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| Delegates take souvenir photos. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Glorious footprints throughout 8 decades
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son emphasized that the Foreign Affairs sector was honored to be directly instructed, trained and guided by President Ho Chi Minh as the first Minister.
Inheriting the diplomatic tradition of our ancestors through thousands of years of history of building and defending the country, under the light of the Party and Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology throughout the 80-year journey, Vietnamese diplomacy has always devoted itself to serving the nation and people, making many worthy contributions to the common achievements of historical significance of the country.
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| Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son delivered the opening speech at the Workshop. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bui Thanh Son, those achievements and contributions include: Worthy contributions to the successful completion of the struggle for national independence and reunification; affirming the pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, attracting external resources and favorable conditions to serve the two strategic tasks of building and defending the Fatherland; making an important contribution to enhancing the country's position, bringing Vietnam from having no name on the world political map to an increasing role and position in world politics, global economy and human civilization; the work of building the industry and building a team of cadres has achieved many outstanding achievements.
Above all, to achieve the above important achievements, the entire diplomatic sector has drawn some great lessons: The lesson is to combine national strength with the strength of the times; to harmoniously handle national and ethnic interests and international obligations and responsibilities; to be steadfast in principles but flexible in strategies according to the motto "to respond to all changes with the unchanging".
In addition, it is also a lesson about the role of solidarity and consensus; constantly innovating thinking and methods of implementing foreign affairs and diplomacy; and above all, it is a lesson about the Party's comprehensive and absolute leadership role and the State's unified management of foreign affairs.
However, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister also frankly acknowledged a number of shortcomings and limitations that need to be overcome. Specifically, the implementation and exploitation of benefits from international agreements and commitments have not been as effective as expected; strategic research and forecasting work has sometimes not kept up with the rapid and unpredictable developments of the situation; resources for forces working in foreign affairs and diplomacy have not been commensurate with the new position and strength of the country as well as the increasingly high requirements of foreign affairs.
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| Delegates attending the workshop “Diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era: 80 years of dedicated service to the nation and people”. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
“Looking back at the glorious journey we have gone through, we are more aware of the heavy but also glorious mission of Vietnamese diplomacy in the new era, the era of national development. That is to continue to promote the pioneering role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, attracting external resources and favorable conditions to effectively contribute to the implementation of the country's strategic goals, especially the 2030 and 2045 development goals set by the 13th National Party Congress,” the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out.
In particular, after merging the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and taking over part of the tasks of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, the diplomatic sector has an opportunity to further promote the combined strength of Party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people's diplomacy to well fulfill its pioneering role and the important, regular tasks assigned by the Party, State and people.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister also suggested that the Workshop focus on clarifying: 80 years of historical practice, contributing to perfecting the theory of modern Vietnamese diplomacy in both aspects of foreign affairs and industry building; The content of diplomacy in the new era, especially concretizing the "important and regular" tasks; Proposing measures to improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs and diplomacy in the new situation; Initiatives and solutions for the development of the diplomatic sector; Measures to improve the quality of research, forecasting, and strategic orientation advice for the Party and State.
Golden pages of history and Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic heritage
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| Ambassador Nguyen Dy Nien, former member of the Party Central Committee and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, shared his pride when talking about Vietnam's current position in the international arena. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Looking back at the achievements and difficulties over the past 8 decades, Ambassador Nguyen Dy Nien, former member of the Party Central Committee and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, was moved to share 5 things he was proud of in 5 milestones in the nation's history. For the Ambassador, the greatest and most unique pride is that the Vietnamese Diplomatic Service was founded by President Ho Chi Minh and he himself also held the position of the first Minister.
The second is the Geneva Agreement of 1954. After the Dien Bien Phu Victory on May 7, 1954, which “resounded throughout the five continents and shook the world”, France was forced to negotiate with Vietnam. This was the first time Vietnam appeared at an international conference.
The third pride is the 1973 Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam. For him, the result of the Agreement is a shining point and the pinnacle of Vietnamese diplomacy according to Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology.
In addition, Vietnamese diplomacy has also fought steadfastly to break the most severe blockade and embargo after Vietnam helped the Cambodian people escape the Pol Pot genocide. In particular, the former Foreign Minister could not hide his pride when talking about Vietnam's position in the international arena today.
"This is a golden opportunity for Vietnamese diplomacy to promote its potential capacity. Up to now, with 12 comprehensive strategic partnerships with all major countries in the world and the region, dozens of strategic partners, comprehensive partners with many other countries, it can be said that Vietnam's position in the world is very high and very stable", Ambassador, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien affirmed.
