33rd Diplomatic Conference: A special significance that extends beyond the diplomatic sector
WVR - On the afternoon of August 7, the 33rd Diplomatic Conference, themed “Promoting the Pioneering Role and Fulfilling the Crucial and Regular Tasks of Vietnam's Foreign Affairs in the New Era”, concluded under the chairmanship of Politburo Member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung.
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| Overview of the closing session of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference. (Photo: Nguyen Nhuan) |
The 33rd Diplomatic Conference was honoured to receive direct attention and guidance from Party and State leaders. Notably, General Secretary and President To Lam attended and delivered a directive speech at the opening session on August 1 and held a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leadership and Heads of Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad on July 31.
In his directive speech at the opening session, the General Secretary and State President emphasized six key tasks for the diplomatic sector: enhancing the quality of research, forecasting, and strategic advice; improving the effectiveness of relationships; deepening diplomacy to serve development; elevating multilateral diplomacy and comprehensive, synchronized, and effective international integration; vigorously innovating coordination, inspection, and implementation mechanisms; and building a team of foreign affairs officials with the necessary qualities, capabilities, and prestige to meet the demands of the new phase.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended and delivered a directive speech at the plenary session on diplomacy serving national development on August 4. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man worked on and directed the parliamentary diplomacy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs leadership and Heads of Vietnamese Representative Missions abroad on August 4.
Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu attended and delivered a directive speech at the plenary session on party and people-to-people foreign affairs on August 5. Additionally, many Politburo members, Party Central Committee members, leaders of central and local agencies, and businesses attended, contributing valuable insights at the Conference.
This Conference holds special significance which is extending beyond the framework of the diplomatic sector, serving as an important occasion to discuss the foreign affairs of the entire political system. With high responsibility, the Conference thoroughly grasped the 14th Party Congress guidelines, Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on international integration, Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on implementing the 14th Congress foreign policy, Resolution 23-NQ/TW on overseas Vietnamese affairs, Resolution No. 250/2025/QH15 on specific mechanisms and policies to enhance international integration effectiveness, Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW on party foreign affairs, and many other directives from the Party and State on national development and foreign affairs.
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| Politburo Member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung speaking at the event. (Photo: Nguyen Nhuan) |
This is the first Diplomatic Conference held after the 14th National Party Congress identified foreign affairs and international integration as "crucial and regular" tasks, and the country entered a phase of development model transformation following the 3rd Plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, which calls for strengthening foreign affairs in all aspects. Based on this, foreign affairs are not merely an external relations field but have become an integral part of the nation's comprehensive capacity, a mission for the entire Party, people, military, and political system.
Through 20 sessions with nearly 250 speeches and thousands of earnest, responsible opinions from leaders of central and local agencies and businesses, the Conference reached a consensus on a comprehensive assessment of the global and regional landscape; identified opportunities and challenges facing the country in the new development phase; and clarified three issues: understanding the correct path and tasks for national development linked to the two centenary goals; understanding the position and tasks of foreign affairs and international integration; and thoroughly grasping the major ideas, viewpoints, and orientations of the Party and State on foreign affairs in the new phase.
Evaluating foreign affairs work since the 32nd Diplomatic Conference, the Conference noted that in a complex external environment, foreign affairs have been effectively, synchronously, and comprehensively implemented, proactively and creatively innovating in thinking, methods, and organization, achieving many accomplishments.
Party and State leaders, central and local agencies, and businesses highly appreciated the significant, practical contributions of foreign affairs and diplomatic personnel – those who have consistently demonstrated courage, responsibility, and loyalty to the nation, prioritizing national interests above all, as General Secretary and President To Lam stated at the opening session of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference.
Besides the achievements, the Conference frankly acknowledged some existing limitations and shortcomings in research and forecasting, which at times have not kept pace with developments, and the concretization of some resolutions, conclusions, agreements, and international commitments has been slow, with inter-sectoral coordination sometimes lacking synchronization. It was determined that these limitations do not stem from a lack of policy but from the concretization and implementation stages. Based on this, the Conference focused on discussing measures to overcome these limitations while promoting the key tasks entrusted by the Party and State leadership.
In his closing remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung expressed gratitude for the close attention and guidance of General Secretary and President To Lam, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, and other Party and State leaders; thanked the coordination of central and local agencies, businesses, and the contributions of all delegates for the successful conclusion of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference.
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| Delegates attending the closing ceremony. (Photo: Nguyen Nhuan) |
Speaking on future directions, Minister Le Hoai Trung urged Ambassadors, Heads of Representative Missions, and the entire sector to understand the historical responsibility and honor in the new phase of the country, deeply absorbing the directives of Party and State leaders in implementing their work.
Additionally, the Minister called on all diplomatic staff to continue enhancing the quality of Party work, building the sector, and protecting internal politics; vigorously pursuing digital transformation and administrative reform; actively promoting self-learning; strictly adhering to legal regulations on preventing corruption, negativity, and waste; and closely linking discipline and order with inspection and supervision work.
The Minister also emphasized that the entire sector needs to further strengthen awareness and unify action within the foreign affairs system; innovate research, forecasting, and strategic advice; and improve the effectiveness of implementing foreign affairs tasks.
Following the Conference, the Minister urged domestic units and Representative Missions to promptly produce specific products; identify priority tasks, timelines, and responsibilities for comprehensively implementing the Party and State's directives and the Conference's outcomes in all areas such as party foreign affairs, state diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy, and National Assembly foreign affairs; actively promote diplomacy serving development, cultural diplomacy, external information, consular work, citizen protection, and overseas Vietnamese affairs; and prepare well for upcoming foreign affairs activities of Party and State leaders, serving the Central Steering Committee on foreign affairs and international integration.
Furthermore, the Conference unanimously adopted the Resolution and Action Program of the Conference, reflecting the sector's high determination to successfully implement the 14th Party Congress Resolution and other Party directives on national development and foreign affairs in the new era.
