Welcome ceremony held for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Luxembourg. (Photo; VGP)

Leaders’ activities

During his visit to Vietnam from December 8-9, President of the French Senate Gérard Larcher paid courtesy calls to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc; had a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; held talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and attended the kick-off events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France.

Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue and President of the French Senate Gérard Larcher. (Source: VNA)

On December 7, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received Lao Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, and Defense Minister Chansamone Chanyalath, leading an official visit and attending the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highlighted the significance of Vietnam-Laos special relationship and spoke highly of the traditional cooperation between the two armies and the outcomes of the talks between the two defence ministers On the same day, receiving General Chansamone Chanyalath, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that developing Vietnam-Laos defence cooperation is one of the top priorities of Vietnam.

From December 5-7, during his visit to Vietnam, Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had meetings with President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, held talks with Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, and met other Vietnamese government officials as well as the business community. This is Nigeria's highest-level visit to Vietnam since 2005.

On December 9, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Minister of the National Court Administration of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Kim Sang-Hwan. President Phuc lauded the two supreme courts for their contributions to cooperation between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago. Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the courts have carried out many projects since 2008, under which the RoK has helped Vietnam build legal documents and teaching plans and programmes in this field, provided support in information-technology and shared experience in judicial training, he said.

On December 9, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the Summit to celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations and pay an official visit to Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium from 9-16 December 2022 at the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel, Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

In Luxembourg, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel; President of the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg Fernand Etgen; Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri; visited a number of economic establishments and attended the Vietnam-Luxembourg Business Forum, met representatives of the Vietnamese community in Luxembourg.

On December 7, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith on the occasion of his visit to Vietnam to co-chair the conference disseminating policies and laws for leaders of villages in the countries’ border areas held in Nghe An province from December 5 to 7.

On December 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Mongolian Minister of Defence Saikhanbayar Gursed that Vietnam always considers Mongolia an important partner in the region. At a reception for the Mongolian Minister, who is on an official visit and attended the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2022, the Government leader said he believes that the visit will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and lifting the traditional friendly relationship between the two countries in general and defence cooperation in particular to new heights.

On December 5, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received former US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC). Affirming that Vietnam always treasures comprehensive partnership with the US, the Prime Minister suggested the USABC and the Council's Groups firms support Vietnam in strategic breakthroughs, education-training, governance experience, and invest more in hi-tech, digital and green transformation, climate change response, aviation industry and cyber security, thus making substantive, healthy and effective contributions to bilateral ties.

On December 8, the 9th theoretical seminar between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party with the theme "Problems and directions to solve the economic-financial situation, Vietnam's and Laos' experience ” was held in Laos. The Communist Party of Vietnam delegation was led by Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia. On December 9, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith received the delegation.

On December 9, receiving Special Advisor of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Tsutomu Takebe, Politburo member and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong welcomed the proposals of Mr. Tsutomu Takebe on exchanges between Japanese political parties and the Communist Party of Vietnam, exchanges between young leaders of the two countries, as well as locality-to-locality cooperation, cultural exchanges and further development of Vietnam Japan University.

Activities of the Foreign Minister

On December 7, in an interview granted to the media, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has expressed his belief that relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) will continue to flourish across all fields to the benefit of both peoples following President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s State visit (Dec. 4-6).

Vietnam - RoK relations to flourish even more across all fields, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son stressed. (Photo: WVR/Nguyen Hong)

On December 8, under the authorization of the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son held a ceremony to hand over the Prime Minister's decision to appoint Deputy Foreign Minister to Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang and Mr. Do Hung Viet.

Bilateral activities

On occasion of the trip of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to attend the ASEAN-EU 45th Anniversary Commemorative Summit and pay official visits to Belgium, in interview with the World and Vietnam Report (WVR), Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam Karl Van Den Bossche shared his view on cooperation potentials between two nations.

On the occasion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to the Netherlands, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Kees Van Baar also shared his assessment and expectations about this visit.

On December 9, attending the pre-event kick-off for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan with the opera Princess Anio , Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed that this cultural event has special significance to the people of Vietnam and Japan.

On December 8, in Moscow, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the victory "Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the air" (December 18, 1972 - 2022).

From December 7-8, in order to strengthen the cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Jordan, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu visited Jordan.

From December 5-6, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu visited Turkey and co-chaired the 4th Vietnam - Turkey Deputy Foreign Minister's Political Consultation with Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Sedat Onal.

