Distinguished members of the Presidium,
Distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,
First of all, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Party Organisation would like to express its high consensus with the documents submitted by the Party Central Committee to the Congress. It can be said that these documents are the crystallisation of the intellect and dedication of our entire Party, people, and Military.
In terms of content, the documents firmly inherit the achievements attained over successive Congresses, embodying breakthrough innovative thinking, clearly demonstrating the nation’s aspiration for development. In particular, they set out strategic directions that not only meet the objective development requirements of the country after 40 years of renovation, but also seize opportunities and proactively adapt to rapid, profound, epoch-making changes in the global situation. In terms of form, the documents combine theoretical depth with a spirit of action; they are concise, easy to understand, easy to remember, and easy to implement in practice.
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| Comrade Le Hoai Trung chairs a meeting between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam’s press agencies (photo: qdnd.vn) |
Major revolutionary orientations of the Congress illuminate the path ahead, inspiring the aspiration to rise, creating tremendous political - spiritual motivations for the country to move steadily into a new era.
With a view to further clarifying the great depth of the documents, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Party Organisation, I would like to present my topic: “Proactively, actively carrying out the key, routine task of advancing foreign affairs and international integration in service of the country’s strategic objectives”.
Distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,
In the course of the Vietnamese revolution, it can be affirmed that under the Party’s leadership, foreign affairs and international integration have always played a crucial role and made significant contributions.
In the struggle for national liberation and unification, diplomacy was closely combined with political and military struggle to form a posture of “fighting while negotiating”, contributing to historic victories, such as the Geneva Accords of 1954 and the Paris Agreement of 1973, creating decisive turning points for national unification.
In the period of renovation, foreign affairs have taken the lead in breaking isolation, promoting deep and wide international integration, effectively mobilising external resources for national development, raising Vietnam’s position and prestige on the international stage.
Notably, during the 13th National Party Congress term, despite complex global developments, foreign affairs and international integration have achieved many important results: a peaceful, stable environment and the country’s independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity have been maintained; the foreign affairs landscape has become increasingly open, balanced, and harmonious; foreign affairs in service of national development have been strengthened; Vietnam’s role, position, and international prestige have continued to be raised.
These achievements are the collective results of the entire political system under the Party’s leadership, with the active and effective contributions of ministries, sectors, localities, and business community.
Distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,
Our Party has always identified foreign affairs as an integral component of the overall revolutionary line playing an important role in defending the Fatherland early and from afar, facilitating national development, and enhancing national standing.
When he was alive, President Ho Chi Minh - a genius leader and also our country’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs - pointed out early the organic relationship between Vietnam and the world. He stated: “Our country is part of the world; everything in the world is related to our country, and everything in our country is also related to the world”.
His thought laid the foundation for our Party’s open foreign affairs and international integration policy.
As early as 1946, in his letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed the desire to “pursue an open-door policy and cooperate in all fields” - an early, consistent declaration of international integration thinking, reflecting aspirations for peace, cooperation, and development.
Through its successive Congresses, our Party has continuously renewed its thinking and refined its foreign policy.
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| 12th Vietnam - China People’s Forum held in June 2024 (photo: qdnd.vn) |
In the period of renovation, we have gradually moved from “wishing to be a friend” to “being ready to be a friend”, then to “being a friend, a reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community”, from “international economic integration” to “proactive and active comprehensive international integration”, from “participation” to “active contribution” and then a “core, leading” role in multilateral mechanisms.
The documents of the 14th National Party Congress emphasise the requirement of “strategic autonomy” and “self-reliance”, considering these as the foundation for deep and wide integration without dependence, clearly defining the task of “developing foreign affairs in the new era commensurate with the country’s historical stature, culture, and position”.
In particular, the documents affirm that, together with defence and security, “advancing foreign affairs and international integration is a key, routine task”, identifying this as a strategic pillar in the cause of Fatherland construction and protection.
Distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,
The identification of foreign affairs and international integration as a key, routine task stems from objective requirements amid profound, complex, unpredictable changes in the international environment.
This also marks an important development in thinking, whereby foreign affairs and international integration become a major approach, a continuous task in Fatherland construction and protection, a common endeavour of the entire political system, thus requiring proactive participation and close, synchronous coordination among all sectors and localities.
Under that spirit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Party Organisation identifies several key tasks in the upcoming time as follows.
First, thoroughly grasping and effectively implementing the foreign affairs line of the 14th National Party Congress, carrying out the comprehensive foreign affairs strategy at a higher level in the era of national development and prosperity.
Second, closely monitoring situational developments, coordinating tightly with agencies and forces, especially the Vietnam People’s Army and the People’s Public Security, proactively giving advice to avoid passivity and surprise, contributing to maintaining a peaceful, stable environment, resolutely, persistently safeguarding independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, upholding political stability and national security.
Third, synchronously, effectively realising the pillars of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy, closely coordinating with parliamentary diplomacy, defence diplomacy, public security diplomacy, and local foreign affairs.
Fourth, placing foreign affairs in service of national development at the centre, promoting economic, cultural, scientific, and technological diplomacy, taking the effectiveness of serving the people and enterprises as the benchmark.
Fifth, building comprehensive, modern, professional diplomacy, accelerating digital transformation, building a contingent of foreign affairs cadres with great virtues, fitness, and talent, upholding the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people.
Distinguished delegates and esteemed guests,
Under the Party’s glorious flag, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat, with the State’s management and the coordination and active participation of all levels and sectors, all cadres and Party members of the Foreign Affairs Sector firmly believe that foreign affairs and international integration will continue achieving even more brilliant accomplishments to contribute to building a prosperous, civilised, happy country in the new era.
Thank you very much!