Communist Review - Since President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam laying the first foundation for the modern Vietnamese diplomacy, diplomacy has always been an integral part of the Vietnamese revolution and accompanied the nation to serve the nation and the people. Inheriting the quintessence of traditional diplomacy from its predecessors and being directly led and directed by President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese diplomacy has constantly developed and always gives the highest priority to the safeguarding of Vietnam’s national interests, following the principle of “firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics” and making an important contribution to the glorious victories in the heroic periods in Vietnam’s.

The history of nation building and defense of Vietnam shows that foreign affairs always play an important role in safeguarding the country's borders, independence and sovereignty. If the military art helped the previous generations of Vietnamese people to defeat the invaders, the diplomatic affairs with the peaceful spirit helped prevent wars, maintain peace for the society and firmly defend the territory of Vietnam. This important thought was clearly expressed in the Resume of Military Tactics (Binh Thu Yeu Luoc) written by Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan. He emphasized: “Harmony is a very good moral in governing the country and administering the army. If there is harmony in the country, soldiers will be rarely used, if it is harmonious outside the border, there is no fear of war”(1).

Inheriting that historical tradition, during the struggle for national liberation and unification in the twentieth century as well as in the current period of deep integration, together with other branches, the diplomatic branch led by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the first Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam  played a significant role in protecting national independence, consolidating a peaceful environment,  mobilizing the assistance of other countries to enhance the position of Vietnam and promote the role of being a responsible member of the international community.

Diplomacy - the core force in defending the country’s independence and consolidating the national peaceful environment.

When the new Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born, in the context of the young revolutionary forces and under the strong leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese diplomacy went ahead to pave the way and protect the revolutionary government “hung by a thread”. The Preliminary Agreement (March 6, 1946), the Provisional Agreement (September 14, 1946) and diplomatic efforts at the Da Lat Conference and the Fontainebleau Conference have become classic lessons in the art of diplomacy which are the principle of “firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics”, “détente to attack”. It helped divide the enemy's ranks, avoid facing different strong enemies at the same time. As a result, diplomacy has contributed to prolonging the short but extremely important period of peace so that the revolutionary government had more time to strengthen its forces to prepare for the protracted resistance war of the Vietnamese nation.

During the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, Vietnamese diplomacy played an active role in combining national strength and the strength of the times to create power to enable Vietnam to win. Diplomacy has become a strategically significant front and an important component of the revolutionary policy. It has always worked hand in hand with military struggles. It has advocated the peace, national independence and goodwill as a bridge to peace-loving people in the world, thereby mobilizing the assistance of the world community to win its support for the resistance war of the Vietnamese people. Millions of peace-loving people around the world belonging to the “Vietnamese generation”, from leaders and politicians to citizens and students, even including those of enemies countries went down the street to protest against the war and support the just struggle of Vietnam. Along with military victories on the battlefields, diplomacy in this period has promoted its intelligence and bravery to capture Vietnam’s milestones by reaching the Geneva Agreement in 1954 and the Paris Agreement in 1973, thus making favorable conditions for Vietnam's historic victory in the spring of 1975, the South liberation and national reunification. In peacetime, diplomacy plays a pivotal role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, creating favorable conditions for the national construction and defense. It took the lead in political struggle and negotiation. It has coordinated with national defense and security activities to firmly preserve the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Vietnam has demarcated land borders with Laos, China and Cambodia and created an environment of peace, stability, friendship and cooperation with these three neighbors. Regarding maritime boundary, through several bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, diplomatic activities have been promoting exchanges, negotiations, building trust, preventing conflicts, managing disputes and strengthening maritime cooperation with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand. Furthermore, diplomacy has resolutely and persistently fought through peaceful means in accordance with international law against the infringement upon sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in Vietnam’s sea. In addition, it has wisely handled issues arising in relations with other countries as well as complicated relations between major countries, creating a favorable international environment for Vietnam's security and development.

The diplomacy's efforts to mobilize external resources to develop the country.

