President Truong Tan Sang and Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdoji have stressed the need to boost bilateral economic and trade ties to aid development in both countries.

Following an official State welcome ceremony for the Mongolian President in Ha Noi yesterday (Nov 21), the leaders agreed to forge defence and security cooperation through co-ordinated personnel training and crime prevention.

President Truong Tan Sang (right) receives Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj at the Presidential Palace in Ha Noi yesterday.

President Sang urged for favourable policies to enable an increase in Vietnamese investment and accelerate trade and investment partnerships in Mongolia. Responding to the call, the Mongolian President welcomed Vietnamese businesses to invest in the nation's oil and gas and mining sector.

The two sides agreed to maintain co-operation between all levels of government and assist friendship organisations in both countries to expand their suite of joint projects.

The leaders also vowed to build on cultural exchanges between both countries, and co-operation in the education sector. Further support would also be given to Vietnamese and Mongolian nationals in both countries, they said.

Looking ahead to 2014, the two leaders also said Viet Nam and Mongolia would work closely to organise celebrations for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Sang praised Mongolia's national development achievements, and thanked the President for supporting Viet Nam in the country's past struggle for reunification.

They also emphasised the need to maintain peace, stability, maritime freedom, safety and security in the East Sea, affirming their support for the settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Following talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of four co-operation agreements and discussed the outcomes with reporters.

On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also met with the Mongolian President, saying the President's visit would help elevate bilateral ties to a higher.

Dung proposed organising sessions of the Inter-Governmental Committee to continue working on measures to boost co-operation between the two countries and organise the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and Mongolia next year.

Highlighting the potential for boosting commercial and investment activities, Dung applauded the Mongolian business delegation for accompanying the President to Viet Nam to research investment and business opportunities.

He urged the two sides to continue boosting co-operation in the fields of national defence, culture and education.

Meanwhile, the Mongolian President urged the Vietnamese Government to assist relevant ministries and agencies in implementing agreements signed between the two sides during this visit.

He affirmed that Mongolia would always welcome Vietnamese businesses to the country to invest and capitalise on business opportunities.

Later the same day, Viet Nam and Mongolia issued a joint statement, agreeing on measures to strengthen co-operation and important regional and international issues.

The two countries applauded the mutual recognition of market statuses in an effort to boost bilateral economic and trade ties.

The Mongolian side welcomed Vietnamese businesses to invest in the nation's oil and minerals sector.

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Foreign Ministries, an agreement on crime prevention, a Memorandum of Understanding on defence co-operation and a Memorandum of Understanding on oil and gas partnership.

Vietnam, Mongolia issue joint statement

Vietnam and Mongolia have issued a joint statement on the occasion of Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj’s State visit to Vietnam from November 21-24.

The two sides agreed on major measures to further strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation, as well as cooperation in regional and international issues of mutual concern.

They affirmed their hope to continue the fine relations in all fields based on the signed Vietnam-Mongolia Cooperation and Friendship Treaty.

They were unanimous in intensifying exchanges and ties in defence-security and crime prevention.

The two countries applauded the mutual recognition of their full market economy status, helping to boost bilateral economic and trade ties.

The Mongolian side welcomed Vietnamese businesses to invest in oil and mineral exploitation in the country.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese side is willing to support Mongolia in expanding and strengthening its relationship with other ASEAN countries and back the country’s bid to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum when it admits new member.

Vietnam and Mongolia stressed the need to maintain peace, stability, maritime freedom and safety in the East Sea, and affirmed support for solving all disputes by peaceful means, refraining from the use of force and respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea and promptly reaching a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

They highly valued the Mongolian President’s official visit to Vietnam, agreeing that it was a milestone in the two countries’ traditional relations.

On this occasion, Vietnam and Mongolia signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Foreign Ministries, an agreement on crime prevention, a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation and a Memorandum of Understanding on oil and gas partnership.

Chinese delegation visits Vietnam

A delegation from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) led by its vice chairman Liu Xiaofeng has visited Vietnam.

At a reception in Hanoi on November 21, Nguyen Thien Nhan, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee affirmed that 2013 is a special year of Vietnam-China relations and their visit will contribute to strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between the two countries.

