Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: The diplomatic sector must proactively take the lead to pave the way for national development.

On the morning of January 10, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and directed the Conference to review the work of the Foreign Affairs sector in 2022 and deploy directions and tasks for 2023. Attending the conference was comrade Bui Thanh Son - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Former Politburo member, former Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, and leaders of the Foreign Affairs sector attended the conference.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Deputy Foreign Ministers chaired the conference. Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper

Diplomacy serves national development

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Comrade Bui Thanh Son - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized: Looking back at 2022, the world has undergone great changes, with issues beyond normal forecasts, more complex and difficult than before. In the diplomatic sector, unprecedented incidents have arisen, affecting the thoughts and feelings of generations of cadres.

In that context, the Minister affirmed that, closely following the foreign policy of the 13th Party Congress, in 2022, the Foreign Affairs sector closely coordinated with the Party's foreign affairs, people's foreign affairs and all levels and sectors to synchronously, creatively and effectively implement foreign affairs activities, proactively and sensitively moving to a normal state, thereby achieving comprehensive and important results, contributing to the foreign affairs achievements and socio-economic development of the country in 2022.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son delivered the opening speech at the Conference. Photo: TTX

Notably, continuing to firmly consolidate the favorable foreign affairs situation to maintain a peaceful and stable environment, protect independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, serve socio-economic development and further enhance the country's international position and prestige. In 2022, there were nearly 70 foreign affairs activities of key leaders both in person and online; of which, there were 14 outgoing delegations and 19 incoming delegations; many specific and substantive cooperation documents and agreements were signed on these occasions.

Together with national defense, security and relevant ministries and sectors, the Foreign Affairs sector continues to firmly consolidate the border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, facilitating socio-economic exchanges; at the same time, persistently promoting dialogue and negotiations, in which important steps have been made in demarcating and resolving a number of territorial border issues in accordance with international law.

On the multilateral level, continue to promote the role, make active and responsible contributions to important multilateral mechanisms and forums. In 2022, Vietnam was elected by the international community to many important international organizations such as Vice President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, the Intergovernmental Committee for the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO for the 2022-2026 term, etc.

At Nghe An bridge, there were comrades: Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Tran Khanh Thuc - Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs; representatives of leaders of provincial departments, branches and sectors. Photo: Thanh Le

The Foreign Affairs sector has made efforts to coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities to proactively and actively promote economic content in foreign affairs activities. The results of economic diplomacy have made practical contributions to maintaining macroeconomic stability, promoting our country's economic growth, boosting exports, and attracting many external resources to serve economic restructuring and sustainable development of the country.

Cultural diplomacy is closely combined with economic diplomacy, foreign information, and many of our country's heritages recognized by UNESCO, continuing to create a widespread promotional effect on the image of the country, people, culture and development achievements of Vietnam to the world.

Programs to connect and care for our overseas Vietnamese have been actively and effectively implemented. Thousands of citizens and overseas Vietnamese in Ukraine have been promptly and safely evacuated, and citizens, fishermen, and fishing boats in many areas have been well protected.

The achievements in foreign affairs and diplomacy in 2022 as well as since the 13th National Party Congress have affirmed that the "Vietnamese bamboo" school of foreign affairs and diplomacy based on Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology and the tradition, diplomatic identity and national culture is suitable to the specific conditions of Vietnam and meets the requirements of national development in the current period.

Representatives of leaders of departments and branches attended at Nghe An bridge point. Photo: Thanh Le

In addition to the achieved results, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Foreign Affairs sector still has shortcomings and limitations due to both objective and subjective reasons, in which subjective reasons are the main ones. The detection and grasp of opportunities and chances are not really sharp. Foreign research and forecasting work is sometimes not timely. Coordination within the Foreign Affairs sector and between the Foreign Affairs sector and other sectors and levels is sometimes not tight and not very effective. The thinking, capacity and qualifications of a number of diplomatic staff have not kept up with the increasingly high requirements in the new development stage of the country. Some mechanisms and policies are still inadequate, not meeting the requirements of building a comprehensive and modern Foreign Affairs sector, etc.

Building an independent and self-reliant economy

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to promote the achievements of 2022 to fulfill the tasks of 2023.

Diplomacy has demonstrated a consistent viewpoint, an independent, self-reliant, diversified, multilateral foreign policy, being a good friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a speech at the conference. Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper

Regarding the direction and tasks for 2023 and the coming time, the Prime Minister emphasized the general spirit: Continuing to inherit and promote Ho Chi Minh's foreign affairs and diplomatic identity; seriously grasping and always closely following the policies of the 13th National Party Congress and the direction of the General Secretary at the National Foreign Affairs Conference in December 2021.

From there, concretize all policies and guidelines of the Party with the spirit of proactively going ahead to pave the way for national development; protecting "early", "from afar", "protecting the country before it is in danger", not letting the Party and State be surprised and passive; daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility.

Delegates attending at Nghe An bridge point. Photo: Thanh Le

In addition, the Foreign Affairs sector must grasp the situation, honestly reflect the situation; provide strategic advice to the Party and State on foreign affairs and appropriate international integration; not be passive about strategy; when implementing, must be extremely flexible, correctly assess the nature, especially issues related to "objects and partners"; and creatively apply the Party's foreign policy and guidelines.

Strengthening the pioneering role and eyes and ears of the diplomatic sector, especially the system of 94 representative agencies, must truly be sensitive "antennas"; must do well in research, evaluation, and summary; must have coherent thinking and strategic vision.

The Prime Minister requested that the Foreign Affairs sector should focus on performing well three groups of tasks: maintaining a peaceful, stable, independent, sovereign, and socio-political environment. This is a very difficult task, a very heavy responsibility, especially in the context of the world's political and security situation continuing to be unstable and uncertain; promoting national strength with the strength of the times; combining internal strength with external strength.

The Prime Minister emphasized: The central task is to serve the country's development, contribute to building an independent and self-reliant economy associated with active and proactive international integration, deeply, substantially and effectively; promote negotiations on agreements; lobby the EU to sign the EVIPA Agreement, strive to remove the IUU yellow card within 6 months; proactively adapt to economic issues related to inflation, and fight inflation in countries that affect Vietnam.

View of Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Le

At the same time, strengthen coordination between Party Foreign Affairs, State Diplomacy, National Assembly Foreign Affairs, and People's Foreign Affairs; must advise "on the right role, know the lesson", maximize the functions and tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the basis of focus, key points, and flexibility.

The Foreign Affairs sector needs to focus on building a team of foreign affairs cadres; building a truly clean and strong Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations and Party members; doing a good job of foreign affairs communication with the ultimate goal of making the world love Vietnam more, the national spirit stronger, foreign affairs activities more effective and substantive, fostering patriotism, etc.