New position

2023 is a year in which we have strongly developed our cooperative relations with key partners, including neighboring countries, major countries and important countries in the region. This has continued to consolidate and create a new position for Vietnam.

Speaking to Thanh Nien , Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that in 2023, Vietnam will face a series of difficulties, when the world economy is unstable, has potential risks, and competition between major countries cannot create greater cooperation at the regional and global levels while old and new crises continue, greatly affecting the general situation of the world. In that context, along with good control of the epidemic and macroeconomic stability, Vietnam's foreign affairs activities in the past year have developed to a new level.

Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

GIA HAN

"Through diplomatic activities, especially strengthening and promoting relations with major countries and countries in the region, we have created a new strategic position for the country. Through that, we have both taken advantage of what is most needed for economic recovery and development and taken advantage of new development trends," said Mr. Pham Quang Vinh. According to him, this is the result of a very strong implementation of the "stepping stones" that were created in the previous year. A step from adaptation to strategic initiative in foreign affairs. "2023 is a milestone in Vietnam's strategic initiative in foreign affairs," Mr. Pham Quang Vinh emphasized.

New strategic position for Vietnam

In the overall picture with many impressive results of foreign affairs activities in 2023, what do you think is the most significant highlight? Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh: At the end of 2022, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to China created a new stage in the development of relations as well as understanding between Vietnam and China. In 2023, we witnessed a series of visits including bilateral and multilateral conferences, creating new strategic stability and along with that, new cooperation opportunities with China. During the visit of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, the two countries decided to issue a joint statement on continuing to deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, building a community of shared future between Vietnam and China of strategic significance. In addition, the upgrading of relations between Vietnam and the US to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and most recently with Japan brings many new prospects for cooperation. Along with that, relations with key countries in the region, including ASEAN, bilateral relations with South Korea, Australia, India, etc. have all been promoted and deepened to a new level. Up to now, all 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and major economic and political centers have strategic partnership relations with Vietnam... I consider these to be historical milestones in foreign affairs and diplomacy in 2023. In particular, strengthening and upgrading relations with China and the US has created a new strategic position, strategic environment, and strategic opportunities for Vietnam. This will create opportunities for Vietnam to further promote cooperation and further promote its role and position in both the region and the world. Looking back at the first three years of the term, we see that despite the complicated and competitive world situation, Vietnam has proactively opened up a strategic environment and strategic position through strengthening relations with neighboring countries, while upgrading relations with major countries and key partners. In the context of great power competition with many differences and the gathering of new forces in the region, the fact that Vietnam can deepen relations with the two most important partner countries has once again affirmed our foreign policy of diversification, multilateralization, independence and autonomy. At the same time, it has created more strategic positions, helping Vietnam not to be "stuck" in the trap of great power competition with the pressure of "choosing sides" but still taking advantage of initiatives from other parties. Along with that, we have actively participated in regional and international cooperation and multilateral mechanisms to both seize opportunities to help restore economic development and contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the world. How should we view the "new strategic position of Vietnam" that you just mentioned? Vietnam is located in the center of Southeast Asia, which is now more widely said to be the center of the geostrategy of the Indian Ocean - Pacific. On the positive side, this is a region that is and will continue to develop dynamically with a trend of promoting cooperation and trade facilitation. This is also the focus of major power strategic competition. This opens up many opportunities for economic, trade, investment, politics and security, but also contains challenges of the trap of major power competition and the pressure to "choose sides". The ASEAN region still has potential risks such as the story of the East Sea, the Taiwan Strait issue or the Korean peninsula... In such a region, continuing to develop peacefully and stably; at the same time having a role in ASEAN and the region has created Vietnam's position. In addition, with an independent, self-reliant, diversified, multilateral foreign policy perspective, making friends with all countries, in 2023, Vietnam will strengthen relations with China, the US, and Japan. We are also discussing deepening relations with key countries in the region such as Australia, Singapore, and Indonesia... This has created what we often call a "strategic environment" for Vietnam. Up to now, after the integration process, Vietnam has become an important and indispensable part of the regional and global supply chain. Countries need Vietnam and Vietnam also has enough credibility when countries consider issues of economic security, ensuring the sustainability of the supply chain. Not only is it political competition between major countries, even when supply chains are broken due to epidemics or crises, Vietnam is still a reliable destination both politically and economically. It can be said that by handling relations well with major countries and regions, with a consistent policy of independence, self-reliance and being friends with all countries, Vietnam has opened up a new geostrategic space in both economy and politics to serve development and integration.

Engineer Team No. 2 departs for UN peacekeeping mission on August 8, 2023 in Hanoi

HOANG PHONG

Much more to do

As he analyzed, the opportunities created are huge. So how to turn those opportunities into real results? To be able to turn opportunities into results, it is clear that we still have to do a lot. Certainly, to realize the results in the partnership with China, the US, Japan and other partners, there is still a lot to discuss and make efforts. Or to take advantage of new development trends in green transformation, digital transformation or cooperation commitments on innovation, science and technology including semiconductor chips, all require Vietnam to upgrade its internal capacity and prepare its forces very carefully. And the internal capacity is still nothing other than the three strategic breakthroughs identified by the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. That is the policy framework, that is, institutions; human resources; and infrastructure. Each step has challenges and difficulties in the upcoming journey that we must overcome to take advantage of the opportunities. For example, the transition to green and clean energy requires the implementation of Power Plan 8. However, up to now, this implementation still faces many difficulties. Or the opportunity for cooperation in the semiconductor industry that we often mention, scientists in this field have also emphasized the preparation of human resources. Then how should tax policies and infrastructure be prepared? Because we also know that in the region, Vietnam is not the only country that is attractive or wants to attract... So that means we will still have a busy year of 2024, sir? With a new position, in 2024, Vietnam can continue to exploit and promote its role in international cooperation and integration. However, we still have to determine that the world and regional context in 2024 is still a picture of mixed opportunities as well as difficulties. But it is clear that Vietnam has a greater position and we have had enough time to enter a more stable recovery and development phase. Therefore, with a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralization and making friends with all countries, I believe that we will create a new quality for Vietnam's position in relations with major countries as well as the region. Another issue, I think that diplomacy serving the economy in the upcoming context must also be raised to a new level. The story here is that we must take advantage of the best to develop the country. To do that, not only foreign affairs but also require continued innovation and improvement of national capacity. Without improving national capacity and improving the domestic investment and business environment, it is impossible to develop and also impossible to take advantage of new development trends that we often mention such as green transformation, digital transformation, etc. Besides, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region is essential for development. Therefore, we must certainly continue to coordinate with countries in the region and ASEAN to make the region peaceful, stable and cooperative. These are issues that I consider to be very important requirements of foreign affairs in the coming time. Thank you!

Thanhnien.vn

Source link