Communist Review - By applying creatively Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic thought and promoting the tradition and identity of diplomacy of peaceful relations, rich in humaneness of the nation, the foreign line of the Communist Party of Vietnam has been developed and perfected in the revolutionary stages. On the basis of inheriting the foreign line through the Party Congresses in the renovation period, the 13^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam continues to develop and perfect the Party‘s foreign line in the stage of new development of the country.

A look back at foreign line of Communist Party of Vietnam in 35 years of renovation

Promoting vigorously the renewal mindset initiated from the 6^th Party Congress (1986), the foreign line of independence, autonomy, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization, diversification, proactiveness and activeness in international integration, for the interests of the country, of the nation, is the red thread that runs through the foreign relations in the renovation period and get an ever more profound awareness.

As President Ho Chi Minh once put it, “apart from the interests of the nation, of the Fatherland, our Party has no other interests” (1), the Communist Party of Vietnam is always deeply aware that the interests of the country, of the nation are the highest goal of foreign relations. The Resolution of the 8^th Plenum, 9^th tenure (2003), for the first time pointed out the fundamental constituents of the interests of the country, of the nation. From the 11^th National Party Congress (2011), the Communist Party of Vietnam affirmed that the interests of the country, of the nation are the top target of foreign relations, in which the interests of the class, the interests of the country and the interests of the nation are unified in the interests of the country, of the nation.

During the renovation period, foreign relations have always implemented the inclusive and constant tasks as to maintain firmly the environment of peace, stability, enlist the favourable international elements for the building and protection of the Fatherland, raising the country’s status. This task has been ever more profoundly perceived through the tenures of the Party Congresses. Resolution No. 13-NQ/TW of the Political Bureau, 6^th tenure (1988), started the process of renewing the mindset and foreign line, mapped out the tasks of winning the international support and the trend of internationalization for national development. To the 12^th Party Congress (2016), the Communist Party of Vietnam determined clearly the tasks of foreign relations that comprised three constituents of security, development and national status.

From the policy of “more friends and less foes”, the Communist Party of Vietnam has developed it into the system of guiding viewpoints and guidelines running through Vietnam’s foreign relations; it has consistently carried out its foreign line of independence, autonomy, peace, friendship, cooperation and development; multilateralization and diversification; “being the friend, the reliable partner and the responsible member of the international community”; firmly grasped two aspects: partner - object, both cooperation and struggle; unshakable in principle, in strategic targets, but flexible and clever in tactics, “acting according to circumstances”,….. Mechanism to carry out the foreign relations is to closely and rhythmically combine between the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations under the unified leadership of the Party and the concentrated management of the State.

With an awareness that Vietnam is part of the world, the advocation of international integration (9^th Party Congress) was implemented vigorously, then expanded to other areas and the advocation of being proactive and active in international integration (11^th Party Congress) was formed. This advocation is a great strategic orientation to build and protect the Fatherland, is the career of the entire people and of the whole political system. Awareness of the relationship between independence, autonomy and international integration has become ever more profound, in which the national strength has consistently been combined with the epochal strength; internal strength is decisive and the external resources are important.

The bilateral and multilateral foreign relations have been step by step adjusted, complemented and perfected. From “the strengthening of the friendly relations and comprehensive cooperation with the Soviet Union and the countries in the socialist community” (2) (6^th Party Congress) to cooperation with all countries on the basis of international law, equality and mutual interests. From the participation in international forums to “the efforts to strive to play the core role for guidance and conciliation at the forums and multilateral organizations of strategic importance.

Implementing the Party’s correct foreign line has made an important contribution to solidly maintaining the environment of peace, stability, favourable for the renovation work, defending solidly independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, and raising the country’s status. Up to now, Vietnam  has got the diplomatic relations with 189 countries out of 193 UN member countries, in which there are strategic partners and comprehensive partners, including 5 countries of the UN Security Council, 7 top industrialized countries (G7) and 17 out of 20 biggest economies in the world (G20). From a concentrated planning and closed economy, now Vietnam has a socialist-oriented market economy with its intensive and extensive economic linkage, has signed and participated in 17 free trade agreements (FTA), in which there are new generation of FTA; the export and import turnover is equivalent to about 200% of GDP, attracting around USD 400 billion of registered capital of foreign direct investment (FDI)…

Vietnam being the member of almost all international organizations and important multilateral forums has successfully organized a lot of big international conferences as well as fulfilling a lot of international important responsibilities, such as the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (2008-2009 and 2020-2021), the ASEAN Summit (1998, 2010 and 2020), the ASEM Summit (2004), the APEC Summit (2006, 2017), The World Economic Forum on ASEAN (2018), the USA-Korea Summit (2019), hundreds of officers and soldiers have been sent to join the UN peace-keeping force….

