Shangri-La Dialogue: Inspiration from Vietnam's Unique Approach
Vietnam has emerged as a nation not only resilient in war, but also courageous in innovation, and particularly possessing a grand vision to become a developed industrial nation within the next two decades.
Vietnam's steadfastness and consistency in implementing its foreign policy, as well as its realization of its vision on regional and international issues, are highly appreciated by the international community and are considered a noteworthy reference point in approaching and addressing current challenges.
This is the assessment of Professor Vu Minh Khuong of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (National University of Singapore) and Dr. Mohamed Effendy B Abdul Hamid, Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, in an interview with a VNA reporter in Singapore on the occasion of General Secretary and President To Lam's state visit to Singapore and his keynote address at the 23rd Shangri-la Dialogue.
According to Professor Vu Minh Khuong, it is no coincidence that the speech by General Secretary and President To Lam was so eagerly anticipated and warmly received. During the war, Vietnam was resilient and steadfast. During the period of reform, Vietnam was courageous. In this era of self-improvement, Vietnam is responsible and possesses a grand vision.
Professor Vu Minh Khuong believes there are two points in which Vietnam in general, and General Secretary and President To Lam in particular, have made a strong impression on the world.
Firstly, Vietnam is steadfast in its policy of peace, cooperation, and prosperity, sharing a common vision for the future. In particular, Vietnam has the ability to turn enemies into friends, transform animosities into mutual understanding, and is especially proactive. The meeting between General Secretary and President To Lam and US President Donald Trump at the White House last February, as well as his state visit to China in April after being elected President, demonstrates Vietnam's proactiveness and flexibility in implementing its foreign policy.
According to Professor Vu Minh Khuong, in the context of increasingly complex global geopolitics, maintaining harmonious relations with major powers is one of the most difficult challenges today, and Vietnam is being seen as a noteworthy model of a balanced approach in international relations.
Secondly, Vietnam always harmonizes national interests with the greater good, for the stability of the region and the world, and together moving towards the future. Professor Vu Minh Khuong affirmed that Vietnam always creates a positive influence, helping countries to draw closer together and thus becoming an increasingly important component in the global ecosystem.
Sharing the same view, Dr. Mohamed Effendy B Abdul Hamid, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore, believes that the international community highly appreciates Vietnam's steadfastness and consistency in implementing its foreign policy, as conveyed through the messages delivered by General Secretary and President To Lam.
Dr. Abdul Hamid believes that at this year's Shangri-la Dialogue, General Secretary and President To Lam further clarified Vietnam's vision for international and regional issues. From the perspective of a Southeast Asian researcher, Dr. Abdul Hamid noted that the current period is particularly noteworthy as the international community places high expectations on Vietnam amidst complex global geopolitical developments, and views Vietnam's approach as a valuable reference point in addressing and resolving current challenges.
