79 years of Vietnamese diplomacy: promoting glorious traditions to realise national strategic goals

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn. VNA/VNS Photo

On the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the diplomatic sector’s establishment (August 28, 1945 – August 28, 2024), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn wrote an article titled ’79 years of Vietnamese diplomacy: Promoting glorious traditions, contributing to the successful implementation of the country’s strategic goals’.

Every August comes, we have the opportunity to celebrate the historic revolutionary autumn days of the country. Sharing that joyful atmosphere, every officer and employee of the diplomatic sector proudly looks forward to the founding day of the diplomatic service on August 28, 1945.

During 79 years of growth and development, under the leadership of the Party and the direct guidance of late President Hồ Chí Minh, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese diplomacy has always promoted glorious traditions, served the Fatherland, the people and contributed to great victories in the revolutionary cause of the nation.

Important marks in history

Over the past 79 years, diplomacy has left important marks in the heroic pages of the country’s history.

In the early days of the nation’s founding, under the wise leadership of late President Hồ Chí Minh and revolutionary leaders, based on the principles of ‘firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics’ and with bold and clever strategies such as ‘peaceful solutions to move forwards’, ‘dividing the enemy’, the Preliminary Agreement of March 6 and the Provisional Agreement of September 14 contributed to the successful protection of the young revolutionary government, helping our revolution overcome dangerous situations.

In the two resistance wars for national salvation, foreign affairs and diplomacy won the great support of peace-loving people around the world, creating a broad international front to support the cause of national independence and the construction of socialism.

Along with the victories on the military front, the victories at the foreign affairs and diplomacy front on the negotiating table in Geneva in 1954 and Paris in 1973 were milestones on the journey to regain national independence and unify the country, to make the North and the South reunited under one roof.

After the country’s reunification, foreign affairs and diplomacy were the pioneering fronts that paved the way, gradually broke the economic embargo and political isolation.

At the same time, foreign affairs and diplomacy took the lead in opening up relations with many partners, resolving existing problems in relations with neighbouring countries, major countries and important partners. That opened up a new situation to effectively serve the country’s comprehensive renovation.

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lân met in Hà Nội last week a delegation of exemplary overseas Vietnamese who returned home to attend the 4th World Conference of Overseas Vietnamese and the 2024 forum of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and experts. VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

Innovation, integration

Firmly pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development, multilateralisation, diversification, active international integration, for the benefit of the nation and people, in nearly 40 years of Đổi mới (Renewal), foreign affairs and diplomacy have achieved: “Important results and achievements that hold historical significance” as assessed by late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in December 2023, contributing to creating an open and successful foreign situation for the country.

Diplomatic relations have been constantly expanded and deepened. To date, our country has established diplomatic relations with 193 countries in the world, including strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries, economic relations with more than 230 countries and territories, has signed 16 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including many new-generation FTAs.

Việt Nam has been recognised by the United Nations for its pioneering role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting human rights.

The upgrade of relations with key and important partners, along with vibrant high-level foreign affairs activities in recent years, especially since the beginning of the 13th Party National Congress term, has created a new strategic stature, deepened cooperation and created a solid foundation for long-term and sustainable development of international relations.

Foreign affairs and multilateral diplomacy have grown strongly, affirming Việt Nam as an active and responsible member of the international community.

Not only successfully organising various major international events such as ASEAN, APEC, diplomacy also completed many important international responsibilities at international mechanisms such as the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNESCO.

The sector has proactively proposed many ideas and initiatives, participated in solving common regional and world issues, and increasingly participated in peacekeeping activities and international search and rescue.

In serving development and international integration, along with mobilising important resources for development such as FDI, ODA, foreign affairs and diplomacy have contributed to making Việt Nam a link in many regional and global economic connections by the signing and participation in important economic agreements and frameworks.

The diplomatic sector has actively coordinated closely with ministries and sectors in promoting international integration in security – defence, society, culture, science, technology – helping Việt Nam integrate into the global common flow.

Along with defence and security, foreign affairs, diplomacy has carried out the important, regular task of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, protecting the Fatherland and peace early and from afar.

We have made efforts to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border with neighbouring countries. We have fought resolutely, persistently, promptly and effectively against activities that violate our sovereignty, legitimate rights and interests at sea.

At the same time, we have proactively promoted negotiations and cooperation to resolve existing issues, effectively implemented the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and participated in building a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Cultural diplomacy and external information have promoted Việt Nam’s ‘soft power’ and image of the country, its people, its achievements in innovation and its cultural identity to the world.

Overseas Vietnamese affairs contribute to implementing the Party and State’s policy of caring for the overseas Vietnamese community, strengthening national unity, mobilising a number of community resources for national development and defending the Fatherland.

We have also performed a good job on protecting our citizens abroad, especially when conflicts, wars and epidemics occur in the world.

Diplomacy in the new era

The world situation will continue to have many major changes, with opportunities and challenges intertwined.

In that context, the most important goal and task of diplomacy is to maximise and continue to consolidate the favourable foreign affairs situation, bring the country into the flow of the times, create breakthroughs to successfully implement the strategic goals until 2030 and 2045 set by the 13th Party National Congress.

Entering the “new era, the era of the Vietnamese nation’s rise”, on the basis of seriously summarising the foreign affairs lessons of 40-years of Đổi mới and in the context of the new situation and major issues facing the country, the diplomatic sector will continue to innovate thinking and action, give consultation, build new solutions to supplement the Party’s foreign affairs guidelines and policies.

That aims to properly follow the guidance of Party General Secretary, State President Tô Lâm: “ensuring national defence, security and promoting foreign affairs are essential and regular”.

As an important driving force for innovation, the foreign affairs sector is determined to continuously strive to both effectively serve security and development interests, uphold the country’s position, and build a fair international order, ensuring the legitimate interests of countries, including Việt Nam.

We will continue to enhance, upgrade and maximise opportunities from strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks; strongly promote the role of foreign methods and channels such as high-level diplomacy, specialised diplomacy, local diplomacy, scholar and business channels; participate more proactively and responsibly in solving common international and regional issues; demonstrate the core and leading role of multilateral diplomacy in important issues and mechanisms of strategic significance.

In particular, we will also give high priority to building the sector, building the Party, building a team of diplomatic cadres who possess both political integrity to the Communist Party and professional competence, have a firm grasp of expertise and professionalism and are absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the Party’s ideals.

The sector will continue to closely coordinate with foreign affairs forces, key pillars of Party foreign affairs and people-to-people relations.

We will maximise the combined strength and specific advantages of each pillar in the unified whole of comprehensive, modern, and professional Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy.

Promoting the glorious tradition and great achievements over the past 79 years and looking forward to the great milestone of the 80th anniversary of the sector’s establishment, following the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people, under the leadership of the Party, Vietnamese diplomacy will continue to move forward and write the golden pages of revolutionary diplomacy, contributing worthily to the cause of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam. VNS