9 Highlights of Vietnam's External Relations in 2024
WVR - The year 2024 concluded with significant diplomatic achievements, setting a favorable foundation for Vietnam as it enters a new era of national growth and global integration
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| General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and his Spouse welcomed General Secretary and President To Lam and his Spouse in Beijing on August 19, 2024. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
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1. High-Level Diplomatic Activities Across Continents achieved many substantive results. Vietnam's top leaders engaged in 60 foreign affairs activities, including 21 visits to other countries and participation in multilateral forums, and hosted delegations of leaders from 25 nations to visit Vietnam. These visits advanced the 13th Party National Congress Resolution, strengthened international agreements and commitments, and solidified upgraded bilateral frameworks. Over 170 cooperation agreements were signed, enhancing Vietnam's global standing and development prospects as it enters a new era.
2. Elevate and deepen the framework of Relations with Key Partners. In 2024, Vietnam upgraded relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with Australia, Malaysia, and France; upgraded to a Strategic Partnership with Brazil, and established Comprehensive Partnerships with Mongolia and the UAE. By establishing diplomatic relations with Malawi, Vietnam has now formalized ties with all African nations, bringing its total number of diplomatic partners to 194 countries worldwide. This achievement has strengthened Vietnam's relationship framework with 32 key partners, including neighboring countries, major powers, strategic allies, and traditional friends. These developments have fostered deeper, more effective, stable, and sustainable cooperation with countries worldwide.
3. Economic diplomacy has many breakthroughs, contributing to facilitating and attracting important resources for national development, particularly in science, technology, and innovation (e.g., attracting investment from large corporations such as NVIDIA). The country hosted its first National Halal Conference and signed the CEPA with the UAE, bringing its total FTAs to 17 while advancing negotiations with potential markets such as MERCOSUR and EFTA. Vietnam's trade turnover hit a record $800 billion in 2024, and the country remained one of the largest FDI recipients globally, affirming its attractiveness to international partners, investors and tourists.
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| President Luong Cuong attends the Informal Dialogue between APEC leaders and guests in Lima, Peru, on November 15, 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
4. Multilateral Diplomacy continues to be enhanced Vietnam's regional and international standing continues to rise, marked by its responsible and proactive contributions to maintaining peace, fostering cooperation, and promoting global progress. At international forums such as ASEAN, AIPA, the United Nations, APEC, the Mekong Subregion, G20, G7, BRICS, the Non-Aligned Movement, Francophonie, OECD, and inter-parliamentary platforms, Vietnam has reinforced its role as a constructive and responsible contributor to ideas and initiatives that are welcomed and responded to by many countries. For the first time, Vietnam proposed and successfully hosted the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) and was selected to host the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime in 2025 (the "Hanoi Convention"). Vietnam has actively and proactively participated in ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC, and Mekong Subregion mechanisms, while amplifying its voice and active role at significant platforms such as BRICS, APEC, G20, and inter-parliamentary forums (UPU, IPU, APPU).
5. Maintaining its position and role within UNESCO. For the first time, Vietnam has joined six out of seven key governing mechanisms of UNESCO, reflecting the international community's trust in its leadership and capacity within global multilateral institutions. This also highlights Vietnam's contributions to preserving, conserving, and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage both domestically and globally. Over the past year, Vietnam successfully lobbied UNESCO to recognize six additional titles/heritage sites, bringing the total number of UNESCO-recognized titles to 71. This achievement provides new resources for the economic, cultural, and social development of local communities.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates attending the 4th Global Conference for Overseas Vietnamese and the Forum of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad, August 22, 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
6. Convening the "Dien Hong Conference" for Overseas Vietnamese: The 4th Global Conference for Overseas Vietnamese and the inaugural Forum for Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad were successfully held in August 2024. These events played a crucial role in strengthening connections among the Vietnamese diaspora and harnessing their resources to support the nation's construction and development, in line with Conclusion 12-KL/TW of the Politburo. The conference provided a platform for in-depth discussions between overseas Vietnamese and domestic stakeholders on strategic issues related to nation-construction and defense. It truly embodied the spirit of a "Dien Hong Conference" for Overseas Vietnamese, fostering collective efforts to realize the aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation.
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| Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024 at Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, December 19, 2024. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
7. The Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024 - A highlight in the series of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army and the 35th anniversary of the All-People's National Defense Day. The event featured 242 domestic and international exhibitors. Units from the General Department of Defense Industry and the Military Industry and Telecommunications Group signed 16 contracts worth a total of $286.3 million and concluded 17 strategic cooperation agreements with enterprises from the United States, India, France, Belgium, and others. With the theme "Peace - Cooperation – Mutual Development," the exhibition promoted defense diplomacy and cooperation across various sectors, contributing to peace, stability, collaboration, and development in the region and globally. The event left a lasting impression on the public and international friends.
8. Operation of the Ban Gioc – Detian Waterfall Landscape Area: The Ban Gioc Waterfall (Vietnam) - Detian Waterfall (China) landscape area has been officially operational following a bilateral agreement on joint protection and effective resource utilization. This initiative holds significant importance for fostering economic cooperation, exchanges and friendship along the border region, particularly in tourism development. It represents a new model of collaboration, delivering economic benefits to both countries and becoming one of the "symbols" of the friendship and development cooperation between Vietnam and China.
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| National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomed President of the National Assembly of the People's Power and President of the Council of State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez on a working visit to Vietnam from November 2-3, 2024. (Source: VNA) |
9. External Affairs and Local Diplomacy Flourish with significant progress, strengthening cooperative relationships between Vietnamese localities and traditional key partners such as China, the United States, Republic of Korea, Japan, India, and the Middle East… Efforts have also expanded to establish new partnerships in emerging markets such as the Halal economy, Latin America, and Africa…Effective local diplomacy has facilitated the successful signing of hundreds of international agreements, making important contributions to the implementation of socio-economic development strategies and plans in localities.
