During the pandemic, health diplomacy and vaccine diplomacy have contributed to Vietnam's vaccine strategy (Photo: VNA)

Diplomacy serves national liberation, development, and defense

Under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, diplomacy has served as a strategic front in Vietnam’s two resistance wars and national construction. With strategic and clever decisions, diplomacy has made an important contribution to protecting the revolutionary government and people after the August Revolution. Besides the political, military, economic, and cultural fronts, with the strategy of combining negotiations and combat,  being friends with all democratic countries, and avoiding enmity, Vietnam has enlisted the support and assistance of progressive forces and the world's people to its just revolutionary cause in order to create victories that brighten Vietnam’s history. Vietnam signed the Geneva Agreement in 1954 and the Paris Agreement in 1973. Since the country’s reunification, diplomacy has served as a front for Vietnam to gradually break the blockage, remove embargo, and establish relations with other countries.

During more than 35 years of national renewal, Vietnam has upheld HCM’s thought on diplomacy, consistently implementing a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization, diversification, international integration, and being a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community. Diplomacy has taken the lead in creating and consolidating a peaceful, stable and favorable environment for national development and defense.

So far, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 190 countries including strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries and economic relations with more than 230 countries and territories. Vietnam has signed 15 free trade agreements (FTAs), including new generation FTAs, and participated in more than 70 important multilateral organizations and forums.

With an open and expanding network of foreign relations in an environment of peace, stability and independence, Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have been consolidated and its import-export markets have been expanded. Vietnam has taken advantage of many foreign sources of capital, technology and knowledge to pursue industrialization and modernization. During the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic, health diplomacy and vaccine diplomacy have made important contributions to Vietnam’s successful vaccine strategy, helping Vietnam safely and flexibly adapt to and control the epidemic. This has helped Vietnam Vietnam recover and achieve in post-pandemic growth.

Vietnam has taken on many international responsibilities such as hosting APEC 2017, and serving as ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2020 to 2021. Because of its active participation at multilateral forums, Vietnam’s reputation has risen as an independent, self-reliant, innovative, peace-loving, law-abiding, trustworthy, sincere and responsible country.

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at a national conference on external relations (photo: baoquocte.vn)

Cultural diplomacy and external information have promoted the image, people, innovative achievements and cultural identity of Vietnam to the world. The work of overseas Vietnamese has strengthened national unity and contributed to national development and defense. Vietnam has effectively protected  its citizens abroad, especially during conflicts, wars and epidemics.

Vietnam’s achievements are due to the wise foreign policy of the Party and State, the efforts of the Party, the people and the entire political system, and close, effective coordination with the diplomatic sector.

Building a modern, comprehensive diplomacy to goals of strength, prosperity, democracy, equality, and civilization

In the light of the 13th National Party Congress's foreign policy, Vietnam’s diplomacy is entering a new stage of "building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy by promoting Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy.

Vietnam aims to maintain a peaceful and stable environment while resolutely defending national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time expanding and deepening relations with neighboring countries, important partners and traditional friends, taking full advantage of favorable international factors, and centering on people, localities, and businesses. Vietnam has constantly innovated and sought new ways  to expand markets, mobilize external resources to realize aspirations, visions, and national development goals and promote Vietnam's international position and prestige.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said “a good diplomat and foreign affairs activist must be a good politician first" emphasizing the need to build a contingent of diplomatic cadres who are absolutely loyal to the Party’s ideology and dedicated to serving the Fatherland and the people and who have world-class qualifications. To this end, it is important to further strengthen the Party building and rectification and follow President Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and lifestyle.