Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron during his official visit to France in November 2021 (Photo: VNA) In a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Indonesia on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Conference on Foreign Affairs, Anjaiah said Doi Moi had created a powerful momentum for Vietnam to move forward.
He noted that Vietnam restored diplomatic ties with China in 1991, normalised relations with the US in 1995. It joined ASEAN in 1995, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 1998 and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2007.
Senior journalist Veeramalla Anjaiah (Photo: VNA) Vietnam has successfully integrated into the global economy, by signing a series of free trade agreements, which brought prosperity to the country, he said.
According to the scholar, Vietnam took a rightful decision to join ASEAN in 1995.
This action of Vietnam's diplomacy provided the international respect and trust for Vietnam, he said, adding that "it was the first stepping stone to climb the ladder to further heights."
He said since its joining in ASEAN, Vietnam has always made active and responsible contributions to ASEAN cooperation, and the regional peace and prosperity.
The country followed and applied all the ASEAN policies, and Vietnam's admission into ASEAN was a success story of the country.
Vietnam is striving to be a friend, a reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community, he said, quoting National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue as saying that "Vietnam is upholding the consistent foreign policy of independence, self- reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, and multilateralization and diversification of its relations."
He stressed that Vietnam, once isolated and sanctioned by several countries, was elected to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member in 2019 with highest number of votes, 192 out of 193 votes for the period 2020-2021. "It is indeed a success story of Vietnam's foreign policy,” Anjaiah said.
Along with foreign policy achievements, the Indonesian researcher is also impressed by Vietnam's economic development achievements.
He said that the country’s economic reforms, deregulization and integration with global economies have put Vietnam on the trajectory of prosperity.
The poverty rate was reduced to just 4.8 percent in 2020, a sharp drop from 70 percent in mid 1980s. The per capita income of Vietnam increased to 3,842 USD today from only 483 USD in 1986.
From a food importer, after only a few years, Vietnam has become the world's leading rice exporter, surpassing many countries in the region, he noted.
Anjaiah said in the context of the current complicated international and regional situation, Vietnam must stick to its present foreign policy, which has proved that it can bring peace and prosperity, adding that globalization, free trade, peace, friendship, rules-based order and cooperation must be the main ingredients of Vietnam's foreign policy./.
VNA
