Hanoi (VNA) - Party General Secretary To Lam returned to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on February 21 evening, concluding his three-day trip to Washington D.C. for the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace at the invitation of President Donald Trump, who is also the Board’s Founding Chairman.
The Party chief’s attendance at the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace constituted an important multilateral diplomatic activity to effectively implement the foreign policy set out by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) on independence, self-reliance, resilience, peace, friendship, cooperation and development; multilateralism and diversification of external relations; and proactive and active contributions to peace, cooperation and sustainable development, in the spirit of being a friend, a reliable partner and a proactive and responsible member of the international community; as well as engaging actively and responsibly in addressing common regional and global issues.
Enhancing national credibility and image
Highlighting the significance of Vietnam becoming a founding member of the Gaza Board of Peace, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung said that Vietnam, having endured many devastating wars, has a deep understanding of the value of peace, reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction.
Vietnam’s role as a founding member of the Board reflects the consistent implementation of the CPV’s foreign policy, contributing to enhancing the country’s credibility and international image, and providing an opportunity for the country to bring into play its experiences and strengths, while learning from and deepening integration with other countries in performing shared missions.
The inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace brought together heads of state and leaders from more than 50 countries, including founding members and observers. The mechanism was established to coordinate with the UN in delivering humanitarian assistance, post-conflict reconstruction and stabilisation efforts in the Gaza Strip.
President Trump highly appreciated General Secretary Lam's participation in the meeting, affirming his deep respect for Vietnam, an admirable country with an increasingly significant role and influence. This, he said, reflects the steady strengthening of Vietnam’s international credibility and the growing recognition and appreciation by major powers and international partners of the country’s peace-building capacity.
Vietnam participates in the Gaza Board of Peace to contribute to ending the conflict in Gaza, protecting civilians, ensuring safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, rebuilding essential infrastructure, and promoting a credible political process toward lasting and sustainable peace in the Middle East.
Vietnam's consistent stance is that all disputes and conflicts must be resolved peacefully, based on international law, the UN Charter, and respect for the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of all parties involved. As a country that has experienced numerous wars and received valuable assistance from the international community, with a sense of responsibility and goodwill, Vietnam is ready to cooperate closely with the members of the Board of Peace and participate, to the best of its ability, in joint efforts to provide urgent humanitarian assistance, rebuild essential infrastructure, and build trust among the parties.
Vietnam supports concrete solutions to end the conflict, restore peace, security and reconstruction, and ensure the livelihoods of the people in the Gaza Strip, and to implement a comprehensive political process in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. At the same time, to ensure sustainable peace and uphold the rights of the people of the Gaza Strip, Vietnam hopes that the implemented measures will ensure the participation of all relevant parties, especially the Palestinian Authority,
For these reasons, international media and the host country’s press outlets have spoken highly of Vietnam and General Secretary To Lam being founding members of, and attending the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace in the US.
In its February 19 edition, The Washington Times run an article commending Vietnam’s proactive contributions to global peace and stability, highlighting the country’s strong commitment to peace and its respect for the role of the host nation in the regional reconciliation process. The newspaper also noted that Vietnam continues to pursue an independent foreign policy, diversifying its external relations and strengthening cooperation with the US while simultaneously preserving friendship and stable relations with other partners. This, it said, represents a more flexible, pragmatic and confident expression of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism and diversification.
Expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation
During his participation in the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace, General Secretary Lam held separate meetings with senior leaders from participating countries, including leaders from the Middle East and other regions. These included the Presidents of Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan; the Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Armenia, Hungary and Pakistan; and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, among others.
At the meetings, the leaders spoke highly of Vietnam’s increasingly prominent role and position in the international arena, and expressed their strong impressions of the Southeast Asian country’s robust development across fields, particularly its socio-economic development and recent reform and renewal efforts.
The partners agreed to further strengthen substantive and effective bilateral cooperation with Vietnam, prioritising areas aligned with each side’s advantages and demands, including economy, trade, science - technology, digital transformation, green transition, transport, and cooperation in addressing common challenges.
Emphasising the importance of closer coordination at key multilateral mechanisms and forums, the leaders also shared views and positions on prominent regional and international issues of mutual concern. They agreed to work together in implementing the Gaza peace plan to promote lasting peace in the Middle East, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.
With the host country, General Secretary Lam met with President Trump, during which the US President expressed his warm regard for the Vietnamese people and for General Secretary To Lam personally, and reiterated the US’s commitment to supporting a “strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous” Vietnam.
He welcomed and thanked Vietnam for announcing its participation in the Gaza Board of Peace, noting that the General Secretary’s personal attendance at the inaugural meeting reflects Vietnam’s growing role and standing in the international arena, as well as its strong commitment to global peace, stability, and cooperation.
The President also highly valued Vietnam’s efforts to balance bilateral trade and welcomed the valuable contracts signed during the trip. He responded positively to Vietnam’s proposals for cooperation in economic and scientific–technological fields. He said that he will instruct relevant agencies to soon remove Vietnam from the strategic export control list (D1–D3).
In addition, General Secretary Lam received US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Kurt M. Campbell, former US Deputy Secretary of State, and held phone talks with several US lawmakers.
At these engagements, the Party leader shared Vietnam’s development orientations and foreign policy, reaffirming the country’s commitment to further promoting relations with partners, including the US, in line with the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework between the two countries.
General Secretary Lam witnessed the signing and exchange of contracts and cooperation agreements in key areas such as science and technology, digital transformation, aviation and healthcare. With a total value of up to 37.2 billion USD, the agreements are expected to make a significant contribution to building a strong, substantive and more balanced relationship between Vietnam and the US.
Meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community and agencies in the US, General Secretary Lam affirmed that the Party and State always welcome and create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese experts, intellectuals, scientists, and entrepreneurs to contribute more to the country's development, especially in key areas during the new development phase. The Party and State will improve policies for overseas Vietnamese, while strengthening coordination with local authorities to protect their legitimate rights and interests, helping them to live, work, and develop peacefully in their host countries.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese delegation held meetings and exchanges with US partners to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in terms of science - technology, digital transformation, innovation, human resources training, as well as security and defence.
Briefing on directions for implementing the outcomes of the trip, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung affirmed that in the coming period, Vietnam will conduct specific studies to identify areas in which it can participate and make practical contributions, including engagement in peacekeeping activities to help ensure stability in the Gaza Strip, as well as humanitarian relief efforts and post-conflict reconstruction activities.
Vietnam’s participation in this major multilateral and international diplomatic activity - the first major high-level multilateral diplomatic engagement since the 14th National Congress of the CPV - demonstrates a more proactive and substantive approach, underscoring the importance it attaches to peacekeeping, building a stable international environment for development, and actively engaging in the international community’s collective efforts. The move helps elevate Vietnam’s external relations with a spirit of confidence, self-reliance and resilience, while making effective contributions to the country’s strategic objectives and assuming greater responsibility for peace and development in the world in a new era./.
