Building and developing the country by promoting economic diplomacy

In the context of the world economy facing many difficulties and challenges, economic diplomacy must continue to promote its role, contributing to deepening the relationship between Vietnam and its partners; continue to bring economic relations in particular and bilateral relations in general into depth, stability and sustainability. In that spirit, the recent Economic Diplomacy Steering Committee Review Conference in Hanoi aimed to continue effectively implementing Directive No. 15-CT/TW dated August 10, 2022 of the Secretariat on economic diplomacy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the Conference to deploy the Government's Action Program on Economic Diplomacy in 2023. Photo: VGP

Economic diplomacy, together with political diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, are the three pillars of comprehensive and modern diplomacy; they are closely linked and influence each other, contributing to the implementation of the foreign policy of the Party and State of Vietnam. Vietnam's economic diplomacy activities are being implemented in the spirit of Directive No. 15-CT/TW, which identifies: "Economic diplomacy is a fundamental and central task of Vietnam's diplomacy, an important driving force for the country's rapid and sustainable development", which is an important orientation for economic diplomacy in the country's new strategic development period until 2030.

To implement this Directive, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directly chaired two conferences to promote economic diplomacy for national development in September 2022 and a conference to review vaccine diplomacy and lessons learned to promote economic diplomacy in the new situation in November 2022. In March, the Prime Minister continued to chair the conference to deploy the Government's Action Program on Economic Diplomacy in 2023. Here, the Prime Minister stated that with the joint efforts and consensus of the diplomatic sector, representative agencies abroad, ministries, branches, localities and enterprises; effectively implement the diplomatic motto of "affection, sincerity, trust, equality, respect, efficiency, and mutual development". Vietnam will continue to achieve new and more important achievements, continue to contribute more to the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country, build an independent and self-reliant economy but actively integrate deeply and effectively into the international community. All for the prosperity of the country, for the happy and prosperous life of the people.

Under the wise and timely direction of the Party and State leaders, in 2022 and the first half of 2023, the diplomatic sector has demonstrated its proactiveness and acumen in quickly shifting its focus from vaccine diplomacy to economic diplomacy to serve the country's recovery and development. Economic diplomacy has been promoted, becoming the central task of the entire sector as well as of all 94 Vietnamese representative agencies abroad. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son stated: Building an economic diplomacy to serve development with local people and businesses at the center. Obviously, economic diplomacy can only be effectively implemented with the support, close coordination and active and proactive participation of localities, businesses and especially Vietnamese representative agencies abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to better understand the development and international integration needs of localities and businesses, thereby proposing measures and plans to develop economic diplomacy.

Implementing the policies of the Party and State, the diplomatic sector, together with other sectors, has continued to contribute to the efforts to deepen Vietnam's relations with other countries, especially economic, trade and investment relations. Economic cooperation has become the focus of all high-level and all-level foreign affairs activities. In more than 70 foreign affairs activities of key leaders in 2022 and the first half of 2023, leaders of the Party, State, Government and National Assembly have closely directed and directly promoted economic contents to the maximum. The overseas trips of key leaders as well as the visits to Vietnam by leaders of other countries have achieved specific and practical economic results and agreements. Foreign affairs have closely followed the motto of seizing all opportunities and resources to develop the country.

The diplomatic sector has made many contributions to promoting international economic integration and linkages; promptly and quickly attracting external resources to serve new driving forces for development, especially green financial resources, investment in energy transition, investment in high-tech industries, etc. Typically, the G7 Group (Group of countries with developed economies), Europe and Vietnam have issued a political statement on the "Just Energy Transition Partnership" (JETP), mobilizing initial investment capital worth 15.5 billion USD; Lego Group has started construction of the world's first carbon-neutral factory with an investment capital of 1.3 billion USD in Binh Duong; Samsung inaugurated a Research and Development Center worth 220 million USD in Hanoi.

In 2023, the diplomatic sector will continue to promote economic diplomacy to serve the country's development - Illustration photo: chinhphu.vn

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also supports and promotes the effective implementation of 15 signed free trade agreements (FTAs); advises and makes recommendations for Vietnam to promptly participate in international economic linkage initiatives to mobilize resources for development. Implementing the policy of taking people, localities and businesses as the center of service, in 2022 and the first half of 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized more than 50 working delegations with 25 localities, organized about 70 connecting activities between localities and partners, and supported the signing of more than 40 international cooperation documents. These efforts have been recognized and highly appreciated by localities and businesses.

Based on the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to carry out economic diplomacy in the coming time according to the motto of steadfastly and consistently implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, Vietnam is a friend, a reliable and responsible partner of the international community; effectively carry out economic diplomacy to serve development, with the motto of "Determination, boldness, breakthrough, substance, efficiency, exploiting and seizing all opportunities for national development"./.

Thu Hang