Prime Minister urges concerted efforts to enhance economic diplomacy
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 9 chaired a conference on the implementation of the Government’s action programme materialising a directive by the Party Central Committee's Secretariat on economic diplomacy and its key tasks this year.
The action programme was issued for the 2022-2026 period
in response to the Secretariat’s Directive No. 15-CT/TW dated August 8, 2022 on
economic diplomacy for national development by 2030.
The conference was connected with sites at the People’s
Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces, and Vietnamese representative
offices abroad.
In his remarks, Chinh emphasised the important role by
diplomats, ambassadors, chiefs of the Vietnamese representative offices and trade
counsellors in the Party’s foreign policies, including economic diplomacy, amid the rapid, complex and unpredictable developments in the global situation.
He asked the diplomatic sector, ministries, agencies,
localities and businesses to maximise the country’s position and potential, and
work harder for the country’s peace, security and development.
The leader suggested organising all-level diplomatic
programmes, identifying economic affairs as a focus of diplomatic activities, and
actively implementing cooperation agreements and contents between Vietnam and
its partners.
He stressed that measures should be rolled out
concertedly to promote market, product and supply chain diversification in
order to boost export, expand markets and bring into full play export
potential in the areas of Vietnam’s strengths and the world’s demand.
The PM also emphasised the need to utilise free trade
agreements, and consider establishing long-term, stable economic-trade cooperation
frameworks with potential partners, stay updated on the market, step up investment
promotion, and connect domestic firms with foreign partners.
Economic diplomacy should be enhanced to attract high-quality
investments from multi-national groups, and improve the country’s position in
the global supply chain, he said, adding that foreign economic sectors, particularly
international tourism and labour export, need to be further promoted.
All opportunities should be optimised to lure external
resources for green transition and sustainable development, he said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said economic diplomacy in 2022 was carried out in line with the Government’s governance focuses and opportunely shifted its focus from serving the pandemic combat to serving socio-economic recovery and development.
He outlined several focuses of economic diplomacy for 2023, namely pressing on with implementing the Government’s action plan; making economic cooperation the focus of senior leaders’ activities; boosting support for export, investment, tourism, labour, and science - technology in the spirit of putting people, localities and enterprises at the centre; continuing to actively integrate into and connect with the international community; and stepping up research, consultation work, reforms, creativity, and effectiveness enhancement to make substantive improvements to economic diplomacy./.