During the resistance war, diplomacy pioneered in mobilizing the support of the international community, contributing to economic recovery and building the basis for the construction of socialism in North Vietnam. Together with the nation's self-reliance, the material and spiritual support of friends and progressive people around the world has created a great resource to help Vietnam build the North into a solid rear for the South’s great front line to defeat the enemy.

In the years before Doi Moi, Vietnamese socio-economic conditions were extremely difficult. Under the direct leadership of Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and State of Vietnam, diplomacy has proven its strengths. It acquired knowledge about the world economy, international economic relations, expanded and exploited relationships with external partners, proposed appropriate solutions for policy making to reform the country and help the country surmount the socio-economic crisis.

It is especially meaningful that diplomacy has taken the lead in “breaking through the siege”, opening up a new development situation for the country. Diplomats advised the Politburo of the CPV’s Central Committee to issue Resolution No. 32 (July 1986) affirming that an important innovation in diplomatic thinking is to combine national strength with the strength of the times, take advantage of favorable international conditions to build and defend the nation and  Resolution No. 13 (May 1988) emphasizing the policy of “more friends, fewer enemies”, the diversification of relations on the principle of respecting independence, sovereignty and mutual benefit(2). Accordingly, Vietnam has gradually participated in resolving the Cambodia issue (1991), normalized relations with China (1991), the United States (1995), joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -ASEAN (1995) and other regional and global organizations. From an embargoed country, Vietnam today has established diplomatic relations with 189/193 member countries of the United Nations. It has built a network of 30 strategic partners and comprehensive partners(3) including all major countries, 17/20 countries in the group of major economies (G20) and all ASEAN members. These frameworks created a solid foundation for Vietnam and other countries to raise up their cooperation levels for the benefit of each country, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

Coordinated with relevant ministries, departments and branches, diplomacy has actively participated in international integration with the main goal of attracting resources for the country's development. After nearly 35 years of renovation and comprehensive integration, Vietnam's GDP has increased by more than 10 times, import and export turnover has increased by nearly 176 times. Even when the world economy faces difficulties, Vietnam's economy still maintains a high growth rate compared to the common level of the region and the world. Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many economies fell into recession(4) but Vietnam's economy still grew by nearly 3% in 6 months of 2020. From a closed, subsidized economy, Vietnam nowadays has become an important link in the regional economic network with 16 free trade agreements. In that process, diplomats advised the CPV and State of Vietnam on measures and strategies to deeply participate in many regional and global economic links, thereby creating great impetus for national development.

In addition, diplomacy is increasingly connected with people, localities and businesses in the process of development. Through economic diplomacy, Vietnam has actively and proactively expanded trade and investment relationships in 230 markets of all continents, joined more than 500 bilateral and multilateral agreements in many fields, thus effectively contributing to the socio-economic development of the country. The diplomatic sector has actively promoted national heritage and traditional culture in various forms. As a result, up to now, 39 Vietnamese heritages have been recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritages, contributing to the preservation of human values and creating resources for development in many localities. Diplomacy has actively and effectively implemented overseas Vietnamese work, contributing to encouraging patriotism and consolidating the great national unity bloc and attracting resources to build the country. Simultaneously, diplomacy  always seeks the pioneering role in protecting citizens, the legitimate rights and the interests of Vietnamese people abroad. In particular, diplomats, especially those at Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad, play an important role in protecting successfully Vietnamese citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diplomacy plays a central role in enhancing the country's position, demonstrating its role as a responsible member of the international community.

