Communist Review - Consistently implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralization, and diversification, Party diplomacy in 2021 has promoted the spirit of innovation and has effectively implemented the foreign policy set by the 13th Party Congress since the beginning of its term, consolidated the political foundation for bilateral relations with other countries, contributing to improving the position of the CPV and the nation in the international arena.

The role of Party diplomacy

Party diplomacy is the earliest form of the foreign policy of the Vietnamese revolution. In 1919, leader Nguyen Ai Quoc has joined the French Socialist Party: “As this was the only organization in France that stood up for my country” and a year later, at the 18th Congress of the French Socialist Party, he voted in favor of joining the Third International (Communist international) as he said: “The Third International stood up for the colonial territories liberation”. Those events marked the first important foreign affairs activities of the Party diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era.

In each historical moment of the Vietnamese revolution, the Party diplomacy always holds a special position and makes significant contributions to the successful implementation of strategic tasks for the cause of national liberation and reunification, construction, and defense of the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. The CPV has issued several important documents to set out specific orientations and measures related to Party diplomacy.

On February 18, 2019, Politburo issued Directive No. 32-CT/TW on “Improving the effectiveness of the Party diplomacy in the new situation”, which is an important milestone demonstrating the development of the Party's thinking and theory, affirming the important role of the Party diplomacy. The directive emphasized that “strengthening the Party diplomacy is the foremost important foreign policy orientation” and “is the task of the whole political system, in which foreign affairs staff are the core”. It set out the task of expanding and deepening the Party’s external relations, creating a solid political foundation for the bilateral relationship, and enhancing state diplomacy as well as people-to-people diplomacy...

In the new circumstance, the 13th Party Congress clearly stated that foreign affairs must play a pioneering role in establishing and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, mobilizing external resources to enhance national prestige and position. This is not only a new perception but also a higher requirement for foreign affairs in general and party diplomacy in particular in the new stage of development. At the National Foreign Relations Conference on implementing the Resolution of the 13th Congress organized by the Party Central Committee (December 2021) for the first time, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong declared that Party diplomacy, state diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy should carry out creatively and effectively foreign affairs activities, be consistent in principles and strategies, be flexible in methods and strategies, break free from old thought patterns to make creative thinking at regional and international level.

Deeply aware of its importance in the new stage of development of the country, closely following the Resolution of the 13th Congress and Directive No. 32-CT/TW, dated February 18, 2019, of Politburo on “Improving the effectiveness of the Party diplomacy in the new situation”, the Party diplomacy in 2021 has been actively and proactively implemented with focus assigned tasks and achieved significant success, contributing to the overall success of Vietnam foreign diplomacy.

Some outstanding results of the Party diplomacy in 2021

In 2021, amidst a rapidly and complicatedly changing regional and global situation, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause a global crisis with far-reaching impacts on health, economy, politics, security, and society and poses great challenges to the response capacity of nations. Major countries have stepped up measures to achieve strategic goals, making competition among major powers fiercer and inclusive in all sectors. The competition occurs mainly in the Asia-Pacific region. The transition to multi-polar and multi-centered world order has been accelerated. Networks of alliances are intertwined, diverse, and complicated. The global economy gets back to recovery but the world is witnessing an unsustainable and uneven recovery with potential risks. Non-traditional security challenges are becoming increasingly critical. These factors have made a profound impact on the security and development of Vietnam, posing many new problems that require foreign affairs to quickly adapt, effectively respond to challenges, and seize opportunities to ensure the highest interests of the nation and people.

