21st national conference on foreign affairs opens

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 18 held the 21st national conference on foreign affairs, with the aim of promoting the external work in service of local sustainable development.
21st national conference on foreign affairs opens ảnh 1Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son visits a display of local products on the sidelines of the conference. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of ForeignAffairs on December 18 held the 21st national conference on foreignaffairs, with the aim of promoting the external work in service of localsustainable development.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Foreign AffairsBui Thanh Son emphasised contributions of external affairs to nationalachievements, especially local-level foreign relations, which, he said, havebeen reformed in a more innovative and effective fashion.

With the support and coordination of centrally-runagencies, localities have well performed the border and territory work,contributing to consolidating a border of peace, friendship, cooperation anddevelopment, he said.

Reviewing achievements in economic diplomacy, theofficial said localities have signed 422 cooperation documents with internationalpartners over the past three years. Notably, in 2023, the five localities of HoChi Minh City, Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Thai Nguyen and Hai Phong posted combinedexport revenue that surpassed the national average 10 years ago.

The achievements, together with those in culture, areattributable to the sound foreign policy adopted by the Party and the State andthe coordination between ministries and agencies and localities, the ministerstressed.

Pointing to rapid, complex developments of the globalsituation, Son said local-level foreign relations should be professionalisedand modernised, with improving the quality and capacity of personnel in thisfield as the key./.
VNA

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