In an interview about General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's foreign affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son emphasized that Vietnam's foreign affairs achievements over the past decade have great, important, and historically significant marks of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
It can be said that in the legacy left by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, one of the greatest achievements is foreign affairs. Some scholars commented that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong did an excellent job of balancing relations with major countries, making Vietnam have the high role and position it has today. Could you please tell us about the contributions of the General Secretary in foreign affairs?
Minister Bui Thanh Son: The Vietnamese people are proud to have General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is not only a wise leader, but also an excellent diplomat of international stature, who has led the country to achieve its current foundation, potential, position and international prestige. Vietnam's foreign affairs achievements over the past decade have had great, important and historical imprints of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
With his intelligence, vision and profound political insight, together with the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat, the General Secretary not only led and outlined the major foreign policies and guidelines of the Party and State, but also led and directed the effective implementation of the Party's policies and directly participated in high-level foreign affairs activities with strategic orientation. The great contributions of the General Secretary have brought Vietnam's foreign affairs to a new height in all fields and activities.
Under the leadership of the General Secretary, we have established and perfected the foreign policy system as well as the framework for relations with other countries. Perhaps there has never been a period in which the Politburo and the Secretariat have had as many important resolutions, directives and conclusions on foreign affairs as during the terms under the leadership of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, especially during the 13th National Party Congress.
As an outstanding theorist, the General Secretary has made enormous contributions to the development of the theory of Vietnamese diplomacy. With profound contemplation of foreign policy over more than 70 years, the General Secretary is the one who has comprehensively systematized the foreign policy philosophy of our ancestors, the theory of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, the foreign policy of the Party, concluding a very special and unique school of foreign affairs and diplomacy of the Ho Chi Minh era, imbued with the identity of the "Vietnamese bamboo tree", with a solid root, a strong trunk, flexible branches, imbued with the soul, character and spirit of the Vietnamese people. This foreign policy ideology and philosophy has penetrated deeply into the awareness and become the guiding principle for the activities of Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy.
Under the leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat headed by the General Secretary, we have not only established frameworks for strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships, but also raised and upgraded these frameworks to a new level with new connotations, meeting the new requirements of the new era. To date, we have established strategic partnerships and comprehensive strategic partnerships with all five members of the UN Security Council.
As General Secretary, he directly participated in many major foreign affairs activities. His strategic foreign affairs activities played an important role in creating an open, favorable foreign affairs situation and an unprecedented position and prestige, which had long-term strategic significance for the country.
With neighboring countries Laos and Cambodia, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is always interested in gathering and nurturing this special relationship of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, most clearly demonstrated by the highest-level meetings of the three Party leaders after 30 years in Hanoi in 2021 and 2023.
For major countries, the historic visits of the General Secretary to China in 2022, to Russia in 2018 and to the United States in 2015, as well as the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in 2023 and most recently the State visit of Russian President V. Putin to Vietnam (2024) at the invitation of the General Secretary have not only opened a new chapter in bilateral relations, but also further consolidated our strategic position in the regional and world situation.
Relations with other major, key partners, such as India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, etc., and the expansion of relations with traditional friends in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, etc., have also been upgraded, upgraded, and increasingly strong and effective.
Some people say that, along with implementing a foreign policy imbued with the Vietnamese bamboo identity, the personal prestige of the General Secretary has helped Vietnam balance relations with major countries, helping to resolve issues in the foreign affairs field, as demonstrated through historical diplomatic imprints. Could you please give your assessment of this?
Minister Bui Thanh Son: As you said, Vietnam's foreign affairs achievements in the past terms cannot be separated from the prestige of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong personally. International relations are not only relations between countries, but also relations between people. Foreign leaders highly value and appreciate the role and prestige of the General Secretary personally, which is very special.
It can be said that, to international friends, the General Secretary is the embodiment of Vietnam's tradition of "considerate diplomacy", winning people's hearts with justice, humanity, reason and morality. In all foreign affairs activities, with a simple, open and sincere style, with a diplomatic manner that is both standard and humane, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has touched the hearts and won the sympathy and great admiration of leaders, people and international friends. The General Secretary left an impression as a leader with an open heart, exuding strategic thinking and vision, always promoting the interests of his nation and people, but also always respecting the interests of international friends, always striving in the spirit of "promoting similarities, minimizing differences" to seek common denominators to promote friendly relations and cooperation.
