ASEAN – The top priority in Viet Nam’s foreign policy
ASEAN has an extremely important geopolitical position, as a direct security belt for Viet Nam. Therefore, ASEAN is always considered as a top priority in Viet Nam's foreign policy.
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| Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the online flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 54th anniversary of the ASEAN establishment (1968-2021) on August 8th. (Photo: Nguyen Hong) |
The Document of the 13th National Party Congress clearly stated that the foreign policy in the new period is to implement synchronously, creatively and effectively external activities, proactively and positively integrate into the world at a comprehensive and extensive level.
Viet Nam's foreign policy in the coming time is to "consistently implement the foreign policy of independence, self-determination, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of foreign relations. Ensuring the utmost interests of the nation - state based on the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and international law in the spirit of equality, cooperation and mutual benefit. Combining the strength of the nation with the strength of the times, proactively and actively integrating into the world comprehensively and extensively. Viet Nam is a reliable friend and partner and an active and responsible member of the international community.
The document also points out that the guiding principle in implementing the foreign policy is to cooperate and compete at the same time, to promote bilateral diplomacy and upgrade the level of multilateral diplomacy and resolutely and persistently fight against all plots and acts of interference by hostile forces in internal affairs, infringing upon independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, national security and political stability.
Additionally, the document stressed both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Regarding bilateral relations, Viet Nam will continue to "focus" and "deepen" relations, in which the top priorities are neighbour countries, ASEAN members, strategic, comprehensive partners and other important partners.
Regarding multilateral diplomacy, Viet Nam will continue to be "proactive" and "active", placing its top priorities on important partners, namely ASEAN, the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (Francophonie), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), cooperation mechanisms of the Open Mekong Subregion (GMS) and other mechanisms of strategic importance.
ASEAN has an extremely important geopolitical position, as a direct security belt for Viet Nam. Therefore, ASEAN is always considered as a top priority in Vietnam's foreign policy.
Orientating relations
At the 12th National Party Congress (2016), our Party continued to define the direction for cooperation in ASEAN to be "proactive, active and responsible with ASEAN countries to build a strong Community".
This is emphasized in the Party's documents and resolutions on foreign affairs, especially Directive No.25-CT/TW dated on August 8, 2018 of the Party Secretariat on " boosting and elevating multilateral diplomacy to 2030”.
It also stressed the need to "continue to promote and effectively exploit the membership of the ASEAN Economic Community", "promote Viet Nam's position in building the ASEAN Political-Security Community 2025, strengthen the ASEAN centrality in the region, enhance the position and presence of the Community on the globe”.
Thus, our Party has determined that Viet Nam needs to "proactively, positively and responsibly cooperate with ASEAN member countries to build a strong community". A strong and resilient ASEAN Community will be a solid support for Viet Nam.
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| Ambassador, Dr. Luan Thuy Duong. |
Viet Nam has twice assumed the role of ASEAN Chair. During taking the ASEAN chairmanship, Viet Nam has led ASEAN to overcome challenges not only to maintain cohesion but also to reach new development steps, both in terms of internal cooperation and external relations of the block with external partners.
ASEAN's position and voice is raised not only in the region but also to a global level through dialogues and cooperation between ASEAN with the UN and the UN Security Council.
As the Chair of ASEAN 2020, with the theme "Cohesive and Proactive adaption", Viet Nam affirmed: For the voices to be heard in the region and international arena, ASEAN countries need to instill "Communal Thoughts, Community Actions". It means that linking "nation – state interests" with "community interests and actions". Those external views have created a high position and solid reputation for Viet Nam in ASEAN.
Looking back on the past and forward to the next 5 years and beyond, ASEAN will always be important and strategically significant for Viet Nam, in the cause of development, defense of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, Viet Nam needs to inherit and continue to deepen the above-mentioned right directions.
New missions
The 13th National Party Congress (in 2021) had a new mindset on foreign affairs when calling for "proactively joining, actively contributing, and enhancing Viet Nam's role in building and shaping the multilateral institutions and the international political-economic order", and "on important issues and mechanisms of great significance toward Viet Nam's interests, suitable to specific capabilities and conditions".