Nhan said the two countries will co-organise the second Vietnam-China Youth Festival in Nanning on November 24. As an ambassador of peace and cultural development, the youth will be active in tightening bilateral ties.

CPPCC Vice chairman Liu congratulated Nhan on new position and expressed his hope that bilateral cooperation will continue to grow and flourish.

The same day, Secretary General Vu Trong Kim and other leaders of the VFF received the delegation.

Moscow boosts cooperation with Hanoi

Moscow is ready to further effective cooperation in economics, trade, investment, culture, social affairs, tourism, science-technology, and education with Hanoi, a Moscow official has said.

Moscow Deputy Mayor Petr Biriukov made the statement at a working session with Pham Quang Nghi, Secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee, in Moscow on November 20.

He welcomed Nghi’s November 20-21 visit, reflecting the fine ties between the two capitals and noted the Hanoi-Moscow cultural, trading and hotel centre, which was inaugurated on November 20, will help increase economic and social cooperation between the two cities, and two countries as well.

“Our task is continuing to build up this fine relationship and pass it down to future generations,” he said.

 For his part, Nghi, who is also a Politburo member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, said both Hanoi and Moscow have great potential for stronger cooperation.

“The stronger cooperation between Hanoi and Moscow will contribute to strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries,” said Nghi.

The same day, Nghi met with Ivan Melnikov, Vice Chairman of the State Duma (Lower House) and Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Nghi appreciated the State Duma’s support for Vietnam in recent times and said he believes the Duma will provide continued support to relations between the two cities and two countries. 

Party Secretary lauds friendship with India

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has said the Party of Viet Nam is delighted with the Communist Party of India (CPI)'s achievements in the country.

Meeting with General Secretary of the CPI Sudhakar Reddy yesterday (Nov 21), Trong also spoke highly of the Party's positive contributions to unity and friendship activities with Viet Nam.

Reddy agreed on guidelines to further foster, expand and deepen the two countries' relationship as well as strengthen the exchange of delegations, information and experience, and coordination between the two Parties at international forums.

Meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) Prakash Karat, the Vietnamese Party leader affirmed that Viet Nam prioritised developing ties with the country's political parties, including the CPI-M.

Trong also urged the CPI-M to continue supporting and contributing to deeper relations between the two countries.

Prakash Karat said he was committed to promoting the Viet Nam-India strategic partnership in future.

Received by Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Najma Heptullah,Trong stressed Viet Nam's hope to further deepen the strategic partnership in defence, security, economics and trade, and expand ties in culture, education, science and technology.

The BJP leader affirmed her Party's intention to strengthen the relationship with the Viet Nam's Communist Party.

On the same day, the Vietnamese Party leader also met with representatives from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and many of the country's leading businesses.

He vowed to create favourable conditions for Indian investment in Viet Nam.

Trong also visited Mumbai city in the largest Indian state of Maharashtra.

He also met Indian Speaker of the Lower House Meira Kumar, affirming that Viet Nam saw India as a trustworthy friend in the region and attached importance to the strategic partnership with the country.

The Party chief briefed his host on the outcomes of talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during which the two leaders reached a consensus on measures to expand the strategic partnership.

Trong praised co-operation between the two legislative bodies, saying the Vietnamese National Assembly prioritised the relationship and opportunities to learn from the Indian Parliament.

The leaders also suggested coordinating to supervise the implementation of agreements reached by the two countries, while accelerating exchanges between parliamentarians.

They suggested the two legislatures sign a co-operative agreement and tighten their coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums.

Meira Kumar said Trong's visit to India mirrored close ties between the two countries, saying the visit was a milestone in promoting the Viet Nam-India strategic partnership.

She affirmed the importance of its relationship with Viet Nam, saying the country was an important part of its "Look East" policy, adding that her country would improve its relationship with Viet Nam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

She acknowledged closer cooperation between the two legislative bodies, praising Viet Nam's involvement in her country's training programmes.

Kumar also said she was optimistic that bilateral co-operation in education and training, tourism and culture would improve, saying agreements reached by the two countries, their links in politics, national defence and security, economics, trade and investment would strengthen in future.

Ministry condemns Iran Embassy bomb

Viet Nam has condemned the bomb blast shattering Iran's Embassy in Lebanon on Tuesday, which killed 23 people and injured 146 others.

