The world experienced huge changes in 2022, with rapid, complicated and unexpected developments. Peace, cooperation and alignment for development are common aspirations of all nations and peoples, but face many challenges due to the fiercer strategic competition among major powers, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, arms race, and increased socio-political instability in many countries. Non-traditional security challenges, especially climate change, natural disasters and epidemics, continued to emerge intensely. Most countries basically returned to normal but the recovery process remained tough due to the prolonged consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In that context, to elevate the new position and power of the country and adhere to the foreign policy of the 13th National Party Congress, under the close and right leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and Party and State leaders, the Vietnamese diplomatic sector worked closely with the Party diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy at all levels and branches to implement external affairs in a consistent, creative and effective manner; and actively and sensitively switched to normal, thus achieving comprehensive and important results and contributing to the country's external achievements and socioeconomic development in 2022.

Notably, the sector continued to firmly consolidate the favorable diplomatic setting for maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, protecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, serving socio-economic development and further enhancing the country's international position and prestige. External relations at all levels, especially those of Party and State leaders, helped strengthen political trust, and create new impetus for expanding and deepening relations with many partners, particularly neighboring countries, important partners, traditional friends and potential partners. In 2022, high-ranking leaders conducted nearly 70 external activities both in person and online, including 14 outgoing missions and 19 incoming missions. Many specific cooperation documents and agreements were signed on these occasions.

Together with defense, security and relevant ministries and branches, the diplomatic sector continued to firmly consolidate the borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, facilitated socioeconomic exchanges; at the same time, persistently promoted dialogue and negotiation, in which important steps were taken in delimitation and settlement of border and territorial issues in accordance with international laws.

On the multilateral level, the diplomatic sector continued to promote its role, making active and responsible contributions to important multilateral mechanisms and forums, especially the United Nations, ASEAN, APEC, and Mekong sub-regional cooperation. In 2022, Vietnam gained international trust to be elected to positions in many important international organizations such as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly’s 77th Session, member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term, and the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022 - 2026 period.

Thoroughly grasping the economic diplomacy policy as the basic and central task of Vietnam's diplomacy of “taking the people, localities and businesses as the center of service,” the diplomatic sector strived to coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors and localities to actively promote economic aspects in external activities conducted by Party and State leaders, sensitively seized opportunities from reopening in countries, and effectively took advantage of alignments, economic agreements and new development trends in the world to expand and deepen economic cooperation with many partners. Economic diplomacy practically helped maintain macroeconomic stability, foster our country's economic growth, boost exports, and attract many external resources for economic restructuring and sustainable development.

Cultural diplomacy was closely combined with economic diplomacy, foreign information and many heritages of Vietnam recognized by UNESCO to introduce the image of the country, people, culture, and development achievements of Vietnam to the world. The diplomatic sector deeply grasped Party and State policies on consolidating great national unity and overseas Vietnamese affairs which continued to be vigorously deployed to take care of overseas Vietnamese. Citizen protection produced important results, with more than 6,000 Vietnamese citizens and overseas Vietnamese in Ukraine promptly evacuated, about 1,200 forced workers/citizens in Cambodia brought home, and hundreds of fishermen and fishing vessels protected for legitimate rights and interests.

The above important results first of all came from the right foreign policies of the Party and the State along with the country's affluence, potential, position and international prestige after more than 35 years of doi moi (renovation); from close and consistent coordination of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy; from the active participation of the entire political system; from the consent and support of all the people; and from the strong cooperation of international partners and friends.

Foreign and diplomatic achievements in 2022 as well as after the 13th National Party Congress, affirmed that the diplomatic school and “Vietnamese bamboo” diplomacy based on Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thoughts, diplomatic tradition and identity and national culture are suitable to Vietnam's specific conditions and meet the country's current development requirements. Before complicated international developments, "Vietnamese bamboo" still stands firm and grows with a "solid root" of steadfast independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification and innovation, upholds the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law for the interest of the nation and the people; stays flexible, creative and dynamic with strategies and behaviors based on “ultimate goals and elastic actions”, equality and cooperation for mutual benefits. The identity of "Vietnamese bamboo" diplomacy has been promoted and expressed clearly in each diplomatic activity, especially high-level foreign affairs, as well as rational behaviors with each partner at multilateral mechanisms and forums. Thus, we have affirmed a brave, sincere, loyal, reliable and responsible Vietnam; at the same time, and endorsed the overall foreign policy for national development and national defense in a volatile world.

The practice of foreign affairs and diplomacy in the past year continued to enrich and deepen valuable lessons on foreign affairs in the doi moi process: Being more steadfast in principle, and more elastic and creative in strategy before difficulties and challenges that we are facing; properly handling the relationship of independence, self-reliance, solidarity and international cooperation and of national interests, international obligations and responsibilities; building solidarity and consensus in foreign affairs under the unified and absolute leadership of the Party and the Government; perfectly combining the position and power, multilateralism and bilateralism, political diplomacy, economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy; strengthening research, forecast and strategic advice on foreign affairs, properly assessing situations to take prompt actions against swift, complicated and unpredictable developments; always attaching special importance to building and perfecting the Party in terms of politics, ideology, morality, organization and personnel in the diplomatic service.

Advancing with the nation, the diplomatic sector is entering a new stage of development; strongly fostering the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo" diplomacy and the glorious tradition of revolutionary diplomacy. The sector closely joins Party diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy, national defense and security, economy, culture and society to further execute diplomacy consistently, creatively and effectively. Before requirements and tasks in the new age, with the bravery that has been forged through many events and occurrences, the diplomatic sector under the leadership of the Party is determined to build a clean, strong, professional, comprehensive and modern diplomacy to contribute to the cause of national development and national defense to deserve the confidence of the Party, the State and the People.

Bui Thanh Son
Minister of Foreign Affairs