President Ho Chi Minh stated that the “Vietnamese revolution is an integrated part of the world revolution”. Following his teachings, the Vietnamese army and people not only firmly defended the country but also actively contributed to the common work of the international community. Especially, since Doi Moi, Vietnam has directly played the role of host of many important international events, including the Francophonie Summit in 1997, the ASEAN Summit in 1998, 2010, ASEM Summit in 2005, APEC Summit in 2006 and 2017... It has been promoting and raising the level of multilateral foreign relations according to the direction of Directive No. 25-CT/TW dated August 8, 2018 of the Secretariat of the CPV’s Central Committe on promoting and elevating multilateral foreign relations to 2030. It has been also actively contributing to the building and shaping of multilateral institutions in order to play an active role in solving regional and global problems. Vietnam's contribution to the successful organization of the second DPRK-USA Hanoi Summit, thereby promoting dialogue, reconciliation and peace on the Korean peninsula is highly appreciated by international partners and communities. The fact that Vietnam was elected to UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the 2020-2021 term with the highest number of votes has shown the trust and expectations of the international community for Vietnam. Especially in 2020, Vietnam assumed for the first time three international responsibilities: Chair of ASEAN 2020, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021, and Chairman of the 41st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41). This demonstrates Vietnam's international responsibility as well as the capacity of the foreign affairs forces under the direction of the CPV and State of Vietnam.

In order to obtain important achievements over the past 70 years, the diplomatic sector has closely and harmoniously coordinated with the foreign armed forces on three pillars: that of the Party, the state, and people-to-people diplomacy to implement synchronously and effectively foreign affairs. The contingent of cadres in foreign affairs in general and diplomatic cadres in particular becomes more competent. In the early days of its establishment, the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs had only 20 officials. Up to now, there have been thousands of officials who take political courage and have excellent professional skills. From only three diplomatic missions abroad, Vietnam now has 94 ones worldwide. Facing the constant changes of the world situation, the 30th Diplomatic Conference (August 2018) set out the task of building a modern diplomacy to meet the high demands. In particular, Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the CPV’s Central Committee made a request to “renovate thinking in foreign affairs”(5) to keep up with the development. Accordingly, the diplomatic sector and each officer need to be innovative, dynamic, creative, dare to take challenges to enhance the country’s regional and international standing.

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The glorious journeys of Vietnam's revolutionary diplomacy led by Uncle Ho and the senior leaders of the Party have shaped the Vietnam’s diplomacy identity. Immersed in Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought with the principle of “firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics”, Vietnamese diplomacy has learned many important lessons and applied them creatively and flexibly in practice.

Firstly, it is a lesson of prioritizing national interests in dealing with diplomatic issues. Vietnam's diplomacy has applied the principle of “firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics” in which we are firm in preserving strategic interests of the Vietnamese nation and people while the world situation is constantly changeable so Vietnam’s strategies are adapted accordingly. During the resistance war, although the goal of national reunification was not immediately achieved, diplomacy persisted in the struggle to reach important international agreements such as the 1954 Geneva Agreement and the 1973 Paris Agreement to recognize independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity  that Uncle Ho and the whole Vietnamese people have always pursued. In the Doi Moi process, the highest national interest of Vietnam is to maintain a peaceful and stable environment, take advantage of resources for national development and maintain sovereignty and territorial integrity at the same time.

Secondly, it is the steadfastness of independence and self-reliance in foreign policy. This is considered an unchanging principle of diplomacy to best preserve national interests. At the same time, diplomacy also combines the policy of multilateralization and diversification in foreign relations. Vietnam wants to be a trusted friend and partner of other countries, especially important partners for the development and security of the country. Right from the early days of leading the independent State of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh declared: “The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam is willing to establish diplomatic relations with any Government that respects equal rights, Vietnam's territorial sovereignty and national sovereignty to protect peace and build global democracy”(6). Vietnam's diplomacy has always skillfully applied lessons learned in each period to achieve the ultimate goal of national independence and autonomy in making foreign affairs decisions in the spirit of peace and solidarity.

Thirdly, the stronger the diplomacy is, the greater it plays a role in promoting national interests. President Ho Chi Minh once said: “With strong ability, diplomacy will win. Strong ability is the gong and diplomacy is the voice. The bigger the gong is, the louder its voice will be”(7). The strength of Vietnam today is a synergy, including hard powers involving economic power, national defense potential and soft power which are nation's indomitable, resilient but also very peaceful spirit, experiences in innovation and successful international integration, Vietnam's diplomatic tradition along with its key geo-political and geo-economic position in the Asia-Pacific region - a region of dynamic development and of great economic, political and strategic importance). Besides, that strength has been consolidated and strengthened many times by the great national unity bloc and the close coordination between three pillars: that of the Party, the state, and people-to-people diplomacy, forming the great strength on all diplomatic fronts.