The statement was made by Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Le Hai Binh yesterday in response to queries from reporters.

"We would like to extend our condolences to the victims' families and believe that those who committed the crime should be properly punished," he said.

Fielding questions on Vietnamese people in the Philippines affected by typhoon Haiyan, Binh said the ministry had immediately instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Manila to work with local authorities to gain access to typhoon-hit areas.

The embassy has been in contact with all Vietnamese nationals in Tacloban city and surrounding areas that were worst affected by the typhoon.

All Vietnamese nationals have been accounted for, with no loss of human life reported, he said.

The Vietnamese embassy is monitoring the situation and working closely with local authorities to support Vietnamese citizens in their recovery or return to Viet Nam, Binh added.

Vietnamese citizens displaced by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines will return to Viet Nam on a VietjetAir flight on Sunday.

VietjetAir yesterday conducted its second relief cargo flight to the Philippines to deliver supplies to typhoon victims. The airline's first relief cargo shipment arrived in the country on Monday.

Vietnamese citizens can contact the Vietnamese Embassy hotline at 63 998 275 6666 to get assistance.

Vietnam’s WHC membership proves its int’l status

Vietnam’s election to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has proved the country’s consolidated role, position and its determination of full integration into world cultural cooperation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Thanh Son, Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO, said in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of Vietnam’s election to the 21-member World Heritage Committee (WHC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the 2013-2017 tenure on November 19.

This is good news and an honour for Vietnam, a country of many globally recognised heritages as this is the first time Vietnam has been elected to the post, he said.

According to the Deputy FM, Vietnam is ready to share difficulties with UNESCO and has hosted several important activities, including the consultative meeting of UNESCO National Commissions for the Asia-Pacific region and a conference on the 1972 World Cultural Heritage Convention last year.

In his opinion, the more Vietnam’s role and position in the world arena are consolidated, the stronger its voice in international organisations, including UNESCO.

Vietnam has proposed many initiatives at the UNESCO Executive Council’s meetings and twice been elected as a member of the council, he said, adding that this demonstrates the country’s success in UNESCO and heritage affairs.

According to the diplomat, Vietnam has maintained a good relationship with UNESCO over the past time.

The country’s proposals regarding UNESCO reforms have been appreciated, he added.

“Becoming a WHC member, the country’s responsibility has grown as it has the right to judge and contribute to other countries’ heritages,” he said.

According to Son, in order to show its responsibility, Vietnam must be fair and show the capacity of the country’s experts in making judgments on other countries’ heritages.

“This requires experienced experts to meet UNESCO’s demands on heritage assessment,” he said, stressing the importance of staff training.

He added that in the coming time, the National Commission for UNESCO will work closely with UNESCO in the organisation’s activities.

“Together with international friends’ support, I believe Vietnam will be successful in its capacity as a member of the WHC,” Son said.

Visit boosts Hanoi-Moscow cooperative relations

The potential for the ties between Hanoi and Moscow is huge, and with their joint efforts, the two cities will strengthen the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia, said Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi.

Nghi, who is also a Politburo member, made the remark while meeting with Moscow Deputy Mayor Pyotr Biryukov on November 20 during his ongoing visit to the city.

Welcoming the Hanoi delegation, Deputy Mayor Biryukov stressed that the visit is the result of the fine relations between the two cities.

He said the inauguration of the Hanoi-Moscow cultural, trading and hotel centre the same day will pave the way for greater cooperation and development between the two cities in particular, and the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in general.

For his part, Nghi underscored the importance of boosting relations between Hanoi and Moscow, and made three suggestions to further strengthen these ties.

On the occasion, Biryukov and his counterpart Vu Hong Khanh signed a Memorandum of Understanding on friendship and cooperation between the two cities.

The same day, the Hanoi delegation made a courtesy call to Ivan Melnikov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF).

Melnikov said KPRF parliamentarians worked hard to seek the State Duma’s approval of the Vietnam-Russia Contemporary Labour Agreement before President Putin’s visit to Vietnam.

Also on November 21, the Hanoi delegation laid wreath at the Ho Chi Minh statue in Moscow.

