A national conference on foreign affairs was held in Hanoi today, the first of its kind since the independence of Vietnam in 1945.

The conference opens in Hanoi on Dec 14. Photos: MOFA

The event is aimed to review the country’s achievements in the past 35 years since the Doi moi (Renewal) and set out missions for the future in the new situation. 

It is expected to create unity in the execution of foreign policy, the consensus in the whole society, and support from overseas Vietnamese as well as the international community.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, Vietnam’s foreign policy is based on three pillars namely Party, State, and people-to-people (citizen) diplomacy.

In the country’s development direction for 2021-2030, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) affirmed the orientation to “continue the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and diversification; proactively and actively integrate into the world; maintain a peaceful and stable environment; and constantly improve Vietnam’s position.”

Accordingly, it focuses on the implementation of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and promoting the strengths of the whole nation.

Attending the event were CPV Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong, and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The conference was broadcast live and connected to different locations across the country and abroad with the participation of high-ranking officials and diplomats.

Addressing the event, CPV Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong said Vietnam's top diplomacy mission is to protect its sovereignty. 

Secretary-general of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong at the event.

Relations

Vietnam has so far 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.

Vietnam is a member of more than 70 organizations and multilateral forums. It chaired ASEAN twice in 2010 and 2020 and hosted the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2002, 2010 and 2020.

Vietnam was a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council twice 2008-2009 and 2020-2021, hosted APEC twice in 2006 and 2017, the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF-ASEAN 2018), and the Trump-Kim Summit in 2019.

The country has joined the UN Peacekeeping missions since 2014 with hundreds of officials sent to take the missions abroad. 

Diplomacy also contributed to reinforcing economic relations, specifically through the signing of free trade agreements. Thus far, Vietnam has established trade relations with 230 countries and territories, joining the world’s leading organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

The country has joined 15 free trade agreements (FTA), including the new generation ones such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Vietnam said it has mobilized both internal external strengths, including those of overseas Vietnamese, to serve the country’s development and protection amid traditional and non-traditional security challenges. 

Its official statement states that Vietnam is a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the international community, actively taking part in international and regional cooperation processes.