Countering "peaceful evolution": "Anti-Chinese" tactics

Preventing " peaceful evolution" must absolutely not be neglected, taken lightly, or done with complacency, as this could lead to a passive and confused stance in this "war without gunfire," yet one that is arduous and fierce. (Illustrative image: CPV)

The event of President Vo Van Thuong leading a high-level Vietnamese delegation to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, China, from October 17 to 20, 2023, was one of the important diplomatic activities. This was also President Vo Van Thuong's first visit to China in his new capacity, thus attracting the attention of international observers. Naturally, it also attracted scrutiny and distortion from political opportunists both domestically and internationally.

The Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visits to Central Asia (September 2013) and Southeast Asia (October 2013). Geographically, the Belt and Road Initiative spans from Asia to Europe and could potentially expand to Africa and Latin America. To date, China has hosted the Belt and Road International Cooperation Forum twice. In both instances, high-ranking Vietnamese leaders participated and delivered important speeches. Therefore, President Vo Van Thuong's participation in the event is a continuation of the multilateral and bilateral relationships that Vietnam has been pursuing, aiming to promote stable and sustainable Vietnam-China relations and contribute to overall stability and development. However, those who oppose it are finding fault with it. They dig up and embellish stories that are far removed from reality, or fabricate untrue stories to undermine the neighborly relationship that the leaders of the Party, State, and people of both countries have strived to preserve for generations, aiming to make the relationship even better.

The website "New Horizon"—a notorious anti-communist news site—published fabricated information about President Vo Van Thuong's visit even before the event took place. The article also dug up events from a few years ago, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam and attended the APEC High-Level Week, then spread distorted narratives: "President Xi Jinping accepted the invitation to visit Vietnam but demanded 'upgrading' Sino-Vietnamese relations to a 'new level'." Then it spread rumors that China booked 800 rooms at the most luxurious hotels in Hanoi – a display of "the world's number one delegation," befitting a state visit from a major power... The article also made a "blind men describing an elephant" assessment: China would make some difficult demands on Vietnam and questioned whether "bamboo diplomacy" was still effective?… All the distorted and fabricated information, as well as the "concerns" of political opportunists, aimed to create public confusion about Vietnam's foreign policy, especially towards China. Then there's the matter of a group of people who, on the anniversary of the Gac Ma incident, gather at the Ly Thai To monument (Hanoi) to carry out what they call a protest. "Commemorating the fallen soldiers" on this island. They gathered in the name of patriotism, but everyone knows the dark purpose of this group! They created crowds, displayed banners, chanted anti-China slogans, and called it an expression of "patriotism." This has been repeated for many years, and besides gathering and causing disturbances, they have made no effort to honor the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at Gac Ma, including those who are still alive!

By piecing together events over a long period, it's not difficult to recognize the conspiracy to incite anti-Chinese sentiment carried out by those deliberately opposing the Party, State, and people of Vietnam for many years. They ignore the legitimate and rightful interests of the majority of the people in living and working in an open and friendly atmosphere. They deliberately sabotage the policy of putting the past behind them, normalizing post-war relations, and living together peacefully and developing, which our Party and State have been pursuing. And there are many more anti-Chinese activities that these subversive elements have been and continue to carry out.

Vietnam-China relations over the past decade have seen many ups and downs, especially regarding issues related to the South China Sea. As a country that has endured numerous wars, where people have shed much blood to preserve peace and independence, we cannot forget the painful past, nor can we afford to lower our guard. Our Party always prioritizes national interests. Vietnam consistently pursues a flexible and adaptable foreign policy based on a correct understanding of its partners and adversaries. In the field of defense diplomacy, Vietnam implements a "three no's" defense policy: No participation in military alliances; no military ally of any country; no allowing any country to establish military bases in Vietnam; and no reliance on one country to counter another. Thus, the foreign policy of the Vietnamese Party and State is not a temporary diplomatic strategy or tactic, but a political policy that is open, transparent, and in line with global development trends. What has happened and is happening in diplomatic relations in general, and the relationship between Vietnam and China in particular, completely refutes the false narratives that the website "New Horizon" and other anti-communist news sites are striving to distort and undermine.

Source: https://baodienbienphu.com.vn/tin-tuc/bao%20ve%20tu%20tuong/210466/phong-chong-dien-bien-hoa-binh-%E2%80%9Cbai-hoa%E2%80%9D---quan-bai-chong-pha