On December 6, attending the year-end meeting to celebrate a successful year in US-ASEAN relations, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung said that ASEAN and the US have potential for cooperation in many fields to implement the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, promote ASEAN centrality and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

On the same day, receiving Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung said that in the overall relationship with the US, Vietnam attaches importance to cooperation with Oregon State because it is an leading economic, industrial and scientific center on clean technology of the United States and also the place where tens of thousands of Vietnamese people live, study and work.

On December 6, a conference to disseminate policies and laws to village heads on both sides of the Vietnam-Laos border was held in Cua Lo town, Nghe An province. The conference is within the framework of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (September 5, 1962 - 2022), the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and 45 years of signing the Vietnam-Laos National Border Planning Treaty (July 18, 1977– 2022). On this occasion, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu gave an interview to the media about the importance of the Vietnam-Lao border management.

Multilateral activities

On December 9, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang participated in the second consultation meeting on the Southeast Asia Economic Prospects Report, China and India in 2023 as co-chairs of the OECD Southeast Asia Program.

On December 8, at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN), the 77th General Assembly held an official session to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Ambassador, Head of the Vietnamese Mission to UN Dang Hoang Giang presided over the meeting.

On December 6, on the occasion of leading the State Audit Delegation to attend the 13th Conference on Debt Management of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), at the headquarters of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, State Auditor General Ngo Van Tuan had a working session with Ms. Rebeca Grynspan, UNCTAD Secretary General. Attending the meeting were Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland.

On December 6, at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai presented to WIPO Director General Daren Tang the document on Vietnam’s participation in the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai said Vietnam’s participation in the Marrakesh Treaty marks an important milestone in reasonably balancing the protection of copyrights and interests of persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson

On December 10, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Pham Thu Hang answered a reporter's question about Vietnam's comments on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 1982 .United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The launch of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also referred to as “The Constitution of the Oceans”, is of great significance, representing the progressive development of international law, said Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson.

As a responsible member of the international community and an active member of UNCLOS, Vietnam has consistently and seriously complied with UNCLOS, persisted with the settlement of disputes at sea by peaceful means in accordance with international law, and contributed initiatives to the implementation of the Convention.

Vietnam is working hard to fine-tune its legal system governing the management and use of the sea and promote international cooperation at sea in line with UNCLOS and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

On this occasion, countries should continue to fully honor their obligations to UNCLOS and work together to contribute to peace, stability, legal order at sea, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and sustainable development of the seas and oceans, Deputy Spokesperson Hang stressed.

Other activities

On December 10, the series of Pho Day events officially opened in Nam Dinh City, Nam Dinh province, bringing a lot of excitement with the pho-loving public and many international friends. Within the framework of the series of events, more than 20 Heads of Representative Missions and diplomats in Vietnam came to experience Pho at the communal house of Van Cu village, Dong Son commune, Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province.

On December 9, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to organize a conference to review the implementation of the Global Agreement on Lawful, Safe and Orderly Migration (GCM Agreement) in Da Nang. The conference aimed to review the implementation of the GCM Agreement plan under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 402/QD-TTg dated March 20, 2020 and discuss priority issues to improve efficiency of implementation of the GCM Agreement in the near future.

On December 8, an international conference was held in Hanoi to mark 40 years since the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The hybrid event, held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by 150 delegates from ministries, sectors, coastal localities, and representative bodies of ASEAN countries in Vietnam.

In his remarks, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said having been ratified by 168 parties, UNCLOS has truly become a legal document of leading importance, only after the UN Charter, and a “constitution of the seas and oceans”. The convention formed a comprehensive and full international legal framework that regulates the rights and obligations of all states, no matter whether it is coastal or landlocked, in the use of the seas and the management, exploitation, and conservation of marine resources, he noted.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu delivered his remarks at the International conference marking 40th anniversary of UNCLOS in Hanoi. (Photo: WVR/Quang Hoa)

UNCLOS is a comprehensive international legal cornerstone for identifying sea areas, sovereignty, sovereign right, and jurisdiction over sea areas, and for conducting activities at sea. It also stipulates compulsory dispute settlement mechanisms to peacefully resolve differences relevant to the interpretation and application of UNCLOS among countries, according to the Deputy Foreign Minister.

The Conference held a panel session to highlight the special values of UNCLOS and another on Vietnam’s implementation of the convention. In their remarks sent to the Conference, Tommy Koh, former President of the third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, and Vladimir Jares, Director of the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, stressed the importance of UNCLOS and Vietnam’s contributions to the UNCLOS drafting and implementation process.