Photo: VGP

PM Dung made the statement at a conference on multilateral diplomacy in the 21st century and Viet Nam’s policy recommendations held in HaNoi on August 12.

He said that it is high time for the country to move from ‘proactive participation’ to ‘proactive contribution and construction to shape common rules’.

Under the chairmanship of PM Dung, the conference attracted over 200 delegates from ministries, localities and several international organizations in Viet Nam. The event also saw the attendance of former Deputy PM Vu Khoan, former Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen, former Director General of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy, Former UN Under-Secretary-General Jayantha Dhanapala and former Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo.

The event is organized when multilateral diplomacy has become an inevitable and increasingly important trend in the 21st century’s international relations. It is also an opportunity for the country to review the 30-year implementation of multilateral diplomacy and draw experiences in all fields in the renewal process.

Addressing the conference, PM Dung affirmed the important role of multilateral diplomacy in the world’s political, economic and diplomatic life and in the country’s foreign policy, saying that multilateral diplomacy is an effective means to realize the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification and international integration.

In national sovereignty protection, especially during current tensions in the East Sea, the role and voices of multilateral institutions and forums,particularly the UN, ASEAN and theNon-Aligned Movement, should be appreciated, PM Dung said.

The unity and support from the international community at multilateral forums to Viet Nam’s stance have contributed to promoting resolution to disputes via peaceful means in accordance with international law and regional code of conduct, without using force or threatening use of force, he added.

PM Dung asked participants to discuss and seek effective measures to promote multilateral diplomacy to serve effectively the national development in a new strategic period, saying that lessons and recommendations coming from the conference are significant to elevate the country’s multilateral diplomacy.

On this occasion, the Government leader expressed his deep gratitude to effective cooperation and support from the UN, the WTO, ASEAN, international and regional organizations, as well as international scholars, researchers and friends to the country in realizing the multilateral foreign policy.

During the gathering, delegates will discuss major trends in the 21st century’s multilateral diplomacy, multilateral cooperation in promoting sustainable development; multilateral trade system and multi-layer linkage, new generation of free trade agreements, countries’ adjustment to their multilateral foreign policy; policy recommendations to Viet Nam and ASEAN and the country’s lessons learned from international economic integration.

By Ngoc Van