Vietnam promotes religious freedom, says VFF leader

Vietnam respects and guarantees people’s rights to religious and belief freedom, as well as non-religious and non-belief freedom, says Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee President Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Nhan reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy on religion and belief while receiving Priest Nguyen Cong Danh, president of the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics.  

Nhan acknowledged Catholics’ contributions to national development and defence, saying since its establishment 30 years ago, the committee has united Catholic followers and encouraged them to take part in national emulation movements and support each other in economic development and poverty reduction.

He expressed his belief Catholic bishops, priests, and followers will uphold fine religious ethical values and stand side by side with the nation to further support national development.

Priest Danh briefed Nhan on the result of the committee’s sixth congress which set a course for the Catholic community to operate in the new term.

He proposed grassroots-level governments and VFF organisations create favourable conditions for the committee to expand humanitarian campaigns and contribute significantly to the nation.

Vietnam’s options in international integration

The 11th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) identified uniform and comprehensive implementation of external activities, proactive and active international integration, maintenance of a peaceful and stable environment, and creation of favourable conditions for national sustainable development as steps to turn Vietnam into an industrialised and modernised country by 2020.

Communist Review features an article by Nguyen Duc Hung, ambassador, former Governor for Vietnam in the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF).

1- Internationalisation and globalisation is an objective development trend of the era and, after all, is decided by the constant development of production forces. International integration is a subjective behavior of countries and nations towards this objective trend. Almost all countries, small and large, rich and poor alike, have to integrate themselves to seize development opportunities, while staying aware of the numerous challenges to be overcome during the international integration process. Vietnam is not an exception.

Globally, there are the United Nations (UN) and specialised organizations inside and outside the UN framework, such as the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT), which later became the World Trade Organization (WTO). Regionally, there are the Organization of American States (OAS) and the African Union (AU). The European integration process, in particular, has developed to a high degree and turned the European Union (EU) into a supernational entity. ASEAN is on its way to the formation of a regional community by 2015. Economically, there have been 500 Free Trade Agreements (FTA) or Regional Trade Agreements (RTA), and many other deals are currently being negotiated. Bilaterally, international integration is regulated by bilateral agreements on politics, economics, trade, military, science, technology, culture, and education and deals to form strategic partnerships, comprehensive cooperative partnerships, etc.

Through international integration practice and theory in the world, major characteristics can be seen: international integration originates from the needs for development of the international community and requires joint efforts and policies to address the global challenges posed to each country and to all humankind. This process is overwhelming and widespread; bilateral and multilateral; regional, inter-regional, and global. International integration began from economics and has spread to other areas of social life. International integration is an actual process of building and applying common laws and standards in international relations. International integration is an uninterrupted development of relations between countries from a lower to a higher level, with diversified forms, which suits the interests and specific conditions of each country and region.

2- Vietnam is a part of the world and connected with the world’s evolution. In-depth understanding of the world situation is an indispensable condition for defining national tasks. Throughout the renewal period from the 6th to the 11th National Party Congress, despite rapid and complicated global and regional developments and tumults, the CPV closely followed the situation, grasped arising issues, and developed its own point of view on major trends in the global political arena and in international integration.

The 6th Congress of the CPV for the first time confirmed “the scientific-technological revolution is a prominent characteristic of the era” and predicted the “increasingly important” role of the struggle in economics and global politics. Thus, the expansion of economic relations beyond the socialist countries was based on the guideline: “We need to make full use of new advantages in economic and scientific-technological cooperation to assume a wider role in the assignment and cooperation in the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, while expanding relations with other countries”.

The 7th National Party Congress set the guideline of “diversification and multilateralization of relations with all countries and economic organisations based on the principle of respecting independence, sovereignty, equality, and mutual benefit” and “creating a favorable environment and conditions for foreigners to enter Vietnam for investment and business cooperation”. At the 8th National Party Congress, the term “integration” was mentioned for the first time in Party documents: “Building an open economy which integrates into the region and the world”. At its 9th Congress, the Party set the guideline of “proactive international and regional integration in line with maximizing inner strength, improving the effectiveness of international cooperation, and ensuring independence, self-reliance and a socialist orientation”. The 10th National Party Congress for the first time raised the issue of international cooperation (integration) in other areas: “Proactively and actively integrating into the global economy, while expanding international cooperation in other areas” and the 11th National Party Congress developed and confirmed the view “Proactive and active international integration”.