Therefore, many international friends see the General Secretary as a "proof" of the independent and self-reliant foreign policy and of Vietnam as a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community. After each meeting with the General Secretary, leaders of other countries understand, trust, bond and love Vietnam more. The General Secretary's foreign affairs and diplomatic activities have raised Vietnam's high-level diplomacy and head-of-state diplomacy to new heights.
In recent days, when reading telegrams, letters, and messages of condolences from leaders of various countries as well as many international friends from different circles, we once again clearly feel the deep affection, respect, and admiration that international leaders and friends have for the General Secretary.
Dear Minister, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a very dedicated person in building and developing Vietnam's foreign affairs. In particular, Vietnamese diplomacy is summarized by the General Secretary as the "Vietnamese bamboo" diplomatic school. Could you please tell us, Minister, what is the significance of the implementation of the "Vietnamese bamboo" diplomatic policy as well as the important contributions of the General Secretary to the international integration process and the foreign affairs achievements that our country has achieved in recent times?
Minister Bui Thanh Son: With his intelligence, strategic vision, profound and outstanding theoretical thinking, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has summarized and generalized the theoretical system on foreign affairs and diplomacy of our Party, building a foreign affairs-diplomacy school with the strong identity of "Vietnamese bamboo". Drawing on the experience of more than 70 years of foreign affairs, the General Secretary first mentioned the concept of "foreign affairs-diplomacy with the strong identity of Vietnamese bamboo" in his speech at the 29th Diplomatic Conference in 2016 and systematically developed it at the National Foreign Affairs Conference in 2021.
"Foreign affairs - diplomacy imbued with the identity of Vietnamese bamboo" is the result of the practice of the Vietnamese revolution, the summary of the identity of Vietnamese diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era, summarized and visualized based on the theoretical foundation of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought; inheriting and promoting the traditional diplomatic identity of Vietnam; at the same time, selectively absorbing the quintessence of humanity and originating from the practical requirements and tasks of foreign affairs in the new period.
The foundation of "foreign affairs - diplomacy imbued with the identity of the Vietnamese bamboo tree" with a firm root, a strong trunk, and flexible branches is the crystallization of the soul, character and spirit of the Vietnamese people. As the General Secretary said, being firm at the root is the principle of serving the interests of the nation and the people, is the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification. Being firm at the trunk is the strength of solidarity, the combined strength of foreign affairs under the direct leadership of the Party, is the combination of national strength and the strength of the times, of the will of self-reliance and self-strengthening and international support and solidarity. Flexible at the branches is the style, the art of flexible and creative behavior "using the unchanging to respond to all changes".
It can be said that it is the inheritance and development of Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology of "knowing oneself, knowing others", "knowing the time, knowing the situation", "knowing when to stop, knowing when to change", which is the guiding principle for the activities of Vietnam's diplomacy, and is a direct contribution to the "historical" achievements of Vietnam's foreign affairs and international integration in recent times.
International friends are also very interested in the foreign policy and diplomacy school that bears the strong identity of "Vietnamese bamboo". Leaders, politicians, and scholars from China, Russia, the United States, and traditional friends all highly appreciate Vietnam's foreign policy and diplomacy in the current complex international context.
Regarding the diplomatic sector, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has made many contributions and shared concerns with the sector. Could the Minister please tell us what the diplomatic sector will do in the coming time to "be more worthy of its pioneering role in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland" as the General Secretary once advised?
Minister Bui Thanh Son: The diplomatic sector has the great honor of receiving the attention, leadership, guidance and special affection of the General Secretary. Despite his busy schedule, the General Secretary always takes the time to directly lead and direct foreign affairs activities. The diplomatic sector is very honored to have the General Secretary directly attend and direct all diplomatic conferences 6 times over the past 10 years and the first national foreign affairs conference in 2021.
In particular, in the diplomatic sector, the General Secretary is also a close, profound, and respectable leader, both thoughtful and far-sighted. Every time they have the opportunity to work with the General Secretary, the cadres in the sector can see the General Secretary's thoughts and strategic vision on foreign affairs, his thoroughness, comprehensiveness, and acumen as well as his spirit of constant innovation, daring to think, daring to do, and daring to commit.
The General Secretary always advised the diplomatic sector to dare to go beyond familiar thinking and fields to have thoughts and actions beyond the national level, reaching the regional and international level. In addition, he paid great attention to the work of building the diplomatic sector, attaching importance to training the political mettle, revolutionary ethics and the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people of each Vietnamese diplomatic officer.