Fourthly, the strength of the nation must be combined with that of the times in order to create a great synergy to bring victories for the Vietnamese revolution. During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh always put Vietnam in the flow of the world context, attaching importance to major trends such as the trend of the world revolution, potential relationship between major countries... Nowadays, the strength of the times is the common aspiration of human beings for a world of peace, cooperation and development. This is the objective trend and the positive aspect of globalization and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) as well as the promotion of justice, multilateralism, international solidarity and the respect of law...

Fifthly, it is to promote the spirit of peace and benevolence of Vietnamese diplomacy stemming from President Ho Chi Minh's doctrine that all revolutionary struggles are aimed at peace. In his appeal for national resistance, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed that “Vietnam wants peace”, it is ready to make concessions for peace, not to use armed forces and war unless enemies forced it to conduct war as self-defense. Right from the early days of the modern Vietnamese State, President Ho Chi Minh declared that “Vietnam is willing to make friends with all democratic countries and will not conduct hostilities with anyone”(8). Over the past 70 years, Vietnam's diplomacy has always shown itself as the diplomacy of a nation that loves peace, independence, freedom and justice. Thanks to their spirit of peace and justice, the Vietnamese people have received widespread support from other countries to overcome numerous historical challenges and establish partnerships with different countries around the world, including their former enemy countries.

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Over the past seven decades, Vietnamese diplomacy has accompanied the nation, served the Communist Party, State and Vietnamese people, given the highest priority to the national interest and considered Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's ideology as a guideline, inherited the Vietnamese diplomatic tradition, promoted the spirit of innovation, creativity and diplomatic acumen to surmount challenges of each historical period. Thus, it has affirmed its strategic role in the revolution and the cause of innovation and international integration at present.

The world has entered the third decade of the 21st century with profound, rapid and unpredictable changes. Peace, cooperation and development are still the aspirations of nations in the world. However, the world is nowadays facing countless challenges, especially the recession of the world economy, strategic competition between major powers as well as traditional and non-traditional security challenges such as epidemics, environment, climate change, water security. Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the international situation have been accelerated, having a direct and multi-dimensional impact on Vietnam's security and development environment, creating new opportunities and challenges.

After more than 35 years of renovation, with stronger position and ability and higher synergy and international prestige, Vietnam is firmly on the path of innovation and deep integration. The Vietnamese diplomatic sector assumes greater responsibilities of promoting its pioneering role to maintain a peaceful and stable environment, make the most of resources for development and enhance country’s international position. Accordingly, Vietnam needs to build a modern diplomacy in terms of both personnel and modes of operation on the basis of Vietnamese diplomatic tradition and Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought. At the same time, Vietnam's diplomacy must actively promote the spirit of innovation and effectively respond to the rapid changes of the situation to carry out its great mission in the new period.

By upholding the glorious tradition of the previous generations and the valuable lessons learned from Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought and practice, continuing the diplomatic spirit to accompany the country, serving loyally the country and people under the leadership of the Communist Party, Vietnamese diplomacy will steadily move forward to make glorious history of modern diplomacy, making a worthy contribution to the course of national construction and defense.

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(1) Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam: Pham Binh Minh (editor): Vietnam's foreign policy in the new period, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, pp. 10- 11

(2) Vietnam diplomacy for the period of 1945 - 2000, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, pp. 323-324

(3) Strategic partners include: Russia, India, China, Japan, Korea, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand. Comprehensive partners include: South Africa, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ukraine, USA, Denmark, Canada, Myanmar, Hungary, Brunei, Netherlands

(4) China shown a negative growth rate of 1.6% in the first 6 months of 2020. The negative growth was also common in 7/10 ASEAN economies.

(5) Speech by Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the CPV’s Central Committee at the 30th Diplomatic Conference (August 2018)

(6) Declaration of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and countries around the world on January 14, 1950

(7) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 4, p. 147

(8) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 5, p. 256

This article was published in the Communist Review, No. 955 (December 2020)