The CPV realises that international integration is a process which Vietnam has participated in to attain a certain position and role in the international community. It is a process of both cooperation and struggle to attain its national interests in multifaceted, diversified, multilateral, and bilateral relations with various actors in the international community.

This process includes: economic integration - joining the regional and global economies based on competitive advantages, and the utilisation of internal and external resources for fast and sustainable development; political integration - joining regional and global political life and establishing a position and voice in regional and global matters; socio-cultural integration - upholding the nation’s cultural and spiritual values, absorbing advanced cultural values, and contributing to the socio-cultural development of the region and the world. Integration follows a comprehensive strategy in which the roadmap and degree of integration for each area matches the capacity of the country in that area.

3- Integrating into the world, Vietnam will continue to address the core issue of making full use of external resources to serve national industrialisation and modernisation, while guaranteeing independence and self-reliance and contributing to the shared issues of the region and the world.

Over the past two decades, Vietnam, with its potential and wisdom, has entered the playing field of economic globalisation, gained experience, gotten more familiar with the rules of the game, and identified opportunities and challenges. It’s now time to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges of proactive international integration. Persisting in a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development under the motto “Vietnam is a reliable friend and a responsible member of the international community”, we have recorded major achievements while realising certain limitations and weaknesses that need to be addressed.

Vietnam has got out of political and economic isolation, expanded its relations with other countries, including the superpowers and other major world politico-economic centers, basically broadening its international integration and deepening its relations bilaterally and multilaterally. Vietnam has created and maintained an environment favourable for national construction and defense, and transformed its thinking about economic development in both public and private sectors.

Meanwhile, the socialist-oriented market economy has been refined and large investment sources from outside have been utilised. International cooperative economic relations have been significantly expanded, contributing to economic restructuring and opening up long-term prospects for the country. International relations have been promoted in security-defense, science-technology, culture, society, and education-training. Security-defense cooperation has been implemented in accordance with detailed roadmaps with appropriate partners, agenda and steps to make practical contributions to the task of national defense. In the area of culture-society and education-training, the expanded cooperation has helped in hunger eradication, poverty reduction, settlement of social security issues, and improvement of people’s cultural and spiritual lives, while promoting cultural understanding through exchanges between Vietnam and other nations. There is an increasingly active participation of economic sectors and social strata from central to local levels in the international integration process. Large cities and important economic centers have made substantial leaps forward in integration and are providing strong growth momentum for the national economy. Vietnam’s position has been enhanced regionally and globally, creating a new image of the country as economically successful and an active and responsible partner in international integration.

Along with these achievements, however, Vietnam needs to overcome a number of limitations and difficulties. Some policies overlap or are inconsistent with international practices, thus failing to maximise advantages or to predict scenarios completely and accurately in order to effectively deal with arising problems. Vietnam’s integration in the international economy remains based on a horizontal growth model of quantity and scale, while quality of growth is not yet given due attention. As a result, the development gap between Vietnam and other countries in the region is widening. The economy’s competitiveness has improved but not dramatically. Failing to anticipate and prevent the negative impacts of international integration, Vietnam has not yet effectively dealt with arising socio-economic and environmental problems. Remote localities with poor infrastructure, untrained human resources, and unfavorable geographical conditions have reduced the benefits of international integration and left Vietnam at a disadvantage. This has led to widening wealth and development gaps between regions. There have been insufficient measures to minimise the drawbacks of international integration, particularly negative impacts in the areas of labour, employment, culture-society, environmental protection, and the protection of domestic production and products. Many resolutions of the Politburo and the Central Committee related to international economic integration have not been thoroughly grasped and implemented. The awareness of localities and sectors remains limited while shortcomings in leadership and management mechanisms have resulted in scattered and low-efficient implementation.

