The new era demands the implementation of “comprehensive foreign affairs at a new height”: Ensuring national interests at the highest; taking peace, independence, self-reliance and self-strengthening as the foundation; placing the people at the centre of all policies; and considering contributions to the international community as a responsibility.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam has written an article stressing the promotion of comprehensive foreign affairs at the new height.
The following is a translation of the article.
PROMOTING COMPREHENSIVE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT NEW HEIGHT
To Lam
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee
Looking back at the history of Vietnam’s revolution, the nation’s fortunes have always been closely linked to the transformations of the times. Immediately after gaining independence, President Ho Chi Minh stated that “after the issue of defence, foreign affairs are an essential matter for an independent country,” strongly affirming the role and responsibility of foreign affairs for the nation and its people.
The 14th National Party Congress marked a historic milestone, opening the door to a new era for the nation. Under the guiding light of the 14th Congress, foreign affairs – a key and regular task – will be carried out comprehensively at a new height. Vietnam’s heartbeat will resonate with that of the world, breathe in rhythm with the spirit of the age, creating peace, fostering prosperity, and building a higher and more solid position for the country and the people.
Vietnam at the threshold of a new era
The world is witnessing rapid, intense, far-reaching and epochal transformations. Global trends are intertwined and sometimes contradictory – becoming more interconnected and interdependent, yet also more divided and competitive. Humanity is entering a period fraught with risks but also with new opportunities for development. No country, whether large or small, developed or developing, can stand outside the currents of the times.
On the one hand, the multilateral international system and international law are being eroded; sovereignty disputes and territorial conflicts are increasing. Political and economic competition goes hand in hand with the race to control technology, energy, and strategic infrastructure. Both traditional and non-traditional security challenges are intensifying in both scale and complexity. On the other hand, contemporary trends of peace, cooperation, development, sustainable and inclusive growth, and globalisation continue to advance. The majority of the international community aspires to build a democratic, fair, and equitable world order based on international law. The scientific and technological revolution is opening up boundless development space grounded in knowledge and human potential.
The 14th National Party Congress marks a new era for the Vietnamese people after 96 years under the Party’s leadership, 80 years of independence, and 40 years of renewal. Following the era of independence, freedom and socialism-building and the era of renewal, the country is now entering an era of prosperous development, civilisation, and happiness, striving to stand shoulder to shoulder with major powers across the five continents.
The period of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress (2026–2031) is a pivotal and decisive phase for achieving breakthroughs toward becoming a developed, high-income country with advanced standards. Otherwise, Vietnam risks repeating the lesson of being trapped in the middle-income trap, as structural bottlenecks in the development model and national governance gradually surface. History shows that in transitional periods between the old and the new, failure to keep pace with the world and the trends of the times makes the risk of falling behind more imminent than ever.
Advancing comprehensive foreign affairs at new height
“Converging” the imperatives of the times and the requirements of the country, the realisation of the two 100-year strategic goals is a political-historical commitment of the Party to the people and the international community. Human history has proved that any nation possessing strategic proactiveness and grasping the strength of the era to enhance its internal capacity will gain success. Throughout the course of human history, global practice has shown a consistent rule: no powerful and developed nation has done so without building strong foreign affairs. In today’s world, the security and development of each country cannot be isolated from or stand outside the impacts of the world and the times, of circumstances and international landscape.
At historic moments, the country requires historic decisions. The new era demands the implementation of “comprehensive foreign affairs at a new height”: Ensuring national interests at the highest; taking peace, independence, self-reliance and self-strengthening as the foundation; placing the people at the centre of all policies; and considering contributions to the international community as a responsibility. At this new height, foreign affairs will be carried out with greater confidence, autonomy, self-reliance and self-resilience; contributing more effectively to the country’s strategic goals; and demonstrating a greater sense of responsibility toward peace and development in the world.
That is comprehensive foreign affairs work at the new height in terms of objectives. All external activities are directed toward ensuring national interests at the highest, for a strong Party, for a prosperous and powerful Vietnam, and for the people’s well-being and happiness; toward deep and extensive international integration with an important position and role in world politics, the global economy and human civilisation; and toward contributing to peace, stability, justice, social progress and the prosperous development of nations in the region and throughout the world.
That is comprehensive foreign affairs work at the new height in terms of fields. Comprehensive foreign affairs work is not a separate field but is closely linked with national defence, security, economy, science, technology, culture and society, thereby creating combined strength to serve the Fatherland building and safeguarding cause. The comprehensive foreign policy places socio-economic development at the centre, regarding diplomacy that serves development and international integration as a key and regular task.
That is comprehensive foreign affairs work at the new height in terms of actors. Comprehensive foreign affairs work is the cause of the entire Party and the entire people, promoting the role of all three channels of external relations: Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy, while mobilising the participation of external relations of the National Assembly, ministries, agencies, sectors, and localities; ensuring coordination between foreign affairs and national defence and security, and between political diplomacy and economic, cultural, scientific and technological diplomacy.
