The diplomacy has been deployed in all pillars of politics, economy, culture, national defense, and overseas Vietnamese work.
This year’s diplomatic achievements are the continuation of the success gained after Việt Nam fulfilled the non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council last year that significantly heightens the country’s position and prestige on the international arena.
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| State President Nguyễn Minh Triết (2nd from left) holds talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the 65th Conference of the UN General Assembly, New York, US, September 2010 – Photo: Nguyễn Khang |
State President Nguyễn Minh Triết’s speech at the 65 th Conference of the UN General Assembly in New York in September gained high applause from a number of countries.
The relationships between Việt Nam and the EU, Latin America, and Africa have been brought to new heights thanks to regular exchanges of high-ranking visits followed by the conclusion of agreements.
During 2010, 16 meetings on national defense have been held in Việt Nam with the participation of many other countries.
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| The first ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM+) with eight partners, namely China, India, the Russian Federation, the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and Australia, Hà Nội, October 12, 2010 – Photo: VGP |
The first AMMM+ with all partners, namely China, India, Russia, the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and Australia, is the vivid example of Việt Nam’s rising prestige with its own diplomacy.
As part of the ADMM+, the US Defense Minister paid an official visit to Việt Nam to discuss ways to beef up the bilateral military ties.
Cultural diplomacy has been incorporated in the country’s big festivities like the 1000 th birthday anniversary of Thăng Long-Hà Nội; the 120 th birthday of celebrity and national hero Hồ Chí Minh, the 65 th National Day, the 80 th anniversary of the establishment of the Việt Nam Communist Party, and the 35 th year of national reunification.
The year 2010 also marks the 60 th anniversaries of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Việt Nam and the Russian Federation, China and others, and the 15 th year of normalization of the Việt Nam-US diplomatic relations.
Particularly, as ASEAN Chair this year, Việt Nam has organized the bloc’s operations, which ended with the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits in late October. The leaders approved a series of key documents, including the ASEAN Master Plan, to boost the building of the ASEAN Community in 2015.
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| Heads of ASEAN member countries at the opening ceremony of the 17 th ASEAN Summit, Hà Nội, October 28, 2010 – Photo: VGP |
The presence of UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon, Presidents and PMs at the three day summits once again showcased Việt Nam’s rising role and prestige.
Through the eventful year, the friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and its external partners have been pushed forward, particularly with the neighboring countries.
In his talks between PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, the two leaders agreed to conduct friendly negotiations for a long-term solution for Eastern Sea-related issues in support of regional and international stability and cooperation.
The two leaders also agreed on speeding up negotiations for common principles which will play as guidelines for settlement of sea-related issues.
By Hải Minh