These achievements and problems have helped Vietnam learn valuable lessons about the timely transformation of its thinking about many things: the country’s development strategy in the context of international integration; proactively following situations, thinking independently, predicting, and making timely strategic decisions; maximising internal resources while attracting and effectively utilizing external resources; harmoniously dealing with the relationship between independence and self-reliance and international integration to realise the fundamental goals of the revolution while pursuing security and development goals; dealing wisely and flexibly with the two-sided issue of cooperation and struggle during international integration, adhering to President Ho Chi Minh’s motto “unchanged principle, flexible actions”; constantly consolidating and enhancing the Party’s leadership and the State’s management effectiveness with the Party’s leadership being the decisive factor in overcoming all these challenges.

4- We are witnessing rapid and complicated changes across continents, particularly a shifting of the world’s strategic and economic focus to the Asia-Pacific region together with a trade liberalization trend and a process of economic alignment and cooperation on various levels: greater region, region, sub-region, and development triangle or quadrangle. Countries and territories which integrated into the world early have become “dragons” or “emerging economies”. Southeast Asia is looking to build a common house by 2015 – the ASEAN Community – with economic and trade barriers reduced or removed and alignment increasing. ASEAN is playing a more central role in regional issues and assuming a growing importance in the strategies of world powers. Vietnam is a component of that process. A new politico-geographical and economic-geographical structure has been formed in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific. The foundation of that structure is a dynamic, vibrant regional connectivity, benefitting all the countries in the region. Nevertheless, the region has potential risks that might cause instability or make it vulnerable to influence from the major world powers.

In this context, it’s imperative for Vietnam to identify its optimal position. The achievements of the renewal process, an open foreign policy, and international economic integration have created the internal and external strength for Vietnam to enter a new development period. Advantages and disadvantages, opportunities and challenges, intertwine and impact security and development. The correct policy now is to proactively seize opportunities to develop rapidly and sustainably, creating even greater strength. At the same time, it‘s necessary to wisely and resolutely eliminate and overcome all risks, including newly-arising risks, making sure that national development stays on the right track.

5- The adoption by the 11th Politburo of Resolution 22-NQ/TW on international integration, dated April 10, 2013, was timely and necessary. It meets the requirements of today’s vibrant reality and the roadmaps for Vietnam’s regional and global integration in the spirit of being “proactive and active”. During its international integration process, Vietnam’s unswerving policy is to ensure the united leadership of the Party and the concentrated management of the State, and to uphold the people’s spirit of mastery and creativity. The external activities of the Party, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy are closely connected. Political, economic and cultural diplomacy, together with defense and security, safeguard independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests for peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

Implementing the Politburo resolution on international integration, Vietnam underlines its common guidelines: asserting a foreign policy of independence and self-reliance for peace, cooperation and development; openness and diversification and multilateralisation of international relations; creatively applying the lessons learned from experience and the successful settlement of major relational issues, which were summarised in the Platform for national construction during the transitional period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011). At the same time, the following perspectives need to be focused on:

First, proactive and active international integration is the strategic direction of the Party in order to fulfill the task of building and defending the socialist fatherland of Vietnam.

International integration is the cause of all the people and the whole political system under the Party’s leadership and the State’s management. All mechanisms and policies should uphold the proactiveness, activeness, and creativity of all organisations and individuals, and effectively utilise the potential of the whole society and people of all social strata, including overseas Vietnamese, to contribute to national construction and defense. International integration should be based on maximising inner strength, close connectivity and acceleration of the institutional fine-tuning process, enhancing the quality of human resources, modernizing infrastructure, increasing the nation’s general strength and competitiveness; and strengthening the connectivity of regions and areas across the country.

Second, economic integration is the focus, so integration in other areas should facilitate economic integration and make an active contribution to economic development, consolidate defense, ensure national security, preserve and uphold national identity and boost socio-cultural development. Integration in all areas should be implemented within a comprehensive strategy of international integration, with roadmaps and steps appropriate to the country’s real situation and capacity.

Third, international integration is a process of both cooperation and struggle; pursuant to national interests, proactively predicting and addressing all situations to avoid being left in a passive and confrontational position will preclude mobilising forces and coalitions to fight others.

Fourth, strictly abiding by international commitments to which Vietnam has been a signatory; proactively and actively building and adhering to international laws when engaged in regional or global activities; proactively proposing initiatives and mechanisms for cooperation based on the principle of mutual benefit; consolidating and enhancing the role of the community regionally and globally; making an active contribution to the struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress in the world.    

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