General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s book on diplomacy serves as invaluable reference: Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s book. (Photo: VNA)

The book on the building and development of Vietnam’s diplomacy deeply imbued with the characteristics of “Vietnamese bamboo” is divided into three parts, with the first focusing on the important role of and major contributions by diplomacy to national construction and defence. It consists of an overview article and seven speeches the Party General Secretary delivered at meetings of the Party Central Committee and national diplomatic and foreign affairs conferences.

The second part – Vietnam’s foreign affairs for independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development – gathers 78 speeches, writings, interviews, letters, and messages of the General Secretary at bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities and forums, showing the close and harmonious coordination among the diplomatic pillars of Party-to-Party, State-to-State, and people-to-people diplomacy.

The third part is about the hallmarks of the country’s foreign affairs and diplomacy. It features 52 opinions of international experts, politicians, diplomats, researchers, and friends about General Secretary Trong’s role and contributions to the formation and development of Vietnam’s comprehensive and modern foreign policy. It also includes the memories, impressions, and stories shared by Vietnamese diplomats, journalists, and expatriates who used to accompany or meet the leader during his visits and working trips in the country and abroad, reflecting their sentiment towards, respect for, and trust in the Party and the General Secretary’s leadership.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung said in the past, there were many documents and books written about Vietnam's diplomacy and foreign affairs, but this is the first book to explicitly delve into the nature of Vietnam's diplomatic sector, and highlight very clear and specific directions for the work.

He also shared the same view with experts who said that the book has elevated the theoretical framework and practical thinking regarding Vietnam's foreign policy.

Many scholars and experts in Laos have made positive comments on the content of the book, he said, hoping that it will be translated into various languages, including Lao, to soon become a research material.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai said the book, on one hand, demonstrates the Party leader’s consistent and thorough thinking about the country's foreign policy, and on the other hand, vividly and fully portrays the diplomatic style imbued with the distinctive characteristics of the “Vietnamese Bamboo”. It portrays a diverse and multifaceted perspective of those engaged in foreign affairs and studying international relations, highlights the role and contributions of the Party chief in shaping and developing a comprehensive and modern diplomacy.

The book, which excellently compiles speeches, writings, statements, interviews, letters and messages by the Party General Secretary, has manifested his consistent and thorough thinking about Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era, he added.