Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a conference with heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Also attending were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; leaders of ministries and branches; Ambassadors, Heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad; leaders of localities, associations and enterprises.

At the Conference, delegates evaluated the results of economic diplomacy in the first 6 months of 2025, assessed the advantages and difficulties, drew lessons to strive together, implement more effectively and achieve more positive results in the last 6 months of the year.

Negotiating a series of new FTAs

In the first months of 2025, delegates assessed that foreign affairs in general and economic diplomacy in particular have been proactively, resolutely and comprehensively implemented, making substantial contributions to the implementation of the country's growth and development goals. Economic diplomacy continues to be institutionalized and systematized in a systematic manner; gaining consensus and participation from the entire political system, and close coordination among ministries, branches and localities.

Vibrant high-level foreign affairs activities have contributed to continuing to build, consolidate and enhance good relations with partners on the basis of trust, sincerity and harmonization of interests; deepening the connotation of economic cooperation and intertwined interests, maintaining and strengthening a peaceful environment favorable for development.

The Prime Minister welcomed the positive and important results that Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have achieved - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The number of foreign delegations in the first half of 2025 is almost equal to the whole of 2024; more than 200 commitments and agreements were signed, twice the number in 2024; relations with 10 countries were upgraded; since the beginning of the term, 10/13 comprehensive strategic partners have been upgraded.

Along with that, continue to innovate and further promote traditional growth drivers, through promoting cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, and labor with major markets and key and important investment partners, especially in Northeast Asia, Europe, and America.

At the same time, exploiting many new markets with much room and potential in Latin America such as Chile, Argentina, Peru; with the Middle East and Africa region such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ethiopia, Burundi, Tanzania, and the Halal market.

Vietnam is continuing to promote FTA negotiations with the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the African Union (AU), the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Qatar, Egypt... Ethiopia officially opened the first direct flight from Hanoi to Africa. Regarding Halal, it has signed an MOU with the Institute of Standards and Metrology of Islamic Countries and with the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Brunei, paving the way for Halal cooperation with these countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son speaks at the Conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

At the same time, create breakthroughs and strongly promote new growth drivers in innovation, digital transformation, digital economy, green economy, etc., especially through implementing science and technology diplomacy and green diplomacy. Establish and deepen strategic cooperation frameworks on science and technology with leading partners. Proactively connect, promote meetings and work with many of the world's leading technology corporations.

International integration is promoted proactively and in-depth, promoting the proactive role, active participation, and substantial contributions at international and regional multilateral forums, contributing to attracting resources for development, while enhancing the prestige and position of the country. Vietnam successfully organized the 2nd Asia Future Forum (AFF), the 4th P4G Conference (the largest in scale, with the highest level of participation)...

Agencies also actively promote the resolution and removal of obstacles and "bottlenecks" in economic relations with major and key partners; not to hinder or slow down cooperation with other countries.

Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have implemented nearly 300 trade, investment and tourism promotion activities; supported localities in organizing more than 150 trade and investment promotion activities of localities at home and abroad... At the same time, supported many businesses in connecting with partners, accessing, establishing and expanding their presence in foreign markets.

Implement high-level agreements immediately, make the most of opportunities

In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed greetings, regards and best wishes from General Secretary To Lam and other Party and State leaders to Ambassadors, Heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, and delegates attending the conference.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of economic diplomacy, contributing to the implementation of Resolution 59 of the Politburo on international integration and other important resolutions.

Basically agreeing with the reports and opinions, the Prime Minister welcomed the positive and important results that Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have achieved, contributing to the country's overall achievements and results in recent times.

Affirming that the situation is evolving rapidly, complicatedly, and unpredictably, requiring a quick, timely, and effective response, the Prime Minister requested that ambassadors and heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad continue to grasp the situation, accurately assess partners and subjects, advise and propose solutions, and not let Party and State leaders be passive or surprised in foreign affairs.

The Prime Minister stated that we are steadfast in our foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization; we are good friends, reliable partners, and responsible members of the international community, for the goal of peace, cooperation, and development; we build an independent, self-reliant economy associated with proactive, active international integration, deeply, practically, and effectively.

