Vietnam’s top leader urges diplomacy to expand cooperation, strengthen autonomy

Addressing the opening session, Vietnam's top leader said the conference must help the entire foreign affairs system identify what has been accomplished and what remains behind schedule, while agreeing on priority tasks, coordination mechanisms and concrete results to be achieved.

He emphasized that foreign affairs must play a pioneering role in protecting the country early and from afar, building connections and mobilizing resources for national development.

Expanding cooperation while maintaining autonomy

Vietnamese Party chief and State President To Lam noted that the world is changing rapidly and becoming increasingly complex, while peace, cooperation and development remain common aspirations, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The key is to identify opportunities early and turn them into tangible results.

The more complicated the situation becomes, the more calmly and proactively Vietnam must respond, he said, urging confidence without complacency, boldness without recklessness, and flexibility while maintaining principles.

The foreign affairs sector must continue to renew its thinking and improve the quality of research and forecasting, focusing on issues that affect Vietnam's security and development.

These include strategic adjustments by major powers; shifts in economic, technological and power centers; and changes in trade, finance, energy and water resources.

Artificial intelligence, semiconductors, the digital economy, green transformation, cybersecurity and data security must also be studied early and in depth.

Research should focus particularly on identifying opportunities and proposing specific measures, the Party leader said.

Coordination should be strengthened between research agencies and those working in practice, as well as between domestic agencies and Vietnamese representative missions abroad, while networks of experts, businesses and overseas Vietnamese should be fully utilized.

Officials must be willing to raise issues, defend sound proposals and take responsibility for their views.

Turning diplomatic ties into tangible results

Party chief and State President To Lam emphasized the need to deepen and improve the effectiveness of Vietnam's foreign relations. Existing and upgraded diplomatic frameworks must be translated into action programs and projects with measurable results.

Upgrading a relationship marks the beginning of a new phase rather than the completion of work, he said.

Every high-level visit should be followed by a cooperation plan, while every agreement should clearly identify the lead agency, responsibilities, timeline and monitoring mechanism.

In all relationships, Vietnam should value trust, sincerity and long-term interests while appropriately managing differences and preventing individual issues from affecting overall ties.

The effectiveness of foreign relations should not be measured by the frequency of contacts or the names of diplomatic frameworks. Instead, the key measures are a strengthened peaceful environment, protection of national interests, expanded markets, new projects, improved technology and human resources, and tangible benefits for the people.

Diplomacy must serve national development

The Vietnamese top leader called for development-oriented diplomacy to become more substantive, with practical effectiveness as the key measure.

The country should prioritize mobilizing resources for science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, private-sector development and higher-quality foreign investment.

Vietnam should selectively attract high-tech projects in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, clean energy, biotechnology and modern agriculture, while linking investment with technology transfer, human resource training and greater participation by Vietnamese businesses in global supply chains.

Each Vietnamese representative mission abroad must understand the country's needs and the strengths of the host country’s market, identify the right partners and closely follow up on projects, he said.

Meanwhile, ministries, sectors and localities must prepare projects, mechanisms, land, human resources and other conditions needed to receive investment. External opportunities can be turned into domestic resources only when the country is prepared to seize them.

Science and technology diplomacy should become a regular task. Vietnam should build networks of technology partners, connect research institutes, universities, businesses and experts; monitor new trends, standards and policies; and bring suitable knowledge and technologies home.

Diplomacy should seek not only capital but also knowledge, talented people and good practices.

He also called for improving work related to overseas Vietnamese, cultural diplomacy, external communications, consular affairs and citizen protection. Overseas Vietnamese should be given favorable conditions to maintain ties with and contribute to their homeland, while intellectuals, entrepreneurs and expert networks should be further mobilized.

Consular services must be convenient and transparent, while citizen protection must be swift, proper and responsible.

All foreign affairs activities must serve the country and its people, Party chief and State President To Lam said.

Promoting multilateral diplomacy, international integration

He called for raising the level of Vietnam's multilateral diplomacy and implementing comprehensive, coordinated and effective international integration.

Preparations to host APEC 2027 must begin early, covering content, initiatives, facilities, human resources and efforts to secure support.

Vietnam should integrate deeply without becoming dependent and remain open while maintaining autonomy and absorbing the world's best ideas to enrich its national identity and strength.

The Party Central Committee's Commission for Foreign Affairs and International Integration must strengthen its role in strategic leadership, direction and coordination, particularly in handling major, new, difficult and cross-sectoral issues that go beyond the authority of a single agency.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must improve its advisory, coordination and monitoring work, proactively identify delays and propose solutions.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam also emphasized the importance of building a diplomatic workforce with the qualities, capabilities and credibility required in the new period.

Vietnam should improve the selection, training, evaluation and deployment of diplomatic officials, using qualities, capabilities and work results as key measures.

It should also build teams of experts specializing in key geographical areas and emerging fields and establish mechanisms to attract and utilize talent both inside and outside the diplomatic sector.

He urged today's diplomats to inherit the patriotism, political steadfastness, self-learning spirit and diplomatic skills of previous generations while mastering new knowledge and technologies, foreign languages, international law, economics and the cultures of partner countries.

A good diplomat must first have strong political resolve and always take national interests as the guiding principle for action, he said.

He required the conference to identify priority markets, projects, technologies, partners and human resources and lay the groundwork for a comprehensive foreign affairs strategy for a new level and a new period.

The 33rd Diplomatic Conference opened in both in-person and online formats, with connection points at the Party Committees of provinces and cities and Vietnamese representative missions abroad.

The opening session was attended by Politburo and Secretariat members, incumbent and former leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and more than 90 heads of Vietnamese representative missions abroad.

The conference runs from August 1 to 7 under the theme "Promoting the pioneering role and fulfilling the key, regular tasks of Vietnam's foreign affairs in the new era."

It is the first diplomatic conference held after the 14th National Party Congress, which for the first time identified foreign affairs and international integration as a key, regular task alongside national defense and security.

The Diplomatic Conference is an important forum for Vietnam's diplomatic sector and has been held regularly since 1957.

It provides an opportunity for foreign affairs officials at home and abroad to study the Party's guidelines and policies, assess international developments and foreign affairs work, and agree on directions and tasks for the next period.

For the first time, the conference will include a session co-chaired by the ministers of national defense, public security and foreign affairs to discuss and strengthen coordination among the three ministries.