Party General Secretary of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (seventh from right) and his spouse in a group photo with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (eighth from right), his spouse, and officials of the two countries in Hanoi on December 13 (Photo: VNA) Elevatingstature
This year, Vietnamese leaders have paid tens of visits toother countries, attended many regional and international events, and engagedin a number of bilateral meetings with important partners. Leaders of manycountries and international organisations have also come to Vietnam, including PartyGeneral Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and President of the US JoeBiden.
Hundreds of exchanges and celebrations of the anniversariesof Vietnam’s diplomatic relations with major countries and traditional friendshave also been held both at home and abroad, bringing the Southeast Asiannation closer to people around the world.
Grigory Trofimchuk, Chairmanof the Russian Council of Experts of the Eurasian Research Fund, said Vietnam’sinfluence is spreading to almost all continents in the world, even to theMiddle East and Africa, with different levels and diverse areas of cooperation.
The year 2023 also set a milestone in the upgrade of Vietnam’sties with many countries. In September, during US President Joe Biden’s visit,the two countries’ relations were lifted to a comprehensive strategicpartnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. In November, Vietnamand Japan elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership forpeace and prosperity in Asia and the world during President Vo Van Thuong’svisit to the Northeast Asian country.
Dr. Ruvislei Gonzalez Saez fromthe Cuban Centre for International Policy Research (CIPI) held that theupgrade of relations with important partners marks a particularlysuccessful year of Vietnam’s diplomacy.
In a complex world situation, maintainingindependence in its foreign policy while not abandoning the principle ofprotecting an equal world where all people are respected regardless of their countries’sizes is a sound path of Vietnam’s diplomacy, he noted,
Assoc. Prof. Beak Yong-hun fromthe School of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies under the Republic of Korea(RoK)’s Dankook University said along with the previously establishedcomprehensive strategic partnerships with China, Russia, India, and the RoK,the progress in 2023 has shown that Vietnam is continuing to pursue a balancedforeign policy imbued with the identity of "bamboo diplomacy".
He added the increasingnumber of strategic and comprehensive strategic partners reflects othercountries’ trust in Vietnam while affirming and consolidating Vietnam’s staturein the international arena.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bharti Chhibber, an Indian expert on Vietnam,stressed that the country is emerging as an important stakeholder in amultipolar world. Its “bamboo diplomacy” with a flexible foreign policy hasbrought about many achievements in its international relations this year.
Together with its active participation in multilateral frameworks and forums,the strides in bilateral ties have helped perfect a bright panorama of Vietnam’sexternal relations in 2023.
Resilient internal strength
The WB forecast the Vietnamese economy could expand by 4.7% this year, 5.5% next year, and 6% in 2025. (Photo: VNA) During their recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency, expertssaid the attention to Vietnam following diplomatic activities have been translatedinto investment and business cooperation chances as well as external resourcesfor the country to boost socio-economic development.
Chhibber said the large number of visits to strategic partnerand neighbouring countries by Vietnamese leaders this year has built up trustand enhanced cooperation in broader areas. Vietnam has continued to emerge asan attractive destination for foreign investors and supply chains.
The elevation of relations with other countries, includingthe US and Japan, is a leverage for Vietnam’s economic development. The US is a major export market of Vietnam, and new cooperationopportunities will be opened up in various fields like education, health,climate change, security, and defence. While Japan is a crucial supplier of official developmentassistance (ODA) and also one of the most important foreign investors inVietnam, bilateral connections have also been promoted considerably in science -technology, education, culture, and defence, according to Ruvislei.
On the other hand, the stability and growth of Vietnam’s economyhave also provided an important basis for other countries to place theirconfidence in and bolster partnerships with Vietnam.
Despite the global economic contraction, Southeast Asia isconsidered a bright spot with Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singaporeposting fast growth.
Yasuhiro Nojima, Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan FriendshipAssociation, affirmed that Vietnam’s economic strength is growing, and in termsof potential, it could be said that the country is the most shining among the ASEANmembers.
The World Bank (WB) forecast the Vietnamese economy couldexpand by 4.7% this year before growing by 5.5% next year and 6% in 2025. WBLead Economist in the country Andrea Coppola said the growth rate in Vietnam iswhat many others dream of.
For its part, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicted thatthe economy will grow by 5.2% this year and 6% in 2024 while inflation has beencontrolled relatively well, at 3.8%, lower than the cap of 4%.
Experts of WB and ADB described the Vietnamese economy thisyear as resilient in the face of recession shocks or headwinds, with therecovery drivers of export, public investment, and private consumption.
Vietnam has been taking firm steps on the path to affirm itsvoice, role, and stature in the international arena and attract externalresources for socio-economic development. The expansion of substantive andeffective relations and the consolidated political prestige in the eyes ofinternational partners are believed to provide a solid stepping stone for thecountry to obtain more socio-economic achievements in the coming years./.
VNA
