Dien Bien Phu Victory in 1954 forced French colonists to sign the Geneva Peace Agreement and end colonial regime in Vietnam (File photo: VNA) He noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam wasfounded 76 years ago together with the establishment of the Democratic Republicof Vietnam, with the first Minister of Foreign Affairs being Ho Chi Minh, who was also thePresident of the then Provisional Government.
Right after its foundation in the context that the country wasfacing enemies from both inside and outside, the sector focused on protectingthe young revolutionary administration and prolonging the valuable peaceful periodfor the preparation of forces for a long-term resistance period.
Upholding the principle of peace, nationalindependence and socialism, the sector became a strategic front in thetwo resistance wars, mobilising the support from socialist countries andpeace-lovers in the world for the just struggle for national freedom, accordingto Son.
In close coordination with political and military struggles,the diplomatic sector gained important successes at the negotiations in Geneva in1954 and Paris in 1973, opening up great opportunities for the nation to headto the reunification day, the minister wrote.
During the post-war period with numerous difficulties and challenges,the Vietnamese diplomatic sector optimised the support and help from socialistcountries and international friends to the cause of national reconstruction, developmentand defence.
Diplomacy became a tool to clear the way for the country togenerally remove blockage and embargo and set up relationships withneighbouring countries, world powers and many partners, opening up a new context forexternal relations to effectively serve the country’s comprehensivereform process, Son affirmed.
Regarding the sector’s contributions to the country’s “Doi Moi” (Renewal)and international integration, Son underlined that with an external policy ofindependence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development,multilateralisation and diversification, and active and proactive internationalintegration for the interests of the nation, the sector has taken the lead inconstructing peace, protecting the Fatherland and attracting resources for thecountry’s development, and improving Vietnam's position.
So far, Vietnam has established diplomatic ties with 189countries, including 17 strategic partners and 13 comprehensive partners. The nation also set up economic partnerships with more than 230 economies around the world andsigned 15 free trade agreements (FTA), including many new generation deals.
Vietnam has successfully hosted many large-scale internationalevents and completed many international missions such as the role of anon-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in the 2008-2009and 2020-2021 tenures, the host of the ASEAN Summits in 1998, 2010 and 2020,the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in 2004, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) Leaders Meetings in 2006 and 2017, the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in 2010and the WEF on ASEAN in 2018, and the US-DPRK Summit in 2019, he noted.
Son stressed that since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out anddeveloped complicatedly in the world and inside the country, the diplomaticsector, together with other ministries and sectors, enhanced “medicaldiplomacy” and "vaccine diplomacy” to optimise the timely and efficient supportof the international community in vaccine, medical supplies and medicine, thus joininghands with the whole country in controlling the pandemic and boostingsocio-economic development at the same time.
These outstanding achievements of the diplomatic sector have significantly contributed to thecountry's great successes of historical significance over the past 35 years ofrenewal, proving the sound foreign policy of the Party, theminister concluded./.
VNA
