benevolence to replace violence", Vietnam persists in its "four no's" defense policy: (1) Not participating in military alliances; (2) Not allying with one country to fight another; (3) Not allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use its territory to fight against another country; (4) Not using force or threatening to use force in international relations.

Vietnam supports respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law; strongly supports the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, and opposes unilateral actions, power politics, and the use or threat of force in international relations.

With that mindset, Vietnam has actively contributed to international peace and security issues. Over the past 10 years, thousands of Vietnamese soldiers have joined the United Nations in efforts to maintain international peace and security and improve the lives of people in many countries around the world. Vietnam has also participated in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for many countries around the world.

Entering a new era of development, with new position and strength, Vietnam is determined to effectively implement new-age diplomacy, ready to make more active and proactive contributions to world politics, the global economy and human civilization.

A new era in Vietnam – Ireland friendship and cooperation

Ladies and gentlemen,

5. After nearly three decades of establishing diplomatic relations, the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Ireland have been developing positively.

Vietnam always attaches importance to its relationship with Ireland, a dynamic member of the EU, a pioneer in innovation and a source of world-class talent.

I hope that my visit to Ireland will contribute positively to further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between our two countries.

This morning, I had a very successful meeting with President Michael Higgins. We agreed on the principles and major directions of cooperation to bring the bilateral relationship into a new era, more comprehensive, extensive, effective and substantive.

We also reaffirmed the common values that our two countries share: respect for peace, the spirit of independence and self-reliance, multilateralism, respect for international law, and the power of international friendship and solidarity.

I am pleased to announce that Vietnam will officially open an Embassy in Ireland. I believe that this will be an important milestone, contributing to creating new momentum for cooperation between Vietnam and Ireland in the coming time.

Ladies and gentlemen,

6. The world is undergoing epochal changes. Europe and Asia-Pacific are the two regions most deeply affected. From now until 2030, and looking further to 2045, is the most important period in establishing a new world order. These epochal changes bring new opportunities and advantages to all countries, but also many challenges.

For Vietnam, this is a period of important strategic opportunity, a sprint to create a new era - the era of the Vietnamese people's rise; realizing the goals of becoming a modern industrialized country by 2030, a modern industrialized country with a socialist orientation by 2045, and President Ho Chi Minh's aspiration to build a "more decent and more beautiful" Vietnam.

For Ireland, this is a pivotal stage in completing the National Planning Framework 2040, successfully transforming the growth model towards a more sustainable and balanced direction, for a better life for all Irish people.

To make the most of strategic opportunities, turn challenges into opportunities, and build a prosperous future for both our countries, I would like to emphasize the following directions:

First , proactively create a new development space for the benefit and prosperity of the people of the two countries. In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0, 5.0 and possibly X.0 in the future, the driving force for development must come from shaping new, breakthrough growth models, taking science and technology, innovation and high-quality human resources as the foundation; ensuring the principle of sustainable and healthy development, not trading the environment for economic growth; taking people as the driving force, subject and center of development.

I believe that the Framework for Strategic Partnership in the field of higher education that the two countries will establish during my visit this time will contribute to promoting the strengths of each country and the achievements of bilateral cooperation over the past 30 years; opening up new directions for cooperation, in line with the trends of the times; spreading more strongly the common values that our two countries share to the young generation, including the students present here today - the future owners of our two countries.

Second , create breakthroughs in enhancing autonomy, self-reliance, self-strengthening and adaptability to new global challenges.

We need to change our thinking and approach to dealing with global challenges, from “passive response and resolution” to “proactive prevention and control from early on and from afar”; proactively create new advantages and enhance endogenous strength and resilience to external environmental impacts.

As members of ASEAN and the EU, two of the world's leading dynamic communities, Vietnam and Ireland need to further strengthen connectivity, complement each other, and promote each side's strengths, in order to improve the effectiveness of handling global challenges and soon realize the 2040 and 2045 development goals.

Promoting the spirit of great solidarity, our two countries also need to increase support and share experiences with less developed countries, so that “no one is left behind”. Vietnam is ready to act as a bridge for Ireland and the EU to expand ASEAN cooperation.

Third , to enhance and proactively expand the contributions of Vietnam and Ireland to international peace, cooperation and development issues.

As active and responsible members of the international community, Vietnam and Ireland need to continue promoting multilateral cooperation, respecting international law, especially resolving disputes by peaceful means, not threatening or using force in international relations; promoting the role of the United Nations; proactively initiating new cooperation ideas for peace, security, stability and development of humanity.

In particular, it is necessary to contribute more actively to maintaining security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in seas and oceans, in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law.

We also need to continue promoting trade and investment liberalization; participate in building and shaping new rules of the game, a new, fairer, more transparent and equal international economic cooperation framework.

I am pleased to know that Trinity College Dublin is implementing many cooperation programs with universities and research institutes in Vietnam. Hundreds of Vietnamese lecturers and students have been and are accessing your world-class quality education and research.

I hope that these cooperation programs will achieve more positive results, contributing to the realization of the long-term development goals of both countries and making the Vietnam-Ireland relationship increasingly vibrant and substantive.

Ladies and gentlemen,

7. Looking back on the nearly 30-year relationship, I deeply believe that in the coming decades and beyond, the Vietnam-Ireland relationship will be further strengthened and elevated to new heights.

Let me end my speech with your proverb: “Of all relationships, friendship is the best and will always be.”

I believe that Vietnam and Ireland will continue to stand side by side, cooperate closely, and move towards a higher level of relations in the future, for the benefit of the people of both countries, for a future of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and in the world.

I wish you all health, happiness and success!

Thank you very much!”

Laodong.vn

Source: https://laodong.vn/thoi-su/phat-bieu-cua-tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-nuoc-tai-dai-hoc-trinity-dublin-1402740.ldo