Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, Dr. Ruvislei Gonzalez Saez from the CIPI, who is also Director of the International Relations Programme of Cuba, said the complexity of the world today with big uncertainties has led to the need for a peaceful, diverse, and responsible diplomatic policy to help enhance international relations.
Vietnam’s diplomatic sector has obtained many outstanding achievements as seen in the visits by leaders of world powers like the US and China and the elevation of bilateral ties with some countries, he went on.
Over the past months, Vietnam has carried out a number of high-level activities with both China and the US. Last August, Party General Secretary of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong visited and planted a memorial tree at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate in Lang Son province, which borders China. US President Joe Biden came to Hanoi in September, and the two sides lifted their relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh took part in bilateral activities in the US also in September. Meanwhile, Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong attended the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China in October. In early December, Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Vietnam.
These activities reflect achievements of Vietnam’s foreign policy, Ruvislei opined, elaborating that the country has further intensified the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and agreed to build a community with a shared future with China. It has also upgraded the connections with Japan to the “comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world”.
At the multilateral level, Vietnam started 2023 with its role as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the 2023 - 2025 tenure. Besides, it was elected Vice Chair of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The country has also continued acting as an active member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In addition, Vietnam and China agreed to promote a cooperation plan to connect the Two Corridors, One Belt framework with the Belt and Road Initiative.
He held that the upgrade of relations with other countries, including the US and Japan, will be the leverage for economic growth that Vietnam needs, adding its bilateral relations, including in science and technology, education, culture, and defence, have grown considerably over the recent past.
Speaking highly of Vietnam’s rich and diverse culture, Ruvislei said culture could become an important bridge helping advance the country’s reach to the world, and that although Vietnamese cuisine has been present at many restaurants across Asia, there remains much room for it to be further popularised and have its influence expanded.
In a complex world situation, maintaining independence in its foreign policy while not abandoning the principle of protecting an equal world where all people are respected regardless of their origin is a clear-sighted path of Vietnam’s diplomacy, according to the expert.
