Diplomatic highlights in 2018

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (7th from left), PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (8th from left) and world leaders attend the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018 in Ha Noi. Photo: VGP

In the last days of 2018, Viet Nam was elected for the first time to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) for the 2019-2025 tenure, wrapping up a successful year of multilateral diplomacy.

This is one of the outcomes of the implementation of the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multi-lateralization and diversification of international relations and multilateral diplomacy orientations figured out in the 29^th and 30^th diplomatic congresses in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

The UNCITRIAL membership is of significant importance as Viet Nam has stepped up extensive and intensive international integration with a view to further engage and contribute to the common efforts of the international communities.

Earlier, Viet Nam successfully hosted a number of international and regional events, including the World Economic Forum on ASEAN, which was regarded as one of the most successful regional meetings of the World Economic Forum over the past 27 years.

According to Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh, Viet Nam is emerging as a trustful destination for international events, reflecting the country’s accredited prestige and role.

Also this year, Viet Nam took advantages of all contacts and meetings at bilateral and multilateral aspects to call for support from countries around the world for its candidacy as non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure after becoming the sole candidate of Asia-Pacific Group for the position.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull sign Declaration to establish strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Australia in March 2018. Photo: VGP

Viet Nam welcomed 33 high-level leaders who came to Viet Nam for state/official visits or attending international events meanwhile Vietnamese leaders conducted 28 foreign tours to countries around the globe.

Viet Nam continued to consolidate and expand cooperation, especially with major countries as evidenced by Viet Nam visits of the President of the Republic of Korea, the President of Indonesia, the President of India, the Prime Minister of France, and the Prime Minister of Russia among others.

Viet Nam and Australia decided to lift up their bilateral ties to strategic partnership during PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Australia in March.

The country also established comprehensive partnership with Hungary on the occasion of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to the European country in September, sending to total number of its strategic/comprehensive partners to 28 and two thirds of them established since the 11^th National Party Congress.

Higher ladder of economic integration, clear support subjects identified

The year 2018 marked a new higher ladder in the country’s international economic integration process as Viet Nam became the 7^th member to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as the TPP-11.

Viet Nam also actively mobilize support from the European Union members to push for early signing and ratification of the Viet Nam-EU free trade agreement and the investment protection agreement.

The country has played an active role in leading regional cooperation mechanisms like the 6^th Greater Mekong Subregion, held in Ha Noi, and in accelerating talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and FTAs with the European Free Trade Area and Israel.

As localities and businesses have been clearly identified as key subjects of support, a string of events have been organized to help them understand better about foreign markets, which contributed to the country’s overall figures of foreign investment inflows (US$18 billion) and export values (US$244.72 billion) this year./.

By Huong Giang