The above-said foreign relations achievements are the quintescence of the efforts of the entire Party, army and people, are the bright spot in the common achievements of the country as Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress has affirmed, “Our country has never had such career, potentiality, international status and presitige as today” (4). In which there is an important contribution of foreign relations, including the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations.

Inheritance, development and new points in foreign line at 13^th National Congress of Communist Party of Vietnam

On the basis of assessing in a comprehensive way the achievements, lessons, position and strength of the country after 35 years of renovation, the domestic and international context, the strategic opportunities as well as  the challenges posed to the country, the 13^th Party Congress continued to inherit the contents running through the Party’s foreign line in the renovation period, at the same time develop and complement many new cotents so that foreign relations can be able to meet the requirements of national development in the new stage.

1- On assessment, forecast of the world situation. The 13^th Party Congress has inherited the great remarks of the previous Party Congresses, particularly the 12^th Party Congress, about the characteristics of law character and long-term trend of the world. The 13^th Congress affirms that peace, cooperation and development are the great trend, globalization and international integration continues to develop, but it stresses that these trends are facing a lot of obstacles and difficulties, because “the world is experiencing the great changes with developments happening very fast, complicatedly and unpredictably”; Asia-the Pacific has an ever more important role to play, but it points out that this is the region “inherent with a lot of uncertainties”…. In the context with a lot of challenges, the non-traditional security has developed complicatedly, the Communist Party remarks that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to prolong, “making the deep changes in the economic order and structure, the mode of global governance,  the method of economic activities and the organization of social life of the world” (5). The realities of the international situation since the 13^th Party Congress show that the above-said remarks of the Party are correct.

A new point is that on the basis of assessing the fourth industrial revolution, that the 13^th Party Congress strives to gain the achievements of this revolution to be put into the connotation of the viewpoint on the national development, on that basis, to determine clearly “pushing industrialization, modernization on the foundation of the scientific and technological progress and innovation” is the great orientation in the strategy of national development until 2030.

In addition to the continued remark concerning advantages, opportunities and difficulties and challenges in alternation, the 13^th PartyCongress points out that the world situation “has posed a lot of new issues, new demands in a heavier and more complicated way” to the building and protection of the Fatherland, demanding for the continuity of renewing more vigorously the thinking and correct forecast of the situation so as to be able to be proactive in all circumstances. Therefore, the role of foreign relations has become ever more important, the tasks ever heavier, particularly the role of vanguard in defending the Fatherland should be ever earlier than expected and from a far, winning the opportunities and resources from outside to serve the national development.

2- On the foreign relations target. The 13^th Party Congress affirms, “ensure the highest the interests of the country - the nation”, it means placing the interests of the country - the nation above all else; at the same time, it points out the general principle that great efforts should be made as always to obtain the interests of the country - the nation to the highest possible level. Ensuring the highest the interests of the country - the nation does not mean our country follows egoistic natiomalism. The 13^th Party Congress stresses that promoting the interests of the country - the nation should “be based on the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law, equality, cooperation and mutual interests”, to together strive for peace, national indeoendence, democracy and social progress in the world”.

In the current stage, the highest interests of the country - the nation are to defend firmly independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity; protect the Party, the State, people and the socialist regime; maintain solidly the environment of peace, stability, favourable for the national development; protect the cause of renovation, industrialization, modernization; protect political security, social order and safety and the national culture. Additionally, the 13^th Party Congress also adds that ensuring human security, economic security, cyber security, social order, discipline is also the important interests of the country - the nation. The above-said constituents have the close, mutual and unified relationship, none of them can be neglected, at the same time, they are the most important basis to determine the partners-objects, cooperation-struggle in foreign relations, are “invariable” to respond to the fast and complicated developing situation.

