Speaking at the Foreign Policy Association (FPA) of the U.S. recently, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and President To Lam stressed that “trust built over decades must continue to be nurtured through concrete cooperation results that people in both countries can feel in their daily lives.”
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General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam addresses the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly |
The Party and State leader’s remarks conveyed a clear message that good relations between countries only have real meaning when they produce tangible results of cooperation. This also reflects the foreign policy thinking set out at the 14th National Party Congress, which defined external relations as a “key and regular task,” requiring not only expanded relations but also more effective international integration and the transformation of diplomatic ties into resources serving national development and defense.
Viet Nam-Hungary relations offer a clear illustration through concrete figures. The two countries are comprehensive partners and are working continuously to deepen and strengthen ties across various fields. Viet Nam and Hungary aim to raise bilateral trade to USD 2 billion a year and expand cooperation in investment, science and technology, education, healthcare and pharmaceuticals. More than 3,000 Vietnamese scientists and experts have also been trained in Hungary, forming an important bridge between the two countries.
In relations with Malaysia, two-way trade reached USD 21.59 billion in 2025, up 19%. Malaysia currently has about USD 6.1 billion in investment in Ho Chi Minh City, mainly in banking and real estate. These figures show that the cooperative framework is becoming increasingly substantive through investment, trade, technology and people-to-people exchanges.
With the U.S., the importance of tangible cooperation outcomes is even more evident. Agreements related to two projects addressing the consequences of chemical and dioxin contamination from the war in Viet Nam represent practical steps that contribute to advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
For the Bien Hoa Airport dioxin remediation project, the U.S. has decided to provide an additional USD 130 million in non-refundable ODA, raising total project funding from USD 300 million to about USD 430 million. For the project on improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in heavily sprayed Agent Orange-affected provinces, the U.S. has committed USD 91 million in non-refundable aid to expand healthcare, rehabilitation and social services. The project will initially be implemented in Ca Mau and Quang Ngai provinces before gradually expanding to other key areas.
Viet Nam-U.S. relations are also expanding into areas that determine competitiveness, including education, science and technology, research and development, technology transfer and human resource training. These areas not only bring additional resources but also help strengthen Viet Nam’s capabilities.
At the high-level general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, before heads of state and government and leaders and representatives of participating countries, General Secretary and President To Lam outlined four major directions: restoring trust; promoting fair, inclusive and sustainable development; proactively shaping technology governance; and strengthening multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations.
He also stressed that self-reliance does not mean standing apart from the world, but rather “proactively adapting and cooperating with the world on an equal footing”. Accordingly, Viet Nam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-strengthening, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, along with the multilateralization and diversification of external relations.
This policy is demonstrated not only at international forums but also through concrete actions. After more than 12 years of participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations, Viet Nam has deployed more than 1,600 officers, personnel and staff from the Viet Nam People’s Army and People’s Public Security. On September 22, Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 8, comprising 63 military personnel, and Engineer Company Rotation 5, with 184 officers and personnel, departed to undertake their missions. These practical contribution demonstrate Viet Nam’s commitment to fulfilling its international responsibilities through concrete action.
Viet Nam’s relations with Laos, China, Russia, the U.S., Hungary, Malaysia and many other partners show that external relations are being pursued at multiple levels, from politics, economics, defense and security to education, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges.
The broader the network of relations, the clearer the requirement that their results must contribute to domestic development. Attracting advanced technology requires institutions and human resources capable of meeting the relevant demands. Expanding markets requires businesses to strengthen their competitiveness. Deeper participation in supply chains requires adequate infrastructure, data, logistics and supporting industries. And for Viet Nam’s voice on the international stage to carry greater weight, the country needs strong economic, defense and security capabilities and broad social consensus.
The 14th National Party Congress placed foreign affairs among the “key and regular tasks”. In a world full of risks and uncertainties, no country can develop by closing itself off. But international integration does not mean dependence. The key is to expand cooperation while safeguarding independence and self-reliance and harnessing external resources to strengthen domestic capacity.
When positive international relations create greater opportunities for businesses, people and the country to prosper, the effectiveness of foreign affairs will become increasingly visible in people’s daily lives.
Source: VNA