On the occasion of the 30th Diplomatic Conference and the 19th National External Affairs Conference, the People’s Army Newspaper would like to present sharing of ambassadors during their terms abroad.
Ambassador to the Russian Federation Ngo Duc Manh: We should actively find new ways of cooperation
Since the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic ties in 1950, the upgrading to the strategic partnership in 2001 and the upgrading to the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012, the cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation has always been developing both extensively and intensively. However, there is an argument going round that Vietnam-Russia economic-trade and investment cooperation has yet to be on par with the fine political relationship between the two countries. That is the thing that makes me uneasy when taking the post as ambassador to the Russian Federation. Studying statistics, especially the bilateral two-way trade value committed to reach USD 10 billion by 2020 agreed by high-level leaders of the two countries, it can be seen that there’s not much time for us. It is required that relevant agencies and businesses of the two countries, including the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, make greater efforts in order to realize the set target.
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Vietnamese Ambassador to the Russian Federation Ngo Duc Manh (L) and Russian President V. Putin. Photo from the Vietnamese embassy in Russia |
I think the two sides should be active in finding new ways of cooperation, which are more feasible and beneficial to both countries. Especially, breakthroughs are needed. To do that, firstly, we need to implement contents agreed by the two sides in a comprehensive manner, which requires resolute direction, instruction and engagement of all ministries, sectors and localities. Secondly, the role of the Intergovernmental Committee should be enhanced while consultancy and supervision roles of the two legislatures over the implementation of the signed contents should be promoted. Thirdly, administrative procedures should be further reformed to provide favorable conditions for people of the two countries to travel and engage in fixed-term work. There should be solutions to promoting trade and effectively implementing Russian projects in Vietnam. People-to-people diplomacy should also be strengthened. In that direction, Vietnam and Russia will hold the “Vietnam Year in Russia” and the “Russia Year in Vietnam” events in 2019.
Ambassador to India Pham Sanh Chau (in charge of Nepal and Bhutan): Building national message and local trademarks
Building the message of the nation and trademarks of localities are familiar now in the world. When mentioning romantic Paris, modern Tokyo, peaceful Bhutan or dynamic Singapore, we are thinking about local messages that those countries have built up and successfully brought to the world. In Vietnam, the building of the national message or trademarks of localities have been conducted in its very first steps; however, there still remain things new to the government, businesses and people alike.
Cultural diplomacy in recent years has contributed substantially to the building of the national message and local trademarks. Cultural diplomacy has helped build, preserve and spread the image of a typical Vietnamese through the Project “Honoring President Ho Chi Minh - a national liberation hero and an outstanding man of culture of Vietnam - abroad.” This is the way that various countries have employed when they want to build their leaders’ image as a way to express their ambition and willpower. Moreover, cultural diplomacy has also contributed to promoting tourism trademarks and products of Vietnam to international friends.
Building the national message and local trademarks is a long-term task, related to a large area of work. Therefore, there should be connection and cooperation between the public and the private sectors and between the national and local levels to generate the synergy of the whole nation. To this end, the cultural diplomatic sector has been making efforts to become one of the vital parts generating that synergy.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang (R) presenting a gift to the Malaysian Army Command West of the Malaysian Armed Forces in a visit to Malaysia in March 2018 |
Ambassador to Malaysia Le Quy Quynh: Defense cooperation has been developing vigorously
The Vietnam-Malaysia bilateral relations have been developing, especially since 2015 when the two countries upgraded their relations to strategic partnership, showing the shared concern of the leaders of the two countries in developing intensively and extensively the friendship and multifaceted relations between the two countries. The year 2018 marks an important milestone in the bilateral relations as the two countries have been carrying out various activities in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relation establishment.
Together with the development in political relationship, bilateral trade and investment relationship has also developed rapidly, enjoying various encouraging results and seeing huge potential for further development. Malaysia is currently the eighth largest trade partner of Vietnam while the latter is the 12th largest trade partner of the former.
Defense-security cooperation has also been paid great attention to by the two sides. 2018 is the year that the two sides celebrate the 10 years of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation. Various visits have been paid by high-ranking leaders of the two sides to each other, including the official visit of Vietnamese Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich to Malaysia in October 2016; the participation of Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in March 2017 and his participation in the 15th ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM 15) in March 2018. Vietnam and Malaysia have increased the sharing of information in prevention and suppression of piracy, implementation of search and rescue missions and mutual support for boats and ships in distress at sea.
Translated by Huu Duong