The people’s friendship organisations, together with the Party and State’s diplomacy, have made important contributions to the maintenance of peace and stability, said a Party senior official.

Truong Tan Sang, Politburo member and standing member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) Secretariat, delivered the remark at a meeting held in Hanoi on April 19 reviewing the performance of friendship organisations over last year.

The friendship organisations have created favourable conditions for the cause of building and protecting the country, helping promote and expand friendly and cooperative ties with foreign countries and boost Vietnam’s prestige and position on the international arena, said the official while expressing his pleasure at the growth of the people-to-people diplomacy.

Friendship organisations have carried out diplomatic activities in an “active, flexible, creative and effective” way, Sang lauded.

The meeting heard to a report prepared by the CPVCC Commission for External Relations on outstanding achievements made by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and people’s friendship organisations last year. After the discussion that followed, they mapped out general directions for people-to-people diplomacy this year.

The Party and State always regard the strengthening of people-to-people diplomacy as a long-term strategic task. It is also a task the political system should undertake, in order to bring into full play the strength of the whole nation and make full use of foreign resources for the cause of building and protecting the country, Sang stressed.

In regard to operational directions for this year and the coming years, Sang urged the people’s friendship organisations to work closely with each other as well as with ministries, branches and agencies to successfully implement the Party’s policies and guidelines.

On the occasion, Sang asked the organisations to give high priority to promoting friendly and cooperative ties with neighbouring and regional countries, beefing up international integration and making full and effective use of foreign resources.

The Party’s senior official did not forget to remind the friendship organisations of the fight against destructive acts undertaken by hostile forces who cynically exploit issues of religion, democracy, human rights and ethnic minority issues to sabotage the country.

In addition, it is necessary to enhance solidarity and support struggles for justice in the world, Sang told the friendship organisations./.