3- On the position, role and task of foreign relations. The new , prominent point in the foreign line at the 13^th Party Congress is that for the first time, the Party determines clearly the vanguard position and role of foreign relations in “establishing and maintaining the environment of peace and stability, in mobilizing the external resources for the national development, raising the status and prestige of the country”. These tasks have close relationship together, in which maintaining peace and stability is the important, regular task; serving the national development is the central task; raising the contry’s status and prestige is the important task.

In the history of national construction and defence, the diplomacy of friendly relations is considered the best way to defend the country. In the struggle for national liberation and national unification, and in building and defending the Fatherland, foreign relations take the lead in creating the position “of fighting while negotiating”, winning the international support, breaking the encirclement, embargo, opening up the new development situation for the country. In the renovation work, foreign relations “takes the lead in making peace, defending the Fatherland and attracting the resources for national development” (6). So, that the vanguard role of foreign relations is affirmed in the documents of the 13^th Party Congress is the new development in the foreign relations mindset of the Party on the basis of creatively applying the idea of national defence of highly proactive character of the nation, summarizing the realities of the country’s development and international integration, receiving with selection the international experience so as to be in line with the trend of peace, cooperation and development in the world.

First of all, the vanguard role is reflected in the fact that foreign relations assess and predict the situation, recognize the opportunities and challenges to defend the country at the ealiest possible and from a far, sensitively discover the new issues, act as the strategic councellor, promote renewing the thinking, look for the favourable disrection for national development. That is why,  the 13^th Party Congress stresses “to enhance the study, prediction and strategic councelling in foreign relations so that there will be no passivity and surprise”. This task is very important, because only by “knowing ourselves”, “knowing other people”, “knowing circumstances” can we be able to avail ourselves of the opportunities suitable for national development and defence of the Fatherland in the constantly moving, complicated and unpredictable world.

Secondly, maintaining solidly the environment of peace and stability, favourable for national development and defence of the Fatherland is the common task of the whole political system and the entire people, including foreign relations. The characteristics of foreign relations is to use the modes and measures of peace to guard against, neutralize and push back the danger of war and conflict at the earliest possible and from a far, thus making a contribution to defending firmly the national independence and sovereignty.

Promoting the ancestors’ tradition of national defence that if we have the domestic conciliation, we don’t have to resort to the act of using troops and if  we make peace outside the country, we are not afraid of emergency, the 13^th Party Congress  affirms to continue to accelerate and deepen further  the relationships with the partners, particularly with the neighbouring countries, the strategic partners, the comprehensive partners, the important partners and the traditional friends, thus “creating the cross-interests position” and the “reliability”. Implementing satisfactorily this tasks will help consolidate solidly the stable foreign relation aspect, favourable for the building and defence of the Fatherland.

Apart from that, foreign relations together with national defence and security maintain firmly the border line of peace, cooperation and development; are determined to persistently struggle to protect solidly imdependence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity. At the same time, foreign relations look for and promote the identical concurrence in interests so as to enhance cooperation, flexibility and innovation in handling the disputes on the basis of the interests of the counry - the nation and international law; in which, it is to continue to push ahead the settlement of the sea issues on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Thirdly, taking the lead in mobilizing the external resources for national development. One of the fundamental interests of the country at present is to strive to implement the goal of national development to the year 2030, with the vision to the year 2045. Therefore, national development is the goal that runs through all the activities of foreign relations, accordingly all the core branches of foreign relations are to make great efforts to contribute to implementing the vision and goal of national development, in which economic diplomacy is the core. So, together with the vanguard mindset, development mindset is the new point in the foreign relations mindset of the Party at the 13^th Congress.

Thoroughly grasping the viewpoint that “Socio-economic development is the central task”, foreign relations continue to avail themselves of the results of favourable international elements, the signed FTA and the international commitments and agreements in order to expand the market, attract intellectuals, technologies and investments in service of renewing the growth model, accelerating the national industrialization and modernization, making a contribution to enhancing the autonomic capacities of the economy and the aggregate strength of the country. Foreign relations also enlist the fine political relationships to handle the complicated issues in cooperation and integration of international economy.

In the context of COVID-19 pandemic that has been happening complicatedly, the vanguard role of foreign relations has been brought into full play and expressed through the “vaccine diplomatic” activities, taking advantage of the timely and effective international support in vaccine, health equipment and treatment medicines, making an important contribution to protection, combat and safe adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic and to socio-economic recovery and development.

