Son noted that in 2024, the world continued its profound transformation, with many new and complex developments impacting all aspects of social life, while Vietnam entered the final phase towards successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. In this context, foreign affairs have been carried out in a concerted and effective manner, with numerous dynamic activities that have yielded positive results.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son |
Despite external fluctuations, Vietnam continues to stand out as a "bright spot" for peace, stability, and development in the region. The significant and historic achievements in foreign policy since the beginning of the current term, as assessed by top leaders, continue to be inherited, promoted, and contribute to the overall successes of the country.
Successfully implementing the 13th National Party Congress’s foreign policy
External activities, especially high-level ones, have been actively carried out, raising the nation's foreign relations to new heights. Adhering to the foreign policy outlined at the 13th National Party Congress, under the close leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, its Politburo and Secretariat, and the Party and State leaders, foreign affairs in 2024 were implemented methodologically and extensively with numerous partners and at many important multilateral forums and mechanisms.
The country’s key leaders conducted a total of 60 external activities, including paying 21 visits to foreign countries and to attend major multilateral conferences, as well as hosting 25 delegations of foreign leaders to Vietnam. These visits and diplomatic activities achieved strategically important and long-term results, especially in elevating and upgrading relationships with key partners, and developing them in a substantive and effective manner, Son wrote.
According to him, the favourable and expansive foreign relations landscape has been consolidated, laying a solid foundation for the protection and construction of the country.
Vietnam has established diplomatic ties with 194 countries. Last year, it upgraded relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership level with Australia, France, and Malaysia, to a Strategic Partnership with Brazil, and to a Comprehensive Partnership with Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These moves brought the total number of partners with which Vietnam has formal frameworks of relations to 32. The country has also signed more than 170 cooperation agreements across various sectors. This not only reflects the dynamism and proactivity of Vietnam’s foreign policy and diplomacy but also highlights the importance other countries place on Vietnam’s strategic geographical value and their desire to deepen relations with the Southeast Asian nation.
On the multilateral front, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister highlighted that Vietnam continued to affirm its capacity, role, and responsibility in international issues, At international forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations, the Greater Mekong Subregion, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), G20, BRICS, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Francophonie, Vietnam continued to promote its active and positive role. For the first time, it successfully hosted the ASEAN Future Forum, establishing a mechanism for exchanges and promoting its role in shaping the future of ASEAN post-2025, with a vision toward 2045.
The United Nations General Assembly's recent approval of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, with Vietnam chosen as the host country for the signing ceremony, marked a new milestone in the country's international legal integration and multilateral diplomacy, demonstrating it as a responsible, reliable, and responsible partner of the international community. In the organisations where Vietnam is holding membership such as the UN Human Rights Council and six out of the seven key governing mechanisms of UNESCO, it has demonstrated its ability to contribute effectively and has introduced many initiatives that received broad support. Furthermore, Vietnam's responsible contributions to global issues like climate change response, peacekeeping, and cybersecurity have been increasingly recognised and appreciated by the international community.
Helping to protect the Fatherland early and from afar before dangers occur, the diplomatic sector has effectively coordinated with other forces to carry out the critical and regular task of firmly safeguarding the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, while ensuring the national interests at the best.
In the face of major global upheavals, Vietnam has appropriately handled relations with its partners; maintained land borders of peace, stability, and cooperation; made progress in negotiations with other countries; and advanced efforts to establish an efficient and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
At the same time, it has upheld its policy and actively promoted the peaceful settlement of outstanding problems based on international law, Son wrote, affirming that diplomatic agencies have advised the Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Government in properly addressing many issues in the face of complex international developments.
In the new era, diplomacy, especially economic diplomacy, holds a focal role, significantly helping to create momentum for growth breakthrough. Traditional growth drivers such as trade, investment, tourism, and labour have been renewed, becoming more effective, especially with major markets and key investment partners in Northeast Asia and the Americas, and paving the way for making inroads into the Middle East and African markets.
With a new approach, Vietnam has fruitfully tapped 17 free trade agreements (FTAs) with more than 60 partner and removed market barriers, thus contributing to export recovery. As a result, the trade value is expected to reach a record high of nearly 800 billion USD. This approach has also enabled Vietnam to make use of the global investment shift, maintaining its position as one of the top FDI recipients in the world.
The country has successfully capitalised on the benefits from international agreements and commitments, promoted EU member nations' ratification of the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and explored new export markets for Halal products.
At the same time, economic diplomacy has also promoted new drivers, particularly in technology, innovation, and semiconductor cooperation with key partners and major corporations, thus facilitating connections with partners in digital transformation, green transition, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.
Attracting high-quality investment in emerging technologies, especially from leading global tech giants, plays a crucial role in supporting the development of the semiconductor industry, establishing AI, chip design and innovation centres, training hi-tech human resources, and leveraging opportunities presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution to make breakthroughs and accomplish the country's development goals for 2030 and 2045.
