(VOVWORLD) - State President Luong Cuong has written an article titled “Vietnam’s diplomacy: 80 years of growth alongside the nation” to mark the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s diplomatic sector (August 28).
 State President Luong Cuong |
The President emphasized that under the leadership of the Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s diplomacy has consistently served the Fatherland and the people, making important contributions to the nation’s revolutionary cause.
From having trade relations with fewer than 30 countries and territories at the outset, Vietnam now maintains economic ties with over 230 partners worldwide. The country’s import-export turnover has reached nearly 800 billion USD, ranking it among the world’s top 20 trading nations. It has also lured more than 500 billion USD in foreign direct investment, becoming a leading developing country in FDI attraction.
With 17 free trade agreements, including several new-generation deals, and more than 500 bilateral and multilateral agreements, Vietnam has become an important link in the global economy and is steadily improving its position in global value chains.
Diplomatic efforts have also helped Vietnam transform from a once-isolated country into an active and responsible member of more than 70 international and regional organizations, including the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
The article underlined that Vietnam’s proud 80-year history of revolutionary diplomacy has yielded enduring lessons, most notably the Party’s absolute and unified leadership and Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic thought. Other lessons include the combination of national strength with the strength of the era; independence, self-reliance and resilience paired with cooperation and multilateralism; skillful management of relations with major powers; and the cultivation of stable, friendly ties with neighboring countries.
In the new era of national rise, President Luong Cuong stressed that diplomacy must continue to play a pioneering role and fulfill its “vital, constant” task, alongside defense and security, of safeguarding the Fatherland early and from afar, while contributing to rapid and sustainable growth.
He expressed confidence that with the resilience and wisdom of modern Vietnamese diplomacy, rooted in thousands of years of national history and enriched by the Ho Chi Minh era, the diplomatic sector will remain a key force in advancing the country’s aspiration to rise to new heights in the years ahead.