(VOVWORLD) - “Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy” is a concept that many diplomats refer to when discussing Vietnam's foreign policy. This concept is not a new theory, but a description of the foreign policy that the Communist Party of Vietnam has been implementing.
 “Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy” is a concept that many diplomats refer to when discussing Vietnam's foreign policy. (Photo: vneconomy.vn) |
In the context of global changes, especially since 2020, Vietnam's foreign policy has clearly focused on protecting and promoting its national interests. The diplomatic sector has conducted external relations toward maintaining a peaceful, stable environment, protecting national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, serving socio-economic development, and enhancing Vietnam’s status and prestige internationally.
Bamboo diplomacy
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son recalled Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong saying that over the last 90 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, by creatively applying Marxism-Leninism, promoting tradition and identity in foreign affairs, and selectively absorbing world culture and progressive thinking, Vietnam has built a method of diplomacy with distinctive characteristics of the Ho Chi Minh era. This method resembles Vietnamese bamboo, which has strong roots, a firm trunk, and flexible branches.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said: “The strong root is our tradition of self-reliance and self-determination and our national interests guided by Party ideology. The firm trunk is our resilience in the face of challenges and difficulties, and our independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, and willingness to be a friend and reliable, responsible partner of the international community in the renewal process of the past 36 years. The flexible branches are our ability to cope with multiple changes.”
Journalist Wei Wei of China Central Radio and Television said Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy, under the direction of the Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, can be described as "a clear political stance with a flexible diplomatic approach".
Kyril Whittaker, a member of the British Communist Party, said bamboo diplomacy shows the power of not giving up one’s principles, but always being flexible and adapting to a changing world and creating new relationships while developing existing ones.
Khamvisan Keosouphan, former Assistant to the Chairperson of the Propaganda and Training Commission of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, said Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy is suitable for all times because it uses diplomacy to repel conflicts and integrate with the world.
Veeramalla Anjaiah, a senior expert at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) of Indonesia, said bamboo diplomacy has facilitated Vietnam's achievements.
 Vietnamese representatives cheer when Vietnam is elected as a member of the UNHCR 2023-2025 term. (Photo: VNA) |
Contributions to national development and integration
Amid the global turmoil of the past two years, Vietnam's diplomatic sector has strengthened relations with major countries, neighboring countries, important partners, and traditional friends, increasing the number of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships to 4 and the number of diplomatic relationships to 190. Vietnam was elected Vice President of the 77th UN General Assembly for the 2022-2023 term, a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, and a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 term.
Diplomacy in the past two years has generated valuable lessons for renewal. The greater the difficulties and challenges, the more Vietnam has had to be steadfast in principle, and flexible and creative in strategy, to balance independence, self-reliance, and national interests with solidarity, international cooperation, and international obligations and responsibilities.
Diplomatic accomplishments last year proved that Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy, based on national tradition, identity, and culture and Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought, suits Vietnam's situation and the requirements of national development.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said: “The more complicated the situation, the more persistent in principle and flexible in strategy we must be. The diplomatic sector will continue to strive to make Vietnam's diplomacy more professional, transparent, and strong, to fulfill the heavy but glorious mission entrusted to us by the Party, State, and people.”
Facing global upheaval, Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy maintains a stable position and steady progress thanks to embracing steadfast independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, innovation, and upholding the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law in the interests of the nation, while at the same time being flexible and creative in dealing with external changes.