Alongside this, the nation's stature and strength have been enhanced through the effective synergy of external communications, cultural diplomacy, and the working for overseas Vietnamese as well as citizen protection affairs. Diplomacy has helped successfully persuade UNESCO to add six more titles/heritages, lifting the total number of UNESCO-recognised titles to 71, which serves as a new resource for sustainable socio-economic and cultural development in localities.
The Vietnamese community abroad, with nearly 6 million people, has benefited from the Party and State's policies, which have mobilised resources for development through thousands of investment projects and remittances amounting to tens of billions of USD.
The citizen protection work has contributed to actively safeguarding the security, safety, and rights and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens and businesses, especially in conflict, natural disaster-hit and unstable areas where thousands of citizens were evacuated back to Vietnam. The external information work has served as an effective channel to vigorously promote the image of the country, its people, culture, and achievements in the “Doi moi” (renewal) process to the world.
The sector is building a comprehensive, modern and professional diplomacy through the rearrangement of its units in accordance with Resolution No.18 adopted by the 12th Party Central Committee. Operational methods have been unceasingly refined towards professionalism, efficiency, and modernity to meet requirements in the new context.
The significant achievements in 2024 reflect the astute and timely leadership of the Party Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat. They also represent the collective efforts and unity from all sectors and the whole political system, with notable contributions from the forces working in diplomatic affairs.
Propelling the nation into a new era
The year 2025 holds significant importance to Vietnam. It marks the 80th anniversary of national independence and the 50th anniversary of reunification. Additionally, it represents the final year to achieve the goals set forth by the 13th National Party Congress while serving as a pivotal milestone for advancing into the era of national rise. On the threshold of a new historical point of time, new tasks arise for the diplomatic sector.
At an August meeting with the Party Civil Affairs Board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Party General Secretary To Lam requested the diplomatic sector be "proactive and timely in identifying opportunities and challenges”, and enhance its positive contributions to achieving the centenary strategic goals. The sector should also elevate and expand Vietnam's contributions to the global revolutionary cause, to peace, cooperation, development, and the progress of humanity, while powerfully promoting the image of Vietnam as an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative, friendly, developing, prosperous, and happy nation.
Therefore, the overarching mission of Vietnam's foreign affairs and diplomacy in 2025 as well as the new era is to continue building on the goals, principles, strategies, and methods established over 80 years of the country's revolutionary diplomacy. At the same time, it is important to implement fundamental innovations to meet the requirements of the new phase.
First, it is essential to enhance the "critical and consistent" role of the sector by consolidating a favourable external landscape for the country and establishing resilient relationship frameworks capable of withstanding profound changes of the era. Simultaneously, diplomacy, in coordination with national defence and security, must proactively safeguard the Fatherland early and from afar, and maintain a peaceful and stable environment conducive to national development.
Second, foreign affairs must act as a creator and driving force, opening up new opportunities for the nation and connecting internal strengths with external resources. Internal capacity serves as the foundation and long-term asset, while external resources provide critical, transformative breakthroughs. These external resources include trade and investment flows, emerging development and economic connectivity trends, a multipolar and multicentric world order based on international law, and the power of the era of sci-tech and knowledge-driven revolutions.
Third, a new diplomatic approach must shift from passive reception to active contribution, from learning to leadership, from deep integration to full integration, and from being a follower to becoming a nation on the rise, ready to assume new responsibilities. Vietnam will actively participate in building and safeguarding a fair and equitable international order based on international law, elevating its contributions to global issues. The country will not only engage in the construction and shaping of multilateral institutions but also play a pivotal and leading role in key strategic issues and mechanisms that align with its national interests.
Fourth, the "soft power" of the nation must be brought into play to match its historical and cultural stature, as well as its political and economic positions. Vietnam's "soft power" lies in its rich cultural heritage, significant and historic achievements of its Doi Moi process, its foreign policy of peace, the harmonious resolution of international issues with respect for international law, along with the widespread support of the global community toward the country.
Fifth, an important goal is to build a comprehensive, modern, and professional diplomatic sector. In organisational structure, efforts are focused on streamlining and optimising for greater efficiency and effectiveness while building a clean, strong Party. Regarding the personnel work, adhering to the principle that "cadres are the root of every work", the diplomatic staff in the new era must not only possess expertise, competence, and political mettle but also demonstrate the ability to think critically, act decisively, embrace innovative approaches, and increasingly professionalise their methods, practices, and work styles.
Under the Party's clear-sighted leadership and basing on the achievements obtained in 2024, Vietnam's diplomacy will continue making worthy contributions to the successful implementation of the foreign policy identified at the 13th National Party Congress, helping lead the country to a new era.
Source: VNA