VietNamNet Bridge – On New Year 2016, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh reviewed achievements of the country’s diplomacy over the past five years.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh

The 11th National Party Congress (January 2011) marked an important change in diplomacy. It was decided that external affairs would be undertaken synchronously, comprehensively and effectively in all bilateral and multilateral channels based on close collaboration in diplomatic work of the Party, the State, the National Assembly and people. The congress also adopted to carry out international integration pro-actively and it was specified in the Politbur’s Resolution No.22 to pro-actively take part in multilateral institutions, contributing to building a political and economic order of equality and democracy, preventing wars and disputes, consolidating peace and promoting co-operation for mutual benefit.

Over the past five years, the resolution has been implemented as the regional and international situation saw numerous unpredictable and complicated changes. The world economy has recovered more slowly than expected, causing the country’s large economic partners to face difficulties and the prices of several products, especially oil, to decrease sharply. Convergence and competition among major powers have taken place rapidly in a complex manner. Such global issues as climate change, international terrorism and diseases have tended to become worse. Several regional issues, especially disputes over territories, seas and islands, became more tense.

Consistent with the diplomatic targets for national interests and for a wealthy and strong socialist Vietnam, based on the country’s increasingly elevated status and strength, and promoting achievements over 25 years of the Doi Moi (Renewal) process, external affairs have gained many achievements in the past five years, notably as follows:

First, Vietnam has maintained a peaceful, stable and favourable environment for development and deepening important external relations practically and effectively. Along with continuing consolidating and developing the special unity with Laos; promoting traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation with Cambodia; and enhancing unity, friendship and co-operation with socialist countries and traditional friends, Vietnam has completed the construction of partnership frameworks with most of the countries with great influence on the region and the world. Over the past five years, Vietnam has established strategic partnerships with eight more countries, raising the total number of strategic partners to 15 over the past 15 years; elevated comprehensive or deep strategic partnerships with two countries; and established comprehensive partnerships with three more countries, including all five countries which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, making the total comprehensive partnerships of 10.

Being built on the basis of an equal relationship, respect to international laws, political regime, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other while promoting co-operation for mutual benefit, the frameworks have helped the country’s relationship with partners, especially the leading partners of China, the United States, Russia, Japan, the European Union and ASEAN member countries, to be stable and bring further interests in economics, trade, investment, politics, national defence, security and culture. Relations with the leading partners have not only flourished in State and Government channels, but were also nurtured in Party and NA channels.

Second, external affairs have made positive contributions to realising socio-economic development targets. Over the past five years, Vietnam has been more pro-active in negotiating and signing free trade agreements (FTAs) and became integrated more deeply and comprehensively into the regional and global economies. Bilateral FTAs with the Republic of Korea, the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union have been completed. The country has so far signed and taken part in 11 regional and bilateral FTAs, including six pacts in the ASEAN co-operation framework. Notably, Vietnam has actively taken prioritised measures to implement a master plan on building the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). It was evaluated as one of the member countries with the highest rate of implementation in the AEC roadmap. In October, Vietnam and other members concluded negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Meanwhile, negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) continued in order to reach a comprehensive economic agreement appropriate with conditions of Vietnam and ASEAN member countries. Globally, at the ninth ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Bali in December 2013, Vietnam and other WTO members adopted the Bali Package, which helped ease congestion prolonged over many years in negotiations in the WTO framework.

As of the middle of 2015, Vietnam had economic and trade relations with over 224 nations and territories and attracted over US$250 billion in foreign direct investment capital. Over the past five years, an additional 36 new partners have recognised Vietnam’s market economy, raising the total number of countries recognising the country’s market economy to 59. These external economic affairs have made positive contributions to expanding and diversifying export markets, attracting further investment, official development assistance (ODA) and tourists, as well as fighting against trade fraud and imposition of trade barriers which jeopardise the legitimate interests of Vietnamese businesses and the State.

