The absurdity of the argument: There can be no independence or autonomy in international integration in Vietnam.

The absurdity of an argument

Independence and self-reliance are unwavering principles forged over thousands of years of nation-building and national defense, becoming sacred core values in our nation's precious traditions. Therefore, independence and self-reliance are fundamental and consistent principles within the Party's system of viewpoints, possessing special importance and vital significance for the Vietnamese revolutionary cause.

In the current global context, our Party has identified international integration as a major strategic orientation in the cause of national construction and defense; proactive and positive international integration is the guiding principle and organizational implementation; proactive and positive international integration with maintaining national independence and self-reliance is one of the particularly important relationships that need to be addressed in the process of national construction and defense.

However, with their insidious nature, hostile forces argue that the Vietnamese Communist Party 's foreign policy of maintaining independence and self-reliance while integrating into the international community is illusory and unrealistic. They claim that "independence and self-reliance are impossible within international integration"; "if you are independent and self-reliant, you cannot integrate internationally, and conversely, if you integrate internationally, you cannot be independent and self-reliant." At the same time, they also argue that Vietnam's political system is different and incompatible with international standards, and that a single-party system makes international integration even more impossible.

Globalization is an objective necessity, leading the entire world to integrate into the international community. It is also a process where every country must find ways to protect itself. Therefore, since international integration is an objective trend, maintaining one's own unique characteristics is an essential need and task for each country. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the argument "Independence and self-reliance are impossible in international integration in Vietnam" is essentially the malicious intent of hostile forces. We have sufficient theoretical arguments and practical evidence to completely refute this absurd claim.

The effectiveness of international integration is evident in every aspect of social life.

After more than 30 years of implementing the "Program for Building the Country during the Transition Period to Socialism," based on theoretical understanding and practical activities, our Party has recognized many complex and intertwined relationships that require correct and effective handling, including the relationship "between independence and self-reliance and proactive and positive international integration."

In Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW of the Politburo on international integration, the Party clearly stated the goal of international integration as: "Consolidating a peaceful environment, maximizing favorable international conditions for rapid and sustainable national development, improving people's lives; maintaining independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and firmly protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. Promoting the image of Vietnam, preserving and developing national identity, strengthening national comprehensive strength, enhancing the country's international position and prestige; actively contributing to the cause of peace, independence, democracy and social progress in the world."

The Party's viewpoint and policies emphasize that proactive and positive international integration will create opportunities and prerequisites for maintaining independence and self-reliance in all aspects of social life, from politics, economics, and culture to national defense, security, and foreign affairs. By thoroughly understanding and addressing the relationship between independence, self-reliance, and proactive and positive international integration in foreign affairs, we have achieved positive results in recent years.

In the political sphere, we have strengthened and deepened relations with partners, especially those important to the country's development, putting the established framework of relations into practice: actively participating and playing a role in multilateral mechanisms, particularly ASEAN and the United Nations. International political integration has been implemented relatively quickly, extensively, and substantively through both bilateral and multilateral channels. Bilateral integration has created a foundation for Vietnam to play a role in multilateral forums, thereby facilitating a deeper and broader process of international integration.

Regional and global integration has significantly contributed to improving Vietnam's domestic potential and enhancing its geostrategic position in Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, and globally. From a latecomer to integration, Vietnam has become an active participant in the regional integration process, proactively proposing initiatives and promoting linkages. Vietnam has also actively and deeply integrated into the global economic and political order, becoming a responsible and reputable member of the international community.

In the economic field, we have strongly promoted international trade and investment, expanded markets, effectively utilized international cooperation mechanisms, capital resources, science and technology, and advanced management expertise; and effectively exploited signed agreements, especially bilateral and multilateral free trade areas.

According to the General Statistics Office, as of 2022, total import and export turnover reached US$732.5 billion, with a trade surplus of US$11.2 billion. Registered investment in Vietnam exceeded US$400 billion, reaching US$22.4 billion in 2022, a 13.5% increase compared to the previous year. Vietnam is ranked among the top 15 countries attracting FDI globally. Currently, the international donor community operating regularly in Vietnam has grown to over 50 donors, including 28 bilateral donors and more than 20 multilateral donors.

Furthermore, Vietnam has received ODA funding from over 600 international non-governmental organizations. The success of international economic integration contributes to strengthening resources and creating favorable material and technical conditions for protecting the country's independence and sovereignty, laying the foundation for political integration and integration in other fields. The development of the national economy and the increase in the country's overall strength are crucial factors in maintaining national independence and sovereignty.