In that context, the CPV responded flexibly and promptly to developments in the external environment, actively and proactively carried out external affairs, and achieved outstanding results:

Firstly, the Party diplomacy has taken multiple effective measures, making practical contributions to the success of the 13th Party Congress and strengthening relationships with other parties and countries. Vietnam has flexibly deployed a wide range of solutions to reinforce communication to parties and partners about the 13th National Congress to disseminate information about the country's policies and vision, thereby, creating a common understanding and support for the undertakings and policies of the Party and the State of Vietnam, and promoting at the same time the relationship with political parties. The 13th National Congress has received a record number of 401 congratulatory letters and messages with congratulatory letters extended to the Congress and 118 messages congratulating Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong for his re-election as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee in the 13th tenure. This has shown the importance and appreciation of the leadership role, the renovation cause, and the position and prestige of the Party and the State of Vietnam. In particular, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's article entitled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam” was promptly informed to political parties and the international community, creating a deeper and inclusive understanding among political parties and countries, thereby gaining their support for the cause of renovation and the construction of socialism in Vietnam.

Furthermore, by organizing 9 online conferences to announce the results of the 13th National Congress to political parties and international partners, the CPV has timely disseminated information about Vietnam’s future guidelines, policies, and visions, thereby creating understanding and support for Vietnamese policies and promoting relationship with political parties. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has conducted 9 phone calls with leaders of some political parties and heads of state who have presented their congratulatory messages about the success of the Congress. Standing members of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, Politburo members, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and Head of  Party’s Commission for External Relations have conducted 40 virtual external activities and 7 external activities through online communications, thus enhancing trust, creating a solid political foundation for bilateral relations with other countries, and at the same time enhancing the role, position and prestige of the CPV in the international arena.

Second, the relationship between the CPV and the ruling parties in the socialist countries and neighboring countries sharing the border has continued to be strengthened at a higher level, strengthening the political foundation, enhancing strategic trust, and creating momentum for bilateral relations between Vietnam and other nations. A high-level meeting between the three top leaders of the three parties (September 2021) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary - President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) Thongloun Sisoulith and Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party - Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen has affirmed the special meaning and traditional relationship between the three parties and countries, contributing to increasing political trust and maintaining close ties with them. The CPV continues to deepen its relationship with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Political trust and special solidarity between the two Parties and countries have been increasingly tightened through phone calls between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary and President of the Lao PDR Thongloun Sisoulith as well as high-level visits by representatives of the two Parties and countries, notably the official visits respectively conducted by General Secretary and President of the Lao PDR Thongloun Sisoulith (June 2021), Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane (December 2021) as well as by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (August 2021). These high-level visits and phone calls demonstrate strategic trust and close ties established between the two Parties, making valuable contributions to strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties, including local Party committees, have been maintained and promoted to become more substantial and focus on strategic issues.

The CPV maintains a good relationship with the Communist Party of China. A wide range of high-level meetings has been organized under various forms, suitable for the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping had 2 phone conversations; General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had a speech at the Summit between the Communist Party of China and political parties in the world, thereby contributing to strengthening political trust and promoting substantive cooperation between the two countries on the occasion of important events of each Party, especially at the 13th National Congress of the CPV and the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China. In addition, exchanges and cooperation between the local Party Committees of the two countries have been promoted, including the Spring Meeting between the secretaries of our four northeastern provinces of Vietnam and the Secretary of the Guangxi Party Committee of China and the first meeting organized virtually between the secretaries of the four northwestern provinces of Vietnam and the Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, forming a strong bond in the relationship between border localities to solve common existing problems. 

The relationship with the Cambodian People's Party remains stable. Senior leaders and leaders at all levels of the two parties and two countries regularly talk by phone, hold online talks and send letters of greetings to each other amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the visit of the Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) - Prime Minister Hun Sen to Vietnam to attend a high-level meeting between the three top leaders of the three parties as well as the state visit to Cambodia (December 2021) of the President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to celebrate "The Year of Friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia" and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2022).

Relationship with the Communist Party of Cuba continued to be consolidated through high-level phone talks and online conferences between the two parties. Notably, there were phone conversations between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Raúl Castro (February 2021), and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel (May 2021), First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel (July 2021) and the official visit to Cuba of the State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Besides, we have extended a helping hand to Cuba and promoted the vaccine contract. These activities contribute to deepening the special friendship between the two Parties and countries; expressing faithful relations between Vietnam and Cuba amidst challenging situations.