According to the veteran diplomat, the 80th anniversary of its founding is a year of pride for the Vietnamese Diplomatic Service, and is also an opportunity to pay tribute to the great contributions of the great Uncle Ho and to the predecessors who contributed their intelligence and blood to this noble cause.
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| Mr. Hoang Binh Quan, former member of the Party Central Committee and former Head of the Central External Relations Commission, highlighted the achievements of the Party's external relations. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Presenting the paper “Promoting the guiding role of the Party's foreign affairs in the overall diplomacy of Vietnam in the new era”, Mr. Hoang Binh Quan, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, likened the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “two brothers” born by the Party, Uncle Ho and the country, accompanying and closely coordinating over the past 80 years, writing the glorious history of the country's diplomacy.
And now, in the era of national growth, the two brothers come together under one roof, with the same mission of building a comprehensive and modern Diplomacy in the new period.
According to Mr. Hoang Binh Quan, Vietnam's diplomacy is characterized by the close connection and coordination between Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and People's diplomacy. This is also an important orientation to mobilize "combined strength" for foreign affairs. In particular, Party diplomacy is the channel to create political foundations and bases, an important political diplomacy channel to facilitate relations with other countries.
State diplomacy has the mission of being the main and official diplomatic channel between our state and government and many countries in all fields, participating in and promoting our country's role in many regional and international mechanisms and forums, proactively and actively integrating into the international community more deeply and comprehensively.
People's diplomacy plays an important role in building a foundation of social friendship, and is a very influential "heart-to-heart" foreign diplomacy channel that helps us win people's hearts with justice, reason, morality and humanity.
“Practice has proven that close and solid coordination like a ‘three-legged stool’ has been vividly demonstrated in the ‘6 coordinations’, which are: Coordination in research, consulting, and proposing foreign policies; coordination in organizing foreign affairs activities; coordination in handling foreign affairs situations; coordination in foreign affairs information; coordination in building forces, training cadres and coordination in managing and guiding foreign affairs activities,” Mr. Hoang Binh Quan commented.
Now, Vietnam's goal is to proactively and actively integrate more comprehensively, deeply and substantially into world politics, international economy and human civilization. The former Head of the Central External Relations Commission believes that the achievements and experience of the past 80 years of Vietnamese diplomacy, including 76 years of Party foreign affairs, will be the driving force, will and valuable experience to continue to synchronously implement Party foreign affairs, state diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. Thereby, contributing worthily to the country moving forward with the times, striving in the new era to achieve the noble goals of the Party, the country and the nation.
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| Ambassador Ton Nu Thi Ninh, former Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized that the diplomatic sector must continue to provide timely and appropriate advice, contributing to identifying risks and obstacles as well as highlighting and taking advantage of opportunities. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Or in the discussion "Courage and intelligence: Diplomacy contributes to changing the situation, turning danger into opportunity, contributing to resolving challenges and opening up development opportunities for the nation", Ambassador Ton Nu Thi Ninh, former Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, acknowledged that President Ho Chi Minh's journey to the world to find a way to save the country has brought a unique Vietnamese mark to our country's diplomacy.
That is to go out to learn about the world, especially the regime and society of the opposing country to combine internal and external forces, gather forces, thereby consolidating and enhancing the "Position" and "Strength" of Vietnam in the struggle to regain independence. Later, that highlight became the special role of Vietnamese diplomacy in the overall cause of national liberation, unification and development of the country.
Reviewing important milestones on the path of international integration, the female Ambassador affirmed that maturity in promoting intelligence and initiative, along with the process of professionalizing the force, has contributed to enhancing the soft power of the S-shaped country.
In addition, over the decades since officially joining the United Nations, Vietnamese diplomacy has also demonstrated its methodical, thoughtful, skillful and effective combination of multilateral and bilateral diplomatic frameworks as well as diplomatic channels (from the government to the National Assembly and the people) and different aspects (politics, economics - trade, culture and communication).
“The journey of proactive, courageous, and systematic international and regional integration, considering the context, interests, and relationships of all parties, along with participation in a series of multilateral trade agreements, shows that Vietnam has risen in peacetime, both developing its trade economy and ensuring national sovereignty, which is a testament to Vietnam's courage and intelligence continuing to be promoted in the new era,” the former Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee pointed out.