Besides, Viet Nam needs to view the relations with ASEAN as a whole and ASEAN member countries as strategic relations because it is necessary to maintain solidarity within the bloc, not to let the national interests of each member country affect the common voice and the whole bloc’s consensus in relations with external partners and on security issues in the region.
With that thinking, the 13th National Party Congress clearly defined the tasks for foreign affairs. That is to "promote the pioneering role in creating and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, mobilizing the external resources for national development", in which, the top mission, first and foremost, is to promote the synergy of a comprehensive diplomacy with three pillars: external party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people diplomacy.
In terms of relations with ASEAN, the party's foreign affairs is to develop relations between our party with political parties in ASEAN nations, contributing to strengthening the political basis for Viet Nam's relations with ASEAN member countries; building frameworks, orientating relations, handling many issues in relations between Viet Nam and other important partners. In particular, special attention needs to be paid to the strength of the long-term tradition and closed and faithful relations among the parties.
State diplomacy creates additional important legal frameworks to strengthen international cooperation in all fields, deepening bilateral relations with ASEAN countries. Only thanks to state diplomacy has ASEAN regional integration become positive, comprehensive and highly effective.
People diplomacy plays a very important role in building the foundation for the ASEAN Community, building the ASEAN identity, and forming the consciousness of ASEAN citizens, through connecting the Vietnamese people with the people of ASEAN countries, thus contributing more effectively to Viet Nam's multilateral foreign activities.
Secondly, the Party has stated that it is necessary to make relations with ASEAN deeper and more comprehensive, so Viet Nam needs to pay more attention to building an overall diplomacy with a "tripod" that is always connected and parallel. They are political security diplomacy, economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, all for the sake of the interests of the nation and state.
Viet Nam needs to include that tripod in the process of contributing to the construction of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community: the Political-Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community. At the same time, in order for this tripod to work well, there must be close coordination among ministries and sectors with a high degree of unity in external activities with ASEAN.
Thirdly, the Party has persisted in the grand orientation of reforming and opening-up, continued to implement the strategy of "international integration", and participated more and more actively in the process of globalization.
Therefore, Viet Nam needs to salvage opportunities from globalization, actively promote the strategy of "international integration", and actively participate in negotiation, signing and implement the free trade agreements with partners, in order to extensively integrate into the global industries and value chains.
Viet Nam needs to take advantage of both bilateral and multilateral relations with ASEAN to carry out this task. At the same time, Viet Nam also needs to be more active and proactive in ASEAN's negotiating processes, promoting ASEAN to actively participate and play a central role in these processes, thereby enhancing Vietnamese economic-political position.
Fourthly, the Party has determined that Viet Nam will participate more actively in the forming of global and regional rules, so Viet Nam needs to strengthen its cooperation with ASEAN, the United Nations, APEC and the Greater Mekong Subregion. In particular, Viet Nam needs to play a bigger role in ASEAN mechanisms and other international organizations, so that we can proactively raise initiatives and actively join in the formation of laws and regulations.
With such a proactive, positive, reliable and responsible mindset, Viet Nam will work with other ASEAN nations to develop codes of conduct, regional mechanisms of greater legality, to support for implementing the initiatives effectively, to realize commitments, and to practically contribute to solving common problems of ASEAN and the region.
In order to carry out the above tasks, the most important thing right now is to further strengthen the closed and synchronous coordination among our Vietnamese ministries, branches, localities and businesses in cooperation with ASEAN.
At the same time, special attention must be paid to training, upgrading capacity and constructing a contingent of multilateral foreign affairs cadres professionally and modernly, not only at the central level but also at localities. The government also needs to relocate appropriate resources to host and build ASEAN centers in Viet Nam, and has mechanisms and policies to strengthen and support Vietnamese officials working in agencies of ASEAN.
In short, the road is still uneven, but we have many advantages.
Thoroughly grasping the Party's guidelines, promoting the national position and strength, power synergy, high international prestige, the people's increasingly firm confidence, and the higher determination of the Party and people, Viet Nam will gather contributions from ministries, sectors, localities, and all social classes within the country in order to build a solidary, strong and resilient ASEAN Community, creating a peaceful and stable region and prosperity, thereby bringing benefits to Viet Nam, ensuring national interests, creating more motivation for us to go further, integrate deeply and develop comprehensively.
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