Fourthly, pioneering to pave the way and accompany to serve the people’s interests, the localities and enterprises in international integration. A new point is that the 2021-2030 new socio-economic development strategy maps out the orientation “to build an economic diplomacy in service of development, taking the people, localities and enterprises as the centre piece”. This is the creative application of the idea of “taking people as the root” in foreign relations, because implementing the tasks of foreign relations, in the final analysis, is aimed at achieving the goal of rich people, powerful, democratic, equal and civilized country. Imbued with the teaching of Uncle Hồ “what is beneficial for the people, we have to strive the hardest to do, what is harmful to the people, we have to try the best to avoid it”, holding fast to the advocation and line of foreign relations and the socio-economic development, foreign relations make the favourable international environment, pave the way and accompany and support the people, localities and enterprises to take the maximal advantage of the opportunities and interests and reduce the risks, overcome challenges of international integration; at the same time, protect the legitimate interests of the State, the people and enterprises of Vietnam in international integration.

Fifthly, pioneering to raise the country’s position and prestige through promoting the core role to lead, conciliate and undertake well the international heavy responsibilities, making an active and responsible contribution to the common concern of the world. The 13^th Party Congress determines to accelerate and raise the multilateral foreign relations, promote Vietnam’s role at the multilateral mechanism, especially at ASEAN, the UN, APEC, at the Mekong subregional cooperation and the cooperation framework as well as in the important issue of strategic character, suitable to the requirements, capacities and conditions of the country. Besides, the continuity of renewing and improving the efficiency of foreign relations propaganda, protection of citizens, cultural diplomacy, implementing in a more comprehensive and stronger manner the work of overseas Vietnamese also makes an important contribution to raising the image, status and prestige of the country.

As President Ho Chi Minh once taught us: “all the successes come from the word: consensus”, foreign relations can only be able to implement well its pioneer role when it is placed in the overall domestic-foreign relations, with the close coordination, unity and consensus of all the levels, branches and the entire people, in which the identical point here is to together ensure the highest the interests of the country – the nation. So doing, it is possible to promote  the aggregate strength of the entire people in combination with the epochal strength in service of the cause of the national construction and development and the defence of the Fatherland.

4- Deploying the synchronous, creative and effective implementation of activities of foreign relations and being proactive active in the comprehensive, intensive and extensive international integration are the inclusive orientation of foreign relations in the new development stage of the country. First, the synchrony is reflected in the close and rhythmical coordination between the pillars of foreign relations comprising the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations, between the relationships with partners and fields, particularly the foreign relations of national defence, security, between the bilaterals and multilaterals…. Secondly, creativity demands that foreign relations should constantly renew, be flexible and clever in handling the complicated issues, look for the directions and the new way in the “spirit of being proactive to attack, dare to get out the beaten-track mindsets and areas so as to have the ideas and actions that go beyond the national calibre and reach the regional and international calibres” (7). Naturally, creativity should be based on firmly maintaining the principle, persistently following the strategic goals. Thirdly, effectiveness is reflected in bringing the foreign relations into the depth, essence and practicality, in mobilizing and combining effectively  all the external resources with the domestic resources to serve the best  the national development and the protection of the Fatherland. The country’s development in the new stage poses the ever higher requirements so as to enhance the synchrony, creativity and efficiency in the activities of foreign relations.

On international integration, The 13^th Party Congress puts forth the demand for the comprehensive, intensive and extensive character. It means that international integrated should be carried out through all the channels of the Party, State and people, bilaterals and multilaterals, at all levels, branches and fields. It is not only be expanded in space, international integration continues to get into the depth, deploys all international commitments, including the effective implementation of intensive and extensive commitments of the new generation FTAs, “be proactive to participate in and active to contribute to raising Vietnam’s role in building and shaping the multilateral institutions and the international political-economic order” for the benefits of the country – the nation and for the common interests of the international community on the basis of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law.

5- To help foreign relations promote its vanguard role and carry out well all the above-said orientations and tasks, the 13^th Party Congress maps out the advocation of “building a comprehensive and modern foreign relations with three pillars being the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations” (8). This new advocation reflects the maturity of Vietnam’s revolutionary foreign relations founded by President Ho Chi Minh, at the same time it is also a new requirement of long-term strategic character and the necessity for foreign relations and the diplomatic branch in the new context.