The CPV cultivates stable relations with the Workers' Party of Korea under various forms such as exchange of letters and telegrams, visits, and congratulatory messages on the occasion of major events of the two Parties and countries. 

Thirdly, we maintain and tighten relations with many ruling, political parties and major parties in power countries, important partners, countries in the region, and communist parties as well as workers, and traditional friends through phone calls, online talks, and high-level delegations, thereby creating a favorable foundation for bilateral relations. The good relationship between the CPV and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) continued to be maintained. It is noticeable that Vice Chairman L. Kalashinikov of the KPRF has presented General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with the Lenin Prize - the noblest prize of the Central Committee of the KPRF. This has shown the respect and appreciation of the KPRF towards Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong for the valuable contributions of the CPV and the General Secretary to the development of Marxism-Leninism, for the friendship between the peoples, the happy life of the people in the world and the close relationship between the two parties and the two countries. Relations with United Russia (ER) have been positively cultivated through phone conversations between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the ER, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev. Our Party has deepened its relationship with the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) through phone talks between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the LDP President and Prime Minister of Japan.

With other ruling and political parties, communist and workers' parties, especially those in Singapore, India, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, South Africa, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Algeria, Italy, etc, the CPV maintains and strengthens relations in various forms such as exchange of letters, greetings, online phone calls, congratulatory videos and direct exchanges of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Head of  Party’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung.

Fourthly, the CPV has actively joined multilateral mechanisms of political parties and established a strong connection with partner parties amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also promoted its role and responsibility of membership in multilateral forums by participating in the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP), periodic mechanisms initiated by leftist parties in Latin America such as the Workshop on “Parties and a New Society", the Sao Paulo Forum. The standing member of the Secretariat of the CPV attended some important online conferences organized by Russia, such as the Roundtable of Russian Political Parties and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on “The role of responsible political forces of Russia and ASEAN in strengthening security and cooperation structures in the Asia-Pacific region” (June 2021), online inter-party Conference on “Global Challenges of the 21st Century: Evaluation of Parties” (December 2021) organized by the United Russia (ER)..., thereby increasing Party relations, gaining widespread support of the parties for Vietnamese policies on many issues. The activities of the CPV at multilateral political party forums also enabled a deeper understanding of the international community about the country's achievements and success in pandemic handling, thus gaining widespread support of parties for issues related to the national interest of Vietnam.

Fifthly, party diplomacy has created the success of “vaccine diplomacy”. Facing the complicated outbreak of the epidemic locally and globally, Party and Government leaders have considered vaccine diplomacy the most urgent task today. Party diplomacy as one of the three pillars of foreign affairs in Vietnam's comprehensive diplomacy, has promoted its role in advising and making timely proposals to Party and Government leaders, and providing information to relevant agencies about partners with whom we can develop partnerships and gain their support to ensure access to vaccines; It has flexibly mentioned the question of vaccine diplomacy during conversations between Party leaders and international partners and at the same time coordinated and supported other agencies in information sharing. Notably, after a phone conversation between General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of Cuba Migel Diaz Canel, the two sides agreed to intensify cooperation in vaccine production whereby, Cuba provides Vietnam with about 10 million doses of Abdala vaccine at preferential prices, and transfers vaccine technology to Vietnam.

Sixthly, the exchange of theory and practical experience with political parties, especially with the ruling communist parties in socialist countries has been maintained. The CPV has successfully coordinated with the Communist Party of China and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to organize respectively the sixteenth Workshop and the Eighth Workshop on theoretical exchanges. Theoretical exchange workshops are of great significance for the parties to summarize and share theoretical and practical achievements as well as experiences in the process of Party leadership and in the path of building socialism in each country, thereby, making practical contributions to the task of developing theory for the cause of Party building, national governance, and successful construction of socialism in each country, enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and promoting the stable bilateral relationship.