Implementing the “key and regular” task of foreign affairs
Comprehensive foreign affairs at the new height represent a combination of inheritance and development. The foreign policy continues to steadfastly pursue independence, self-reliance and self-strengthening; peace, friendship, cooperation and development; multilateralisation and diversification of external relations; being a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community. At the same time, it continues to develop and absorb the quintessence, knowledge and methods of modern diplomacy, imbued with the spirit of “utilising the invariables in response to variables.” The path of peace, independence, self-reliance and self-strengthening is not only to build a prosperous and strong country for its people, but also to contribute responsibly to regional peace and stability and to a rules-based international order. That is the guiding principle, the moral foundation and the fundamental principle for building sustainable external relations.
At the same time, comprehensive foreign affairs work is elevated to a new height, in which foreign relations and international integration must be regarded as a “key and regular” task. This marks an important development in thinking, whereby foreign relations and international integration are identified as among the principal tasks of foremost importance; at the same time, they must be carried out on a regular basis, requiring proactiveness, acuity, timeliness and high effectiveness. This line of thinking places foreign affairs in a central position, with greater responsibility and role in safeguarding national security and promoting national development: Firmly maintaining peace to ensure stability, ensuring stability to foster development, and advancing development to enhance the country’s overall strength. Accordingly, comprehensive foreign affairs at the new height will implement key and regular tasks along the following directions:
First, foreign affairs must promote their pioneering role, performing the essential and regular task of creating a favourable international environment for the country. The more the world fluctuates, the more vital and decisive the consolidation of peace and stability for the country becomes. Foreign affairs must demonstrate “strategic proactiveness” in all circumstances, ensuring that “the inside is warm and the outside is calm”: maintaining stability and development internally while preserving peace and cooperation externally. Together with national defence and security, foreign affairs must resolutely and persistently safeguard the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; protect the Party, the State, the People and the socialist regime; protect the cause of renewal, industrialisation and modernisation; protect national and ethnic interests; safeguard political security, social order and safety, and culture; and maintain political stability and a peaceful environment for national construction and development along the socialist orientation. At the same time, it is necessary to promote the resolution of differences through peaceful means on the basis of international law and the UN Charter.
Second, foreign affairs are a driving force in creating favourable conditions, mobilising external resources and opening new development space for the country.
The world is being shaped by new trends, and successful nations are those that proactively grasp opportunities, move ahead, and position themselves within the flow of the times. The task of external relations work is to identify and seize opportunities arising from trends currently shaping the global economy, such as innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and automation; to transform fine political relations into concrete economic outcomes that are measurable and directly beneficial to the people through economic agreements, and trade and investment accords, and that support Vietnamese enterprises in expanding globally and participating more deeply in regional and global supply chains.
Third, foreign affairs demonstrate a high sense of responsibility toward the international community, contributing to the building and safeguarding of a fair and equitable international order based on international law. In a globalised world, the interests of the nation, Vietnamese citizens and enterprises extend beyond territorial borders. Protecting Vietnam’s national interests is inseparable from protecting a fair and equitable world order grounded in international law. The country’s new stature and strength enable it to contribute actively and responsibly to common global issues. As President Ho Chi Minh once said, “Having benefited from the good of others, we must also have something good for others to benefit from,” Vietnam will continue to realise its commitments on sustainable development, food security, climate change and net-emissions reduction; while participating more deeply in peacekeeping, search-and-rescue operations, humanitarian assistance, mediation and reconciliation, and promoting a core and leading role in important and appropriate issues and mechanisms.
Fourth, promoting the nation’s “soft power” commensurate with its historical and cultural stature, and the country’s political and economic position. National standing and prestige do not lie solely in material strength but also in “soft power”. This includes a heroic history, a culture imbued with national identity, the great and historically significant achievements of the renewal process, a foreign policy of peace and goodwill, the harmonious, reasonable and principled handling of international issues in respect for international law, and the sympathy and support of people around the world. At the new level, foreign affairs must contribute to enhancing the country’s position and influence in global politics, the world economy and human civilisation.
Fifth, building a comprehensive, modern and professional foreign affairs and diplomacy sector. The new era requires the sector to be developed at a level comparable with the region and reaching international standards. External relations personnel and diplomats must dare to think, dare to act, dare to innovate, and dare to pioneer and make breakthroughs for national-ethnic interests; be perceptive about the times, deep in strategy, disciplined in conduct, and equipped with internationally competitive skills and qualifications. Comprehensive foreign affairs are not the responsibility of a single ministry or sector, but the undertaking of the entire people and the whole political system in order to generate combined national strength.
Amid global changes, comprehensive foreign affairs at a new level must take mettle and intellect as its lodestar; trust and responsibility as the bridge of cooperation; and goodwill and the rule of law as the anchor of values. We believe that Vietnam’s foreign affairs will continue to create and preserve peace and stability, expand development space and elevate the country’s standing, contributing to the fulfilment of President Ho Chi Minh’s sacred final wish: “My ultimate desire is that our entire Party and people unite in striving to build a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic and prosperous Vietnam, and to make a worthy contribution to the world revolutionary cause.”/.
