Answering a press interview before the threshold of the Lunar New Year 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son assessed that 2023 was a dynamic year in terms of foreign affairs with many remarkable highlights. Firstly, bilateral and multilateral foreign relations continued to expand and deepen.
Under the strong, close, and correct leadership and guidance of the Central Party, the Politburo, and the Party and State leaders, foreign activities in 2023, especially high-level diplomacy, were vibrant and widespread across continents and at many important multilateral forums and mechanisms.
KNOW YOURSELF, KNOW OTHERS, KNOW THE TIMES, KNOW THE WORLD
During the past year, we successfully organized 22 visits by key leaders to neighboring countries, important partners, and traditional friends, as well as the 28 visits of high-level leaders from other countries to Vietnam, along with hundreds of high-level meetings at multilateral forums and conferences. Among them, historical visits included the visit to Vietnam by General Secretary, President of China Xi Jinping, and the visit to Vietnam by US President Joe Biden…
“The success of these visits and foreign activities has brought about a new development in the quality of external relations and international integration of our country. From a country that was once besieged and isolated, our country now has diplomatic relations with 193 countries, including 6 comprehensive strategic partners, 12 strategic partners, and 12 comprehensive partners,” said Minister Bui Thanh Son.
Another major highlight of foreign affairs in 2023 was economic diplomacy, which was vigorously promoted on the basis of thoroughly implementing the spirit of Resolution 15 of the Party’s Central Committee, focusing on serving localities, businesses, and the people.
Specifically, economic diplomatic activities made important contributions to promoting economic growth. The total export-import turnover reached nearly $700 billion, with over 30 commodities reaching over $1 billion in export value. Foreign direct investment (FDI) reached $36.6 billion, a 32.8% increase, introducing new quality capital sources in the context of the global economy facing many difficulties. In 2023, in addition to the effective signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Vietnam signed a free trade agreement with Israel and is actively negotiating FTAs with other partners. Over 70 cooperation documents from ministries and industries were signed, and nearly 100 cooperation agreements from localities and hundreds of agreements from enterprises…
The image of “Vietnamese bamboo trees” vividly and simply reflects the core content and persistent orientation of our Party’s foreign policy as well as the unique identity of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy, which is:
Sturdy Roots refers to the principle of national interest, independence, self-reliance in foreign affairs, taking national strength as the foundation, diversifying and deepening foreign relations and comprehensive international integration to create positioning and seize opportunities…
Firm Trunk is the method of creating strength, in which the strength of national unity is a fundamental and vital factor, combining national strength with contemporary strength, raising high the banner of righteousness, humanity, faithfulness, and upholding the rule of law…
Flexible Branches is the style, the art of flexible behavior based on the principle of “changeless response to ten thousand changes,” the way of behaving includes “knowing oneself, knowing others,” “knowing the times, knowing the world,” “knowing to advance, knowing to retreat,” “knowing transformation, knowing change”…
In addition, the fields of external information, cultural diplomacy, the work of overseas Vietnamese, and citizen protection also achieved many important results. In 2023, Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site; and two cities, Da Lat and Hoi An, were recognized as creative cities by UNESCO. Vietnam was trusted and elected to important positions in UNESCO, such as Vice Chairman of the UNESCO Executive Board, Vice Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and member of the World Heritage Committee for the 2023-2027 term… We promptly protected and brought back many citizens, especially those from conflict and disaster areas.
According to Minister Bui Thanh Son, to achieve the above-mentioned results, firstly, it is due to the correct leadership of the Party, the centralized and effective management of the State, and the unity and determination of the entire political system…
“Under the deep and wide-ranging leadership and guidance of the Politburo, the Party Central Committee, and the Government, the foreign sector has closely followed the Party’s foreign policy, the State’s foreign policy, promoted the national bamboo diplomacy, closely monitored the developments of the world and the region, understood oneself and understood others, understood the times and understood the world, and demonstrated creativity in strategies and handling foreign affairs issues with a flexible approach, while remaining steadfast in the principles and adapting to changes,” affirmed Minister Bui Thanh Son.
