Pretoria News of South Africa published an article on January 29 titled “Historic milestone for Vietnam” by editor-in-chief Valerie Boje, highlighting the success of the nation’s comprehensive and modern diplomacy, with a specific focus on Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy.

The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is believed to outline the nation’s vision and future plans for development moving forward in terms of both domestic and international policies.

The article outlines that the nation has diplomatic relations with 189 members of the UN, including South Africa, along with long-term co-operation frameworks with 30 strategic and comprehensive partners, including every ASEAN member and the majority of the G20.

As a key member of ASEAN, the country has negotiated, ratified, and signed key free trade agreements (FTA). This includes the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA). These deals serve to promote international economic integration whilst creating a fresh impetus for economic recovery, the article states.

Last year whilst taking on the role of ASEAN Chair, the nation was involved in co-ordination efforts alongside other countries in the region to respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, whilst outlining post-pandemic economic recovery and development plans.

November, 2020, saw South Africa, along with Cuba and Colombia, sign the documents of accession to ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), thereby opening the way for greater trade in the region.

The nation is also a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council during the 2020 to 2021 tenure, and among its duties organised a meeting on strengthening the implementation of the UN Charter. This was done in order to highlight the issue of co-operation between the UNSC and ASEAN, whilst also participating in the UN peacekeeping force, according to the article.

The UN General Assembly also granted approval to a resolution drafted by Vietnam to designate December 27 as the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, it added.

It also noted that the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which is getting underway in Hanoi from January 25 to February 2, will set out the country’s vision and future plans for development moving forward in relations to both domestic and international policies.