Ambassadors are crucial for the preemptive protection of the homeland, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc told senior diplomats when he conferred them ambassador titles.

Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the meeting with ambassadors on Dec 14. Photos: Baoquocte

Phuc told 26 ambassadors on December 14 when they gathered for the National Conference on Foreign Affairs, the first of its kind since the independence of Vietnam in 1945.

The diplomats awarded the title of Ambassador are deputy ministers of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and heads of Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad.

As many as 102 ambassadors and heads of missions attended the meeting with the president who said keeping the peace for the country’s development is crucial in Vietnam’s diplomacy, adding that the national interests must be put first and foremost in foreign affairs.

He highlighted the “heart-to-heart” diplomacy and at the same time stressing the importance of counseling the state and providing forecasts on geostrategic competition, alliance forming, economic recovery, as well as global trends.

At the meeting, Phuc gave special attention to trade and investment. He expected that ambassadors and heads of missions should tap the potential of economic ties, especially free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed.

In addition to trade and investment, disseminating cultural values, tourism, and people-to-people links is also another field of importance. 

For the time ahead, heads of missions were asked to focus on vaccine diplomacy, relaxed travel rules, and recovery plans.

Notably, the foreign ministry is tasked with proposing ideas on hosting international multilateral conferences in the next 10 years.

Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and 26 ambassadors.

Vietnam’s diplomacy

Within months after the signing of the Paris Agreement in 1991, Vietnam established diplomatic and economic relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and with most countries of Western Europe and East Asia.

Vietnam has established bilateral diplomatic relations with 189 nations; strategic and comprehensive strategic partnership with 30 countries, including five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council; diplomatic ties with all seven of the world’s advanced economies (G7) namely Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US.

The Political Report of the 13th Party Congress stressed that Vietnam would continue to implement its longstanding foreign policy doctrine of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization.

It also reaffirmed the “four nos” of the country’s defense policy, with the highest priority given to the safeguarding of Vietnam’s national interests on the basis of international law. Furthermore, the report reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to continue being a trusted friend and partner, and a responsible and proactive member of the international community.