Comprehensiveness of Vietnam’s diplomacy is reflected in the subject that implements foreign relations, comprising the political system, social organizations, enterprises and people; above all, the political, national defense, security, socio-economic fields; with all partners, spheres, areas, the focal point is to push ahead and deepen further the relationships with the neighbouring countries, strategic partners, comprehensive partners, important partners and traditional friends, to be proactive to participate and promote the role at the important stratgegic multilateral mechanisms.

Modernity is reflected in the essence of Vietnam’s diplomacy; this is the harmonious combination between the diplomatic tradition and identity of the nation, Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic thought, the Party’s foreign line through periods and the diplomatic quintessence of the time; in the operation of diplomacy in the framework of the ever more improved institution, closely and skilfully connecting between the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations; in organizing the effective, streamlined apparatus with the standardized, digitalized scientific mode of operation, with the abilities of renewal, innovation and being proactive to adapt to the fast changes of the situation.

Vietnam’s diplomacy with three pillars being the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations is always placed under the unified leadership and guidance of the Party and the concentrated management of the State. Even though there are different positions, functions, roles and advantages, these three pillars of foreign relations have the close relationship and mutual support, because they together implement the Party’s foreign line with the common goal for the interests of the country – the nation. This reflecs the nature of Vietnam’s diplomacy being the generalization and unification between the party nature, the nature of the country – the nation and the nature of democracy – people. The synchronous deployment, close and skilfull coordination of the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations will promote the strong position of each pilar of foreign relations, creating the aggregate strength of Vietnam’s diplomacy. This is both the tradition and precious lesson, and the art of “gathering the forces” uniquely of Vietnam’s foreign relations and it is necessary to maintain and promote it in the new stage.

To build Vietnam’s comprehensive and modern diplomacy beside continuing to consolidate and perfect the mechanism of close and effective coordination between the pillars, foreign relations agencies, one of the essential things is to have a contingent of foreign relations cadres all-round in abilities, qualities and intellect, modern in working style and method, renewal and innovation on a par with the time. In the national history, Vietnam has a lot of remarkable diplomats, the symbolic examples in patriotism, abilities, virtuous character, talent and diplomatic style and art. Before the the new requirement of building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy, it is necessary to pay an important attention to the foreign relations cadres work, particularly the mechanism, policy, training and fostering the foreign relations cadres all-round in qualities, levels and abilities. Today’s generation of foreign relations and diplomatic cadres promotes the glorious tradition, is absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people, strive to train the political abilities, virtuous character, constantly strive to raise their intellect, steadiness, self-confidence, consistency, unflinchingness and innovation for the cause of national development and defence of the Fatherland.

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The foreign relations line at the 13^th Party Congress has inherited, developed and perfected the foreign relations line of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the renovation period, is the lodestar to implement the synchronous, creative and effective foreign relations in the coming time. To have the advocation and orientation of foreign relations of the 13^th Party Congress go into life, it is necessary to soon have  the general strategy on foreign relations in close combination with the strategy of defending the Fatherland and the strategy of social and economic development, on that basis, to unify the awareness and action, build and implement the strategies, plans, plannings and measures of foreign relations in each sphere, with each partner. So doing, it will bring into full play the aggregate strength of the whole political system, levels, branches and the entire people so that foreign relations can make a worthy contribution to implementing successfully the vision and goal of national development mapped out by the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress./.

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(1) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Truth National Political Publishing House Su That, Hanoi, 2011, p. 290

(2) Documents of the Party Congress in the renovation period, Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2019, part I, p. 97

(3) Instructions No. 25-CT/TW, on August 8, 2018 of the Secretariat, on “Pushing ahead and raise the level of multilateral foreign relations to the year 2030”

(4), (5) Documents of the 13^th National Party Congress, Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, tomb I, p. 207.

(6) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at the 28^th Diplomatic Conference, December 2013

(7) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong  speaks at the 30^th Diplomatic Conference, August 2018

(8) “Diplomacy” here can be understood as fopreign relations, including the Party’s foreign relations, the State’s diplomacy and the people’s foreign relations.

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 978 (November 2021)