The Prime Minister requested ministers, heads of representative agencies, localities, industry associations, and relevant agencies to coordinate closely and effectively in the spirit of "economic diplomacy is one of the focuses of diplomacy in the new era" under the direction of General Secretary To Lam, to accelerate, break through, concretize, and immediately implement high-level agreements, and make the most of opportunities.

Thereby, connecting the Vietnamese economy with economies around the world; connecting businesses; connecting supply chains; promoting negotiations and signing free trade agreements; exploiting traditional markets and opening new markets; attracting leading talents, experts and scientists to serve the process of development and modernization of the country.

Thereby, contributing to restructuring the economy, restructuring and diversifying markets, products, and supply chains; promoting economic growth from 8.3-8.5% in 2025 and the goals set for the entire term, towards realizing the two 100-year goals set.

Regarding key tasks and specific solutions, the Prime Minister requested to promote dialogue and policy consultation on Vietnam's economic development issues and focus on long-term research on strategic issues with the spirit of "looking far and wide, thinking deeply and doing big".

Along with that, continue to deepen relations with neighboring countries, major countries, and important partners to become more stable, substantial, sustainable, and long-term on the basis of trust, sincerity, and harmonization of interests, creating new breakthroughs, and effectively resolving major emerging issues and obstacles in the relationship.

Promote and organize well high-level foreign affairs activities from now until the end of the year; diversify and flexibly exchange and contact forms at all levels, sectors and channels; create a favorable environment for enhancing cooperation in all fields.

Continue to prioritize promoting growth, focusing on renewing traditional growth drivers (investment, export, consumption), while strongly promoting new growth drivers (digital transformation, green growth, circular economy, knowledge economy).

Focus on attracting and promptly removing difficulties and obstacles for high-quality, high-tech, large-scale FDI projects with strong spillover effects, transport infrastructure projects with high added value, and large, key investment projects.

Synchronously deploy solutions to diversify markets, products, supply chains, and promote trade; effectively exploit 17 signed free trade agreements (FTAs), promote the signing of new FTAs with potential markets such as the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia, India, Brazil, etc.

The Prime Minister noted the need to soon conclude FTA negotiations with MERCOSUR and Brazil; promote the signing of rice trade agreements with five countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brazil; try to initiate FTA negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bangladesh, and preferential trade agreements with Pakistan; and promote railway projects connecting with China and Central Asia.

At the same time, support businesses in key processing and manufacturing industries (technology, electronics, automobiles, machinery, textiles, footwear, etc.) to expand exports, invest, and do business effectively abroad, and participate in the global supply chain.

To accelerate the implementation of Resolution 222/2025/QH15 on the International Financial Center in Vietnam, the Prime Minister directed to promote the signing of an MOU between Abu Dhabi (UAE) and the Ho Chi Minh City International Financial Center; learn from the experience of implementing the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) of Kazakhstan; implement the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in developing the International Financial Center in Da Nang between Da Nang and the consortium of Terne Holdings and The One Destination, Singapore...

Delegates evaluated the results of economic diplomacy in the first 6 months of 2025 - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Prime Minister requested to proactively and actively implement the Politburo's resolutions in the "four pillars", including Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, strongly promoting cooperation with major partners, comprehensive strategic partners with strengths in science, technology, digital transformation, especially with high technology, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, internet of things...

The Prime Minister also requested to continue to proactively and flexibly adapt to the new situation of international trade and investment, in the spirit of not being subjective, negligent, panicking, or fearful, and ready to face difficulties and challenges.

To continue promoting the implementation of Resolution 59 on international integration in the new situation and the conclusions of the Politburo on the world and regional situation, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently preside over the development of a National Assembly Resolution on a specific mechanism to implement Resolution 59.

The Prime Minister requested to continue promoting the spirit of "Discipline, responsibility, proactiveness, creativity, sustainable efficiency", "not saying no, not saying difficult things, not saying yes but not doing", "what is said is done, what is committed must be done; what is done, what is done must be done effectively", "only discuss doing, no retreat"; together strive and make efforts to overcome difficulties and challenges to achieve the GDP growth target of 8.3-8.5% in 2025 as set out, creating momentum, position, and strength for our country to firmly enter the new era.

According to baochinhphu.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/theo-dong-thoi-su/thu-tuong-tang-toc-but-pha-thuc-day-ngoai-giao-kinh-te-155954.html