Looking back over a century since President Ho Chi Minh left to find a way to save the country, Ambassador Ton Nu Thi Ninh also emphasized that the diplomatic sector must continue to provide timely and appropriate advice, contributing to identifying risks and obstacles as well as highlighting and taking advantage of opportunities - creating an optimal foreign policy situation for Vietnam's rise in the new era.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, believes that people-to-people diplomacy will promote the strength of connecting people, building a favorable social foundation to deepen relations between countries, stabilize and sustain. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
From the perspective of a person working in people's diplomacy, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that people's diplomacy is a unique creation, a valuable asset of Vietnam's diplomacy, inheriting the ideology of "taking people as the root" and the tradition of patriotism, independence, autonomy, "public" diplomacy, justice, peace and humanity of the Vietnamese people. This is also an important content of Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology.
In particular, referring to General Secretary To Lam's direction that new-era diplomacy must meet the requirements of "closely linking foreign affairs with the people's hearts", "linking the country with the world, the nation with the times", Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga believes that people-to-people diplomacy will promote the strength of connecting people, building a favorable social foundation to bring relations between countries into depth, stability, sustainability, mobilizing international resources, solidarity, and strong support from the people of the world.
Thereby, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, preventing the risk of conflict and war early and from afar, protecting national and ethnic interests, actively contributing to building a strong, prosperous and happy Vietnam.
Continue to write aspirations, bringing the country into a new era
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| Ms. Nguyen Huong Tra, Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Department, pointed out that not only has Vietnam deeply integrated into the economy, it has also proactively participated in multilateral institutions, leading or co-founding international initiatives that are in line with national interests. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Presenting her speech, Ms. Nguyen Huong Tra, Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Department, stated that over the past 80 years, especially during nearly 40 years of Doi Moi, the thorough understanding and effective handling of the relationship between independence, autonomy and international integration has contributed significantly to creating Vietnam's current international position and role.
From a besieged and embargoed country, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries, has comprehensive partnerships or more with 37 countries, participated in 17 free trade agreements and is a member of more than 70 international organizations.
Not only integrating deeply into the economy, Vietnam also proactively participates in multilateral institutions, leading or co-founding international initiatives that are in line with national interests. In terms of culture and society, the integration process helps to strongly spread Vietnamese cultural identity to the world, while expanding the space for learning and exchange for people.
However, the Deputy Director of the Foreign Policy Department also frankly pointed out that the process of deep integration cannot avoid challenges - from the risk of being dominated by big countries, to the infiltration of extremist ideologies, inappropriate cultural factors, or dependence on external resources. This requires continuing to perfect the theoretical basis and methods of handling the dialectical relationship between independence, autonomy and international integration.
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| Ms. Luyen Minh Hong, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Diplomacy, proposed five orientations to innovate thinking and methods of implementing economic diplomacy. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Luyen Minh Hong, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Diplomacy, said that throughout the 80-year journey of formation and development, economic diplomacy has always played a pivotal role in solving the country's key economic issues. Since the establishment of the Economic Department in February 1974 - the predecessor of the current Department of Economic Diplomacy - this work has been implemented methodically and comprehensively on both bilateral and multilateral levels, making practical contributions to the turning points of the national economic development.
With the motto of taking localities, enterprises and people as the center of service, taking national interests as the guiding principle, economic diplomacy has been implemented methodically and comprehensively at all levels, fields, bilateral and multilateral markets, achieving many substantial results of important significance. According to the Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Diplomacy, the results were achieved thanks to the strength of the high consensus of the entire political system, from Party diplomacy, state diplomacy to people's diplomacy, from the local sector level, domestic enterprises to Vietnamese representative agencies abroad. All of these have created a unified and effective economic diplomacy front.
Emphasizing the urgent need to innovate thinking and methods of implementing economic diplomacy in the context of a world that is deeply changing, with both challenges and opportunities intertwined, Ms. Luyen Minh Hong proposed 5 orientations in the coming time: (i) Sharpen the economic content in foreign affairs activities, especially at high levels, ensuring strategy, feasibility and implementation effectiveness;
(ii) Improve the quality of research and policy advice, closely follow reality and promptly reflect the "breath" of the economy; (iii) innovate traditional growth drivers such as investment, export, tourism through diversifying markets, products and supply chains;
(iv) Linking economic diplomacy with international integration, proactively participating in shaping global rules of the game in strategic areas; (v) promoting new growth drivers, especially science, technology and innovation. In particular, it is necessary to prioritize the effective implementation of science and technology diplomacy, building an international cooperation strategy on strategic technology and attracting Vietnamese intellectuals abroad.
