Vietnam’s diplomacy for the next five-year term 2021-2026 is expected to cover four key issues with a focus on improving the efficiency of foreign policy.

Fulfilling international responsibilities will be one of Vietnam's diplomacy priorities in next five years. Source: Embassy of Australia in Hanoi

According to the Political Report to the Communist Party of Vietnam’s 13th Congress, the range of the issues includes (1) improving the efficiency of foreign relations, (2) proactively and actively promoting foreign affairs, (3) boosting multilateral diplomacy and (4) fulfilling international responsibilities, according to Southeast Asia regional specialist Carl Thayer.

Notably, Vietnam, as defined in the priorities, will work to benefit from free trade agreements and enhance international integration through investment and trade dispute settlement and it will meet its responsibilities in ASEAN, the United Nations peacekeeping, and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, said the Emeritus Professor of the University of New South Wales, Canberra.

The professor noted that the basic framework for Vietnam’s foreign policy has been set for many years to diversity and multilateralize external relations, to cooperate and struggle, to form comprehensive and strategic partnerships and expand them over time, and proactive and active international integration.

He went on to say that Vietnam has carried out a foreign policy stressing on independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation for development, and national interests for the past years, noting that Vietnam has been on the right track in its foreign policy for the past five years.

The country has maintained its path in preserving its self-determination by balancing its relations with the major powers. An obvious proof is its postulation for non-permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council (the second time) supported by the Asia bloc in the UN General Assembly and its election to the post by the dominating vote in the General Assembly.

In balancing relations between China and the US in the context of China strengthening activities to infringe upon Vietnam’s interests in the South China Sea, since 2003, Vietnam has pursued a finely crafted policy of cooperation and struggle in its relations with the major powers, especially China and the US.

For example, Vietnam and China are able to cooperate on economic and commercial matters and border security despite their dispute in the South China Sea (referred to as the East Sea by Vietnam) through the mechanism of the bilateral Joint Steering Committee.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is also able to cooperate with the United States in a number of areas despite persistent economic and commercial irritations imposed by the Trump Administration.

Vietnam’s defense policy of four no’s has put China and the US on notice that it will not side with neither of them against the other. However, the 2019 Defense White Book made clear, “Depending on circumstances and specific conditions, Vietnam will consider developing necessary, appropriate defense and military relations with other countries on the basis of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity as well as fundamental principles of international law, cooperation for mutual benefits and common interests of the region and international community.”