Third, external affairs have made important contributions to firmly protecting territorial sovereignty, seas, islands and national security. Over the past five years, border work with China, Laos and Cambodia have seen progresses. Vietnam and China signed an agreement on free travel of ships at the mouth of the Bac Luan River and another on co-operation in protecting and exploiting tourism resources of the Ban Gioc Waterfall. Vietnam has pro-actively maintained negotiations on the area off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf, co-operated in less sensitive fields and discussed co-operation for mutual development. Vietnam and China reached an agreement on the basic principles to direct solving maritime issues. On December 19, the two sides commenced a joint survey in negotiated areas off the mouth of the Tonkin Gulf and planned to carry out several projects on co-operation in less sensitive areas of co-operation at sea to realise targets on delimitation and co-operation for mutual development in the water. Vietnam and Laos have completed a project on thickening border markers and reached many agreements in developing a peaceful and friendly border. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Cambodia worked with each other effectively to protect security and order and resolve arising issues on the shared border and continued land border delimitation and demarcation, fulfilling 80% of the work.

Dealing with complicated developments in the East Sea, external affairs have strictly followed directions and policies of the Party and the State, effectively taken political and diplomatic measures through dialogue channels and bilateral and multilateral meetings at all levels regionally and internationally to resolutely protect sovereignty and territorial integrity, while taking advantage of chances to ease tensions, recover trust, promote friendly co-operation and intensify dialogues to seek fundamental and long-lasting measures for the East Sea issue. Vietnam has taken advantage of voices from the international community supporting the country’s stance, rejecting irrational claims and protesting unilateral actions to change the status quo and violate international law, in order to maintain peace, stability, navigation and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea and the region. The East Sea issue has drawn great attention and has been included in many declarations and documents of many multilateral organisations and forums, including ASEAN, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Group 7 and the EU.

For forces taking advantage of democracy, human rights and religion to intervene in the country’s internal affairs, Vietnam has taken numerous resolute measures to protect the Party, and the country’s value system and cause. Over the past five years, the country has actively organised dialogues with other countries and international organisations on these issues. Communication to the international community on the construction and implementation of the Party’s policies and the State’s laws in the area has been enhanced. External affairs have collaborated closely with law protection work in repelling and neutralising conspiracies and sabotage actions against the Party and the State in matters related to democracy, human rights and religion. In addition, numerous co-operative activities with other countries and international organisations to share information and enhance law construction and implementation capacity have been conducted, helping partners further comprehend changes in Vietnam’s policies and their implementation.

Fourth, the country’s position has been raised through adjusting multilateral diplomacy from the approach “active participation” to “taking the initiative in designing and shaping the rules of the game”, effectively protecting and boosting the strategic interests in Vietnam’s security and development while demonstrating its position as " a responsible member of the international community".

Vietnam has contributed many significant initiatives at many widely-influential multilateral forums such as ASEAN, the UN, APEC, ASEM, and the Mekong Sub-regional Co-operation.

The country’s position has been lifted remarkably thanks to our successful organisation of the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132), our contributions to the UN in formulating and implementing its the Post-2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term, the UN Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO for the 2013-2017 tenure and our first time participation in UN peace-keeping operations.

The encouraging achievements have been made thanks to the sound guidelines of the Party as well as the close direction of Party and State leaders. They are also outcomes of the strength from national solidarity, the joint efforts of those working in external affairs from Party, State, National Assembly agencies, people-to-people diplomacy, the close co-ordination between relevant ministries, sectors and localities and the creative applicant of important lessons learned from Vietnam’s modern diplomacy, which combines national strength with the power of our times, being steadfast in regulations while performing flexibly in realising them.

The upcoming 12th National Party Congress will approve major orientations and tasks for foreign affairs sectors in the next five years. The sector’s missions are maintaining security and promoting foreign economic activities as well as deepening international integration and consolidating Vietnam’s position in regional and international communities. They are significant tasks for our Party and entire people. The completion of these tasks may face more difficulties and challenges since the regional and world situations are witnessing complicated developments.

Thanks to the position and strength of the country after 30 years of the Doi Moi process, determination of serving national interests, the consensus among the entire Party, army and people and the care for developing diplomatic staff, Vietnam’s foreign affairs will increasingly develop and quickly adapt to changes of the situation, continuing to play a role as the leading front in maintaining the peaceful and favourable environment for the development and protection of the fatherland.

Nhan Dan