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| Delegates attending session 2 of the workshop. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Trang, Deputy Director of the Department of Organization and Personnel, over the past 80 years, generations of foreign affairs and diplomatic officials have united, worked together, stood shoulder to shoulder, and overcome all sacrifices and hardships, both in wartime and peacetime. The ideals, bravery, and dedicated, enthusiastic, and intellectual contributions of previous generations have left many valuable lessons, creating bright torches to pass on to today's generation of officials.
No matter what the circumstances, whether at the "front line" or the "rear" on the foreign affairs front, generations of cadres always uphold their political mettle, stand firm in the face of all challenges, are sensitive to the "turning points of the times", and do well in their advisory duties and organize the correct and creative implementation of the Party and State's foreign policies and guidelines.
Emphasizing that the S-shaped country is entering an era of strong growth with new position and strength, Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Trang affirmed that in that context, the sector is also entrusted with a new responsibility in carrying out the task of building a "comprehensive, modern, professional" diplomacy on all three pillars of Party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy.
In particular, in the context of the international situation always changing rapidly and complicatedly; the country has many new tasks after rearranging the organization of foreign affairs agencies in the direction of "refined, compact, strong, effective, efficient, effective", posing new requirements for the industry, the construction of a team of "both red and professional" diplomatic staff is not only an urgent requirement but also an intrinsic need with strategic significance.
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| Party Committee member and Youth Union Secretary Nguyen Dong Anh said that today's youth have the ability to work cross-culturally, communicate in multiple languages and rely on data to better understand international public psychology. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Representing more than 8,000 youth union members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Dong Anh, Member of the Party Executive Committee, Secretary of the Ministry's Youth Union, shared that in this turbulent era, with a complex foreign affairs environment, fierce strategic competition, digital transformation, and new technologies reshaping every field as it is today, young people are not only apprentices, but must be pioneers - innovating thinking, creating methods and applying technology in diplomacy.
The young generation is the most responsive force to new technology, actively applying artificial intelligence (AI), big data, language technology, and digital interaction models to professional work such as international information analysis, industry knowledge management, multi-platform foreign communication, organizing online diplomatic events and virtual reality.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dong Anh, today's youth have the ability to work cross-culturally, communicate in multiple languages, and rely on data to better understand international public psychology. Many young officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have participated in negotiation delegations, regional forums such as ASEAN Youth, Asian Diplomat Fellowship, or the United Nations internship program.
In order for young people to continue to promote their pioneering role in building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy, Mr. Nguyen Dong Anh hopes that the Party Committee, leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and leaders of units will continue to pay attention and create conditions for young people to participate and promote their role, especially in new areas such as digital diplomacy, digital economic diplomacy, science and technology diplomacy; create an environment for young cadres to propose initiatives, test technology, initiate innovative projects to serve the Ministry, thereby practicing practical skills and actively contributing to the common work.
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| Party Central Committee member, Permanent Deputy Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong delivered the concluding speech at the Workshop. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
With nearly 20 presentations and many opinions from generations of diplomatic officials and experts, concluding the Workshop, Party Central Committee member, Permanent Deputy Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong affirmed that the Workshop was truly a profound and inspiring academic forum.
This is not only an opportunity to look back on the glorious and proud journey of Vietnam's revolutionary diplomacy, but also to deeply reflect on the ideological values, strategic vision and mission of the sector in the new era of development of the country.
According to the Deputy Minister, the presentations at the first session of the Workshop vividly recreated the glorious historical journey of Revolutionary Diplomacy - born from the very survival needs of the nation in the struggle for independence, freedom and national construction. Core values such as resilience, strategic thinking, flexible diplomacy, and effective combination of foreign affairs pillars have become precious heritages of Vietnamese Diplomacy.
In the second session, opinions focused on clarifying the urgent requirements of the industry in the new period: Proactive adaptation, innovative thinking, promoting integration, digitalization and comprehensive modernization. In particular, promoting the vanguard role of the young generation in the Diplomatic sector was identified as one of the strategic focuses.
With sincere thanks for the participation and contributions of the Leaders, former Leaders, delegates, distinguished guests and all officers and employees of the Diplomatic sector, Deputy Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong hopes that the Workshop is not only an opportunity to look back on the past, but also a stepping stone towards a comprehensive, modern, pioneering diplomacy, for a strong and developing Vietnam with an increasingly high position in the international arena.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/viet-tiep-chang-duong-80-nam-ve-vang-cua-nganh-ngoai-giao-viet-nam-dua-dat-nuoc-vao-ky-nguyen-moi-322567.html
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