Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh speaks at the conference (Photo: VNA)Addressing a conference to review the MoFA’sperformance in 2020 and set out tasks and orientations in 2021, Minh launchedthis year’s theme for the ministry “Building a comprehensive and moderndiplomacy and successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National PartyCongress”.
Participants agreed that Party and State’s foreign affairs have bravely and creativelyovercome challenges, as well as built and took advantage of opportunities inthe context of emerging complicated and unprecedented developments in the worldand the region in 2020, especially impacts posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,which has widely impacted on all aspects of the global life and internationalrelations.
The external affairs have been implemented synchronously, comprehensively and flexibly,and achieved important results, they said.
The foreign affairs continuedto be a bright spot among achievements of Vietnam in the year, helping to createa favorable environment for the national construction and defence as well asraising the nation’s position.
In 2020, Vietnam successfully assumed great international responsibilities,especially its role as the ASEAN Chair, a non-permanent member of the UN SecurityCouncil for the 2020-2021 term. The country has maintained and promoted themomentum of relations with other countries through the flexible adjustment ofmodes for external activities by combining both online and in-person formats.
International integration, with its core being international economicintegration, continued to make new breakthroughs with the ratification and signingof free trade agreements (FTAs), including the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA), theRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, the UK-VietnamFTA (UKVFTA), thereby creating new impetus for the nation’s economic recovery.
Economic diplomacy has been enhanced, assisting localities and businesses in connectingwith partners and expanding their markets.
The external affairs have also made importantcontributions to safeguarding Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights in line with international law, participantssaid.
The citizen protection work has been implemented effectively, especially for Vietnamesecitizens abroad. Meanwhile, the cultural diplomacy and external informationhave well applied new communication methods to promote Vietnam’s image of renovation,successful integration, and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regarding the sector’s development, delegates agreedthat the personnel appointment, rotation, planning and training have becomemore and more efficient, while attention has been also paid to moderlising the ministry.
Minh affirmed that efforts of the ministry’s officials and staff havecontributed to proud external achievements in 2020.
He asked the diplomatic sector to focus oneffectively implementing the foreign policy of the upcoming 13th National Party Congress; continue developing Vietnam’s relations withneighbouring countries, world powers, important partners and traditionalfriends in an intensive, stable and sustainable manner with innovative andeffective methods; and well carrying out diplomatic economic and culturalaffairs and overseas Vietnamese-related work.
The ministry will step up the implementation of thedirections of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on boosting andheightening multilateral diplomacy until 2030, keeping a close watch on, andresolutely and persistently fight to firmly protect Vietnam’s sea and islandssovereignty and legitimate interests in the East Sea, as well as coping withtraditional and non-traditional security challenges, Minh stressed.
Attention will be also paid to the citizenprotection and overseas Vietnamese-related work and bettering coordination amongthe Party, State, people and defence-security external affairs, he said./.
VNA
