2015 saw a host of activities regarding external relations and people-to-people diplomacy at all levels, helping strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations between Vietnam and other countries across the globe.

1. Party General Secretary visits China

 

 

 

 

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited China from April 7-10 at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping.

During the stay, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong held talks with Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping; met with member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee and Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang; member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang; member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng.

In a friendly and sincere atmosphere, the two sides informed each other of the situations in their respective Parties and countries, discussed in-depth and reached broad common perceptions on intensifying ties between the two Parties and countries in the new context, as well as on regional and global issues of shared concern. Besides Beijing, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also visited Yunnan province. 

The two sides shared the view that the visit has been successful and contributed importantly to promoting a stable and healthy development of Vietnam – China ties for fundamental benefits of the two peoples, while simultaneously fostering peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. 

2. Party Chief visits the US

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and the Vietnam high-ranking delegation visited the US on July 5-10 at the invitation of President Barack Obama’s administration. The visit helps deepen the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

The Vietnamese party leader held talks with President Barrack Obama, met with US Trade Representative Michael Froman, US religious dignitaries, Vietnam and US representatives from all classes and US lawmakers. 

He delivered a key speech and discussed the Vietnam-US relations at the Washington D.C.-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies. 

He attended a roundtable seminar with leading US businesses and witnessed the signing of numerous cooperation agreements between Vietnam and the US, and between Vietnam and the World Bank. 

In New York, the Vietnamese party chief met with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the UN headquarters and visited former US President Bill Clinton at his residence in Kittle House. 

He had conversations with Chairman of the Communist Party USA John Bachtell and left-wingers. He also met representatives of the Vietnamese community and Harvard University intellectuals. 

On the occasion, Vietnam and the US adopted a joint vision statement between the two countries. 

3. Party leader visits Japan

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong visited Japan from September 15-18 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The visit is an important event for Vietnam and Japan relations in 2015 and the coming years.

During his four-day stay, the Party chief held talks with Abe, had meetings with Emperor Akihito, President of the House of Councilors Masaaki Yamazaki and Speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives Tadamori Oshima, and received Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. 

He also met with representatives from all walks of life and the business community, as well as leaders of Japan’s major political parties and major economic groups, and visited Kanagawa prefecture.

During the talks and meetings, the two sides affirmed they will treasure bilateral relations, pledging to work together to promote the strategic partnership comprehensively and intensively. 

They agreed to strengthen cooperation and promote sustainable linkages between the two economies with the focus on connectivity in development strategy, production capacity and human resources. 

On this occasion, the two sides adopted a statement on a joint vision for Vietnam-Japan relations, which specifies major orientations and cooperation measures to strongly and comprehensively boost the bilateral ties in the future. 

4. State President attends UN summit and visits Cuba

President Truong Tan Sang and the Vietnamese delegation attended the United Nations Summit for the adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and related events in New York, the US, from September 24-28 and visited Cuba from September 28-30 at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro Ruz.

President Truong Tan Sang and the Vietnamese delegation made practical recommendations during negotiations for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the 70th UN summit. President Sang’s visit to Cuba was a milestone in Vietnam-Cuba relations. The two events have introduced to the world Vietnam’s development policies and viewpoints on a number of issues.

5. State President attends APEC Summit in the Philippines

President Truong Tan Sang and the Vietnamese delegation took part in the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting at the invitation of Philippine President Benigno Akino. 

President Truong Tan Sang- the only senior leader- was invited to attend and give a speech at the APEC 2015 CEO Summit taking place in Manila, the Philippines from November 17-19 with approximately 1,200 leading business representatives in the Asia Pacific region in attendance.

At the first plenary session of the 23rd APEC Summit on November 19, President Sang said the region has experienced a rapid transformation, Sang noted while glowingly speaking of the APEC 2015’s efforts to boost quality development.

He called on APEC member economies to continually foster regional economic integration towards sustainable development goals and focus closer cooperation on reducing poverty, development gap and disaster risk; ensuring food security; and developing sustainable agriculture and green tourism. 

Earlier on November 17, he held talks with his Filipino counterpart Benigno Akino. 

The two leaders said that the establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Philippines is crucial, opening a new era in the two nations’ relationship and contributing to the regional peace, prosperity and stability.

 6. State leader visits Germany

President Truong Tan Sang and his entourage paid a three-day State visit to Germany at the invitation of German President Joachim Gauck from November 24-26

President Sang’s visit, the first ever made by a Vietnamese President to Germany since the country’s unification, is concurrent with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

During the visit, he held talks with German President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel, greeted German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and German parliament’s Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group with ASEAN, and talked at the Koerber Institute.

The State leader later had a working session with Minister-President of the German State of Hessen Volker Bouffier and attended the Vietnam-Germany Business Forum.

With such important events, the state visit by President Truong Tan Sang has wrapped up successfully, as it helps promote the Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership and spread out a new phrase of cooperation in strong fields.

7. Prime Minister visits Australia and New Zealand

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and the Vietnamese delegation visited Australia and New Zealand from March 17-20 at the invitation of Australian PM Tony Abbott and New Zealand PM John Key

The visits opened new charters in the robust development of friendship and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the two Oceania countries

8. PM visits Europe and North Africa

From May 29 to June 6, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his entourage visited Kazakhstan, Algeria, Portugal and Bulgaria and attended the signing ceremony for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Eurasia Economic Union.

On May 29, PM Dung and leaders of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed the trade pact, which is expected to create a legal framework for Vietnam and union members to increase bilateral trade relations and exchange measures to expand the agreement with other countries in the region.

9. PM Dung attends COP21 and visits Belgium, the EU

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris from November 30 to December 1st at the invitation of French President Francois Hollande.

PM Dung also visited Belgium and the European Union on December 2 as guest of his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker. The visits aimed bolster the cooperation between Vietnam and the European partners.

Under the witness of PM Dung and EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom signed an announcement on the official conclusion of negotiations on the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in Brussels on December 2.

The signing is considered a special milestone in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam-EU diplomatic ties.

10. NA chairman visits China

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and his entourage visited China from December 23-27.

During his five-day stay, the Vietnamese top legislator met with China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Yu Zhengsheng. He held talks with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China (NPC) Zhang Dejiang, and received President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin.

The two sides’ leaders exchanged views on the Vietnam-China ties in the spirit of straightforwardness and honesty, reviewed achievements in bilateral cooperation over the last 65 years, and put forward orientations for their partnership in the future.

The East Sea issue was also discussed during the talks and meetings, where the Vietnamese legislative leader underlined the importance of the issue, as it concerns the sovereignty, sovereignty right, jurisdiction and core interest of the two nations as well as the feeling of the two peoples.

VOV