Speaking at the 22nd National Conference on Local External Affairs, held as part of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference in Hanoi, Mr. Trung said Vietnam has strengthened its international standing in recent years, but the challenge now is ensuring those diplomatic gains translate into development at the local level.
"The question is how to turn opportunities into real development outcomes," he said, warning that provinces could miss valuable opportunities if they fail to capitalize on favorable global conditions.
The conference brought together heads of Vietnam's overseas missions, senior government officials and local leaders to discuss ways to expand international cooperation, attract foreign resources and improve coordination between local authorities and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad.
Delegates also explored reforms aimed at strengthening local foreign affairs agencies and building a more professional diplomatic workforce capable of supporting economic development.
The Vietnamese Foreign Minister called for closer cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other ministries, local governments and Vietnam's overseas representative offices, and urged local leaders to take a more active role in steering diplomacy and international integration.
The conference is part of Vietnam's push to align diplomacy more closely with economic growth as the country seeks to attract high-quality investment, advanced technology and new markets during its next stage of development.