Diplomatic officials always keep in mind the General Secretary's advice at the 30th Diplomatic Conference in August 2018: "The deeper we integrate into the world, the more we need diplomats with enough political courage, qualifications, prestige, and style to stand shoulder to shoulder with other countries and international friends; wholeheartedly devoted to the cause. A good diplomat must first of all be a good politician, always taking the interests of the nation and the regime as the guiding principle in action. Diplomats always remember that behind them are the Party, the country, and the people. They must be confident, steadfast, steadfast, and clever."
Imbued with the General Secretary's advice at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in December 2023, that diplomatic officials must "always be absolutely loyal to the Party and the regime, always put the national interests first, and always have a burning desire to contribute and serve", the diplomatic sector will strive to surpass itself, continuing to write history as the General Secretary repeatedly emphasized: "Our country has never had such a foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today".
Although the General Secretary has passed away, his shining example will continue to be a beacon of light for diplomatic staff to move forward. The diplomatic sector will always keep in mind the General Secretary's instructions and advice to continue to train and strive, contributing to building a comprehensive, modern, and professional Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy, contributing to effectively serving the country's strategic goals.
Underneath that shirt, there is a red heart the color of the national flag. That heart has just stopped beating. But the legacy that heart leaves behind will always be the guiding torch for diplomatic officers in the journey of building and protecting our beloved Vietnam.
Looking back over the past 15 years, as General Secretary, Comrade General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has made many foreign visits, including visits that left a historical mark. During those visits, Comrade General Secretary had meetings and contacts with many high-ranking leaders of other countries and Vietnamese friends in other countries. Could you please share the assessments and deep impressions of the international community on Comrade General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong through those visits?
Minister Bui Thanh Son: Over the past 15 years as General Secretary, Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has directly participated in many foreign affairs activities, had many meetings and contacts with historical significance, not only opening new chapters in bilateral relations with other countries but also creating a favorable strategic position for us in the international situation.
During those visits, the General Secretary left deep impressions on the leaders of the countries and international friends about the personality, dignity of a human being; the sincerity, trustworthiness, vision and ideology of a top leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam. What is special is that any international leader or friend respects and admires the character, spirit and intelligence of the General Secretary and always considers him a representative of the character, spirit and intelligence of the Vietnamese people.
For the neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia, the General Secretary is always considered a worthy successor to President Ho Chi Minh's career, an outstanding and elite revolutionary leader in the new era. In their condolences, senior Lao leaders respectfully acknowledged the General Secretary's wholehearted and intellectual contributions, bringing Vietnam to continuous development, and significantly enhancing Vietnam's position in the international and regional arena. President of the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen was moved to assess that the legacy of the General Secretary, a wise leader who devoted his whole life to the struggle for Vietnam's independence and for the peace and prosperity of the Vietnamese people, will be remembered by many future generations.
For China, the General Secretary is a close comrade and sincere friend, creating a deep friendship between the two Parties and two countries. Recently, when visiting General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing, General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping was moved to write down his thoughts, evaluating General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as an outstanding leader of the Vietnamese people and a great friend of the Chinese people.
To socialist friends, the General Secretary is always considered a staunch Marxist, a wise leader of the Vietnamese people with great contributions to the socialist movement in the world. In the hearts of traditional friends, as Cuba's senior leaders have emphasized, the General Secretary is a close friend, a big brother who always opens his arms to dear friends, always ready to extend his arms of solidarity to Cuba in the most complex and challenging circumstances.
With major countries such as Russia and the United States, the General Secretary is a prestigious leader in the international arena, has made great contributions to establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the Russian Federation and is a very important contributor to building a deep and comprehensive relationship between Vietnam and the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as a great friend, a true friend who has made great personal contributions to establishing and developing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Moscow and Hanoi.
US President Joe Biden stressed that thanks to the friendship between the two countries, the people of Vietnam and the United States, as well as people across the Indo-Pacific region, today live in an environment of greater security and opportunity. "That is thanks to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong."
With many other partners, the General Secretary has made outstanding contributions in promoting and orienting the development of friendly relations and sustainable and long-term cooperation. The passing of the General Secretary is not only a great loss for the Vietnamese people but also leaves deep regrets for international friends and those who had the opportunity to meet and interact with the General Secretary./.
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