It is obvious that in 2021, the external relations of the CPV have been constantly promoted and consolidated, especially with the ruling communist parties in socialist countries and neighboring countries sharing borders and ruling parties, political parties in the region and important partner countries, contributing to establish a solid political foundation for Vietnam's relations with other countries; gaining and consolidating the consensus and political support of political parties and political forces for the cause of renovation, construction and defense of the socialist Fatherland; contributing to the common struggle of the world's people for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress; improving the position and prestige of the Party and country in the international arena.

Some major tasks of the Party diplomacy in the future

In the coming years, the regional and global situation is forecasted to change rapidly and complicatedly, exerting profound impacts on the security and development of Vietnam. Peace, cooperation, and development which are still major trends are facing enormous obstacles and challenges. Strategic competition between major countries will become more and more fierce in nature and be expanded in scope to shape new principles and “rules of the game” following the interests of each country. The COVID-19 pandemic remains a major challenge for economic growth, health security, social security, welfare, and stability in countries, especially developing countries. Although the world economy is bouncing back, there is still a potential risk of decline and low growth due to high global debt, high inflation, supply chain disruptions, climate change, and ongoing outbreaks of epidemics.

That situation requires foreign affairs in general, and Party diplomacy in particular, to adapt quickly, strongly promote the position and prestige of the Party and the country's potential, seize opportunities, and minimize external challenges, ensure the highest interests of the nation and people with the overarching and foremost goal of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; firmly protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity, effectively exploit external resources for COVID-19 disease prevention and control and economic development.

In that spirit, to promote its pivotal and pioneering role, the Party diplomacy should focus on the following main solutions in the coming times:

First and foremost, due consideration should be given to improving the quality of research, forecasting, strategic consulting, promptly grasping major trends and the world and regional situation as well as major international issues related to national security and development; political trends, and ideological trends, socio-political movements in the world, promptly formulating guidelines and directions, seizing opportunities, handling arisen challenges to quickly respond to the unexpected situation.

Secondly, effectively implement the party's external affairs set by Directive No. 32-CT/TW, dated February 18, 2019, of the Politburo on “Strengthening and improving the effectiveness of Party diplomacy in the new situation”; promote the pioneering role of the Party diplomacy, expand and deepen the Party's external relations, enhance trust, create a solid political foundation for bilateral relations; create and consolidate political consensus and support of political parties and forces for the cause of renovation, construction and defense of the socialist Fatherland, promote cooperation in economy, culture, science, and technology. In particular, special attention should be paid to strengthening solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and trust with the ruling communist parties and ruling parties in neighboring countries, deepening this relationship; strengthening political trust, playing the role of overall strategic direction for bilateral relations; promoting relations with ruling parties, political parties, parties that hold an important position and role in the formulation and implementation of policies of other countries towards Vietnam; reinforcing relations with communist and workers' parties, gaining their political support; actively promoting the role at political party multilateral forums.

Thirdly, strengthening the exchange of theory and practical experience with political parties to learn international experiences in the construction and defense of the socialist Fatherland, party building, leadership, and national governance to solve problems posed during the development process; contributing to the common struggle of the world's people for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress.

Fourthly, strongly promoting the role of the focal point in unified management of foreign affairs, ensuring the direct and comprehensive leadership of the Party, and the unified management of the State over foreign activities of the entire political system, enhancing the practicality and efficiency of foreign activities; establishing close coordination between external channels, harmonizing party diplomacy, state diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy, promoting strengths and clearly assigning tasks to foreign armies, creating an overall power on the diplomatic front.

Fifthly, top priority should be given to building an organizational structure, training, and fostering Party’s diplomatic staff.

The positive results of the Party diplomacy in 2021, the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, are of great significance, creating the basis for Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy to succeed in the foreign policy set by the 13th Party Congress as well as the country's vision and strategic goals to 2025, 2030 and 2045./.

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 983 (February 2022)