Hanoi’s foreign affairs: Taking the lead, paving the way and adapting to a changing landscape

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Do Anh Tuan shared insights on the theme: “Comprehensive innovation in foreign affairs to attract resources for the development of science and technology, innovation, and cultural industries in Hanoi.” (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Effectively leveraging high-level foreign events

According to Vice Chairman Do Anh Tuan, throughout the four decades of Vietnam's reform and international integration, Hanoi has made significant strides in global integration by establishing official relations with 58 localities and partners, focusing on strategic and traditional areas such as Laos, China, Japan, Korea, France, and Russia, laying the groundwork for specific cooperative activities.

Currently, 117 countries and territories are investing in Hanoi, with FDI reaching $4.29 billion in 2025, placing it among the leading localities in the country. Cumulative FDI attracted from the beginning of the year to date is $3,387.71 million, representing approximately 75.3% of the annual target ($4.5 billion).

Hanoi is also a responsible member of many organisations and multilateral forums, such as the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

Deeply understanding the strategic orientations of the Politburo's Resolution No. 06, Vice Chairman Do Anh Tuan stated that the Hanoi Party Committee has led and directed all city agencies and departments to unify their thinking and actions: Shifting the foreign affairs mindset from “receiving and adapting” to an integration mindset of “proactively contributing, creating, and shaping”.

Adapting to the new situation, Mr. Do Anh Tuan emphasised that Hanoi's foreign affairs sector must play a pioneering role, act as a driving force, and maximise international resources to address the capital's core development challenges.

First and foremost, effectively leveraging major international events is crucial for Hanoi to mobilise international resources for comprehensive, breakthrough development. Through diplomatic forums, summits, and high-level meetings, Hanoi not only promotes its image as a “City for Peace” and a “Creative City” but also actively attracts high-quality investment capital, gains access to advanced technology, and acquires knowledge from developed countries.

Welcoming heads of state and international delegations provides opportunities for Hanoi to connect with agencies, businesses, research institutes, and global corporations. Through high-level leaders' overseas missions, Hanoi participates in delegations and expands international cooperation in pioneering fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, clean energy, biotechnology, and smart urban development.

A large number of delegates attended the 22nd National Foreign Affairs Conference. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

Elevating to a Substantive Level

The 18th Party Congress Resolution of the City set comprehensive targets for Hanoi for the 2026-2030 period, specifically: an average annual growth rate of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) exceeding 11%; GRDP exceeding $113 billion by 2030, with per capita GRDP of at least $12,000. The digital economy's share is expected to reach at least 40% of GRDP, and the cultural industry is expected to account for about 9% of GRDP. The urbanisation rate is expected to reach 65-70%.

Entering a new development phase, with the foundation of exceptional mechanisms under the amended Capital Law and a strategic vision for 100 years, Hanoi identifies science, technology, innovation, and cultural industries as core drivers that determine the speed and quality of growth.

In the spirit of the 14th Congress's foreign affairs, Hanoi's foreign affairs work by 2030 is elevated to a substantive, proactive level, with effectiveness as the measure, playing a “pioneering” role to attract global capital, knowledge, and technology ecosystems.

The current focus of the capital is to realise the 50 Memoranda of Understanding signed at the 2026 Planning and Investment Promotion Conference.

In this, Hanoi integrates the development of science and technology, innovation into all foreign affairs agendas; strengthens deep connections with leading technology corporations, financial institutions, and prestigious global research centres to proactively attract high-tech, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and green transition projects.

In particular, Hanoi is focusing on innovating its approach, positioning the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park as the nucleus of national technology and innovation development.

The city prioritises FDI projects in high-tech, digital technology, supporting industries, and, especially, research and development (R&D) centres, with the strategic goal of directly approaching and inviting major technology corporations and strategic investors with superior financial capacity and technological expertise.

This attraction is not only about investment capital but also involves technology transfer requirements, contributing to the development of an innovation ecosystem and creating a ripple effect for the entire capital's economy.

Hanoi's foreign affairs must awaken the values of “Civilisation - Identity - Creativity” and promote the application of digital technology to innovate foreign affairs communication. (Photo: Duong Tran)

Opening a new chapter for Hanoi's breakthrough development

Besides “economic diplomacy” and “technology diplomacy” as levers for breakthrough growth targets, Vice Chairman Do Anh Tuan believes the city should leverage “soft power”, making culture an intrinsic resource in integration.

The 18th Congress Resolution identifies culture as one of the pillars of sustainable development for the capital. Foreign affairs must awaken the values of “Civilisation - Identity - Creativity”, promoting the application of digital technology to innovate in foreign affairs communication, and positioning Hanoi's brand not only as a “City for Peace” and a “Creative City” but also as a centre of international cultural convergence. Foreign affairs must create a foundation, motivation, and connection to vigorously develop technology and cultural industries, striving to contribute 9% to the city's GRDP by 2030.

Hanoi consistently shapes its foreign affairs work in a comprehensive and closely linked relationship with national foreign affairs. Accordingly, the city aims to enhance coordination mechanisms with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and central ministries to optimise resources and effectively implement the coordination regulation between the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hanoi Party Committee for the 2026-2030 period.

In the new context, Mr. Do Anh Tuan proposed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese Representative Missions continue to support Hanoi in key areas:

First, build and integrate content and cooperation programs on technology transfer, innovation, and knowledge attraction into high-level foreign affairs activities.

Second, share strategic information on new technology trends and support the introduction and connection of leading global innovation and cultural industry partners in line with Hanoi's development orientation.

Third, assist Hanoi in closely monitoring, urging, and realising international cooperation commitments, quickly transforming Central Leaders' declarations and commitments into specific investment programs and projects in the capital.

“Hanoi is committed to continuously innovating institutions, optimising the investment environment, and completing synchronised infrastructure to always be the most reliable, safe, and attractive destination for global technology and innovation investment flows; together with cultural industries, this will create a dual driving force, opening a new chapter for the capital's breakthrough development in the new era,” emphasised Vice Chairman Do Anh Tuan.

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