In the socio-cultural field, Vietnam has signed more than 100 bilateral international agreements and treaties with cultural content. The deepening socio-cultural integration has attracted more and more international visitors to Vietnam.

The success of integration in this field has led to the formation of many cultural projects and works right here in Vietnam, with increasingly expanding scales. This creates opportunities for our people to access and enjoy the typical cultural values of many countries around the world, thereby promoting the creative potential of the people and encouraging exchange with the international community. The strengthened cultural and social resources and impetus will be a crucial factor in preserving the Vietnamese national cultural identity, ensuring that the light of Vietnamese culture shines brightly in the cultural firmament of nations worldwide.

In the field of defense and security, integration is one of the important tasks to serve and support the proactive and comprehensive international integration policy of the Party and State of Vietnam. It serves both the cause of national development and the protection of national independence, sovereignty, and self-reliance in the context of complex developments in the global and regional defense and security environment. Vietnam has gradually expanded defense and security cooperation with major countries and countries in the region, establishing official defense relations with nearly 70 countries, having military attaché offices in over 30 countries, and having military attaché offices in Vietnam from over 40 countries. Vietnam has also actively participated in regional defense and security forums and is gradually engaging in international cooperation activities on global security and military matters.

Continue to combine national strength with the strength of the times.

The world situation is becoming increasingly complex, rapidly changing, and unpredictable, while integration is a process of both cooperation and struggle, leading to enormous challenges in protecting independence, sovereignty, and ensuring national interests. Faced with these new challenges, our Party has clearly defined the principles, guidelines, objectives, tasks, and major directions for the process of international integration.

To protect and maintain independence and self-reliance in the process of international integration, it is first necessary to clearly define and consistently uphold national interests as the highest goal in the process of international integration. Strengthening the overall national strength in politics-foreign relations, economics, culture-social affairs, defense, and security is crucial. Enhancing overall national strength is a decisive factor in the success of the international integration process.

That strength is derived from the wise leadership of the Party, the effective management of the State, the unity of the entire nation, and the culture and people of Vietnam; the strength of the all-people national defense, the all-people national defense posture linked with the people's security and a solid people's security posture.

In the current international context, it is necessary to proactively detect and prevent "early and from afar" threats to the political, economic, cultural, social, defense, and security life of the country. This includes proactively preventing all conspiracies and activities that exploit international integration to undermine internal stability; promptly detecting and preventing foreign partners from exploiting legal loopholes and our weaknesses to exert pressure, evade taxes, and manipulate the domestic market; and combating transnational organized crime such as money laundering, smuggling, counterfeiting, commercial fraud, illegal lending, and high-tech crime.

Strengthen the management of activities on social media and the internet, and take measures to prevent hostile forces from infiltrating internal networks to cause economic damage and ideological sabotage. Prevent the import of harmful cultural publications from abroad to ensure cultural security.

Furthermore, it is necessary to enhance the capacity to forecast international and regional situations to effectively serve the requirements of protecting national security and maintaining independence and self-reliance in international integration. This involves innovating thinking, conducting in-depth and sensitive research, and closely monitoring the situation to make accurate predictions. Focus should be placed on studying new developments in the world and regional situation, strategic and policy adjustments of major powers, and the relationships between major powers. Research, assessment, and accurate identification of partnerships and adversaries in each specific situation are crucial for appropriate and effective responses.

The fundamental solution is to strengthen the direct and absolute leadership of the Party in all aspects, improve the effectiveness of State management, promote the role of socio-political organizations, and promote the people's right to self-governance in the cause of protecting national security and maintaining independence and self-reliance in the process of international integration. Our Party has determined to enhance the political acumen and intellect of the Party, steadfastly adhere to Marxism-Leninism , Ho Chi Minh Thought , the goal of national independence and socialism, and creatively apply and develop these principles in the Party's practical activities.

It can be affirmed that an independent and self-reliant foreign policy in international integration is a consistent policy in the foreign policy of our Party and State, aiming to contribute to realizing the principle of combining national strength with the strength of the times in the current cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

During the recent years of reform, we have consistently demonstrated and progressively concretized the content of an independent and self-reliant foreign policy in international integration for each stage, in accordance with the global and regional context. The great achievements in international integration in particular, and in Vietnam's reform process in general, are the most compelling arguments and evidence to refute false and hostile claims on this issue.

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