Foreign reporters work during APEC Year 2017 (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The mission of Vietnamese diplomacy in 2018 is tocontinue maintaining an environment of peace, stability and cooperation toensure Vietnam’s security and development goals.
The statement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Ha KimNgoc at the ministry’s New Year reception with representatives of foreigndiplomatic missions and foreign correspondents in Vietnam in Hanoi on January11.
Ngoc said that together with this mission, Vietnam will workto contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation anddevelopment in the region and the world.
“In this process, wewill face not only favourable conditions but also significant challenges. Indeedwe cannot fulfill these tasks without the support of the international andregional community, of which you are an important part,” he told around 70foreign Ambassadors, head representatives, cultural and press attachés,along with 50 foreign correspondents and press assistants at the event.
He hailed theimportant role of foreign media and press in connecting Vietnam to the world,providing the world with an insight into Vietnam’s situation and contributingto bringing nations closer together.
[2017 – one of most successful years of Vietnam’s diplomacy: Deputy PM]
Looking back onVietnam’s diplomatic activities in 2017, Ngoc confirmed that the brightest spoton the diplomatic panorama is the successful hosting of the 2017 APEC year.
Thanks to theforeign press, the success of the APEC Year 2017 was spread far and wide acrossthe international community, giving rise to the image of a proactive and dynamicVietnam, he added.
Last year, Vietnam’s bilateral relations with its partnerswere also further promoted and strengthened.
The country welcomed over 30 delegations led by Heads of State, high-level leaders, andForeign Ministers.
The diplomaticactivities have made great contributions to mustering external resources ofnational development, the Deputy Minister said, noting that the country’s GDP growth in 2017 was over 6.8 percent, exceeding previous targets and projections, and was the highest figure in the past 10 years. Foreign trade turnover hit 425 billion USD, increasing by over 20 percent compared to 2016; foreigndirect investment was estimated at almost 36 billion USD, the highest figuresince 2009. The number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 12.9million, a year-on-year increase of 29 percent, for the first time putting Vietnam on the list of the countries with the fastest tourism growth in the world.-VNA
VNA