THREE FOCUSES TO HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE IDENTITY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
2024 is identified as a year of great significance in the successful implementation of the resolutions of the 13th Party Congress. In the coming years, the unstable and uncertain nature of the international situation may continue, and new, more complex factors may arise. Domestically, the economy and society continue to recover and develop, while facing many difficulties and challenges.
However, the potential, international stature, and prestige of the country, as well as the achievements in foreign affairs in 2023, provide a solid foundation for Vietnam’s foreign and diplomatic affairs to overcome difficulties and challenges and contribute to the successful implementation of the resolutions of the 13th Party Congress.
At the 32nd External Relations Conference, Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized that in 2024, Vietnam’s foreign affairs would continue to be organized and implemented in accordance with the foreign policy of the 13th Party Congress and the resolutions, conclusions, and directions on foreign affairs issued by the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat from the beginning of the term until now, promoting the distinctive “Vietnamese bamboo diplomacy,” with three focuses.
Firstly, it is necessary to further promote the renewal of thinking in foreign affairs. With the country’s new position and power “ever greater than before,” we need to boldly go beyond conventional thinking, find ways to innovate for the sake of national interests. To achieve this, it is necessary to enhance research, advisory, and strategic forecasting in foreign affairs, be sensitive to new issues, accurately identify opportunities, define the country’s strategic position, and take advantage of international trends to proactively formulate appropriate strategies, policies, and foreign measures.
Secondly, it is essential to play a pioneering role and closely coordinate with Party external relations, people-to-people diplomacy, ministries, and levels to comprehensively strengthen the diplomatic and external relations of all branches and levels, thereby consolidating a peaceful and stable environment, protecting the country from afar, mobilizing new resources from outside for socio-economic development, and enhancing the position and prestige of the country.
Thirdly, it is essential to focus on achieving new breakthroughs in building and developing a strong, comprehensive, modern foreign affairs sector. The key is to well organize the implementation of plans and programs for renovating training, retraining, planning, and arranging personnel; gradually improve the material foundations and mechanisms and policies for foreign affairs work; continue to innovate the methods and ways of working towards professionalism, effectiveness, and modernity…
Regarding the “bamboo diplomacy” policy, Minister Bui Thanh Son said that the “bamboo diplomacy” has been mentioned by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 29th External Relations Conference in 2016 and was clearly summarized at the first foreign relations conference in 2021, which was also the first year of the term of the 13th Party Congress.
Notable Achievements in Foreign Affairs in 2023
22 visits by key leaders to neighboring countries and important partners
28 visits by high-level leaders from other countries to Vietnam
100+ high-level meetings at multilateral forums and conferences
70+ cooperation documents from ministries and industries
Nearly 100 cooperation agreements from localities
100+ agreements from enterprises
Vietnam currently has diplomatic relations with 193 countries, including 6 comprehensive strategic partners, 12 strategic partners, and 12 comprehensive partners.
According to the Minister, these are highly summarized and generalized contents of the core and persistent orientation of the Party’s foreign policy and our country’s unique identity in revolutionary diplomacy, which is built and developed on the basis of inheriting and creatively applying the thoughts, styles, and arts of Ho Chi Minh’s diplomacy, as well as the cultural and diplomatic identity of the Vietnamese people that has lasted for thousands of years in nation-building and preservation.
“The guidance of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is the guiding light for Vietnam’s external relations to fulfill its mission in the term of the 13th Party Congress and has been thoroughly implemented throughout the sector to build a comprehensive, modern, strong, and distinct Vietnamese foreign relations and diplomacy,” affirmed Minister Bui Thanh Son…
The full content of the article has been published in the Vietnam Economic Magazine, February 12-25, 2024. Please find it here.
https://postenp.phaha.vn/chi-tiet-toa-soan/tap-chi-kinh-te-viet-nam
