Hanoi (VNA) – The 30th Diplomatic Conference concluded in Hanoi on August 17 afterfive days of sitting.

In his closingremarks, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said theconference was a resounding success, helping improve the role of Vietnam’sdiplomatic sector.

The five-dayevent reviewed the recent implementation of external affairs, analysed the regionaland international situation as well as opportunities and challenges facingVietnam, and proposed some countermeasures.

He stressedthat Party and State leaders highly appreciate the achievements of thediplomatic sector, which, they said, have significantly contributed tomaintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development, andenhancing Vietnam’s international status.

The delegatesalso outlined some of the sector’s key tasks for the time ahead, including researchingand defining the direction for external relations in a modern context; puttingdevelopment at the centre of diplomatic activities with more heed paid to the needsof residents, businesses, and localities; intensifying multilateral diplomacy;making preparations for Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and the country’scandidacy for a seat at the UN Security Council for 2020-2021; and buildingmodern diplomacy.

At the closingceremony, the conference approved a resolution and an action plan, showing theircommitment to materialising the outcomes of the conference and concretising theresolve of the diplomatic sector to implement the Resolution adopted at the 12thNational Party Congress.

Party General SecretaryNguyen Phu Trong delivered a speech at the opening of the Conference on August13, in which he mentioned difficulties and challenges the diplomatic sectorcould face in the near future.

The external environment in the years to comewill be complicated and unpredictable, and there will be challenges to keepinga peaceful and stable environment, he said.

The protection of the country’s sovereignty andterritorial integrity along with national interests at sea will also face newchallenges. The situation will remain complicated while the risks of conflictshave not yet been pushed back.

The country’s external economic activities couldsee new challenges, including rising protectionism in major export markets andtrade wars between powerful countries. The role of major multilateralinstitutions like the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum is being threatened. The development ofscience and technology is posing new issues for trade and foreign investment.

Multilateral external work will also encountermore challenges. Currently, the role of multilateral institutions is declining while in the region, the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is still facing difficulties in reinforcingits central role. 

The Party leader urged the diplomatic sector tocontinue reforming its mindset in external work and pursue the country’sexternal policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation,development, multilateralisation and diversification of relations, and activeinternational integration.

He suggested capitalising on all favourablefactors to contribute to building multilateral mechanisms, while canvassingcountries’ support of Vietnam’s candidacy to become a non-permanent member ofthe UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.

Apart from improving the efficiency of externalactivities, especially economic cooperation and collaboration in politics anddefence-security, it is necessary to better implement the country’s policy ofactive international integration and promote economic diplomacy for sustainabledevelopment.

The Party chief also emphasised improving thequality of research work and strategic forecasts in addition to strengtheningcoordination between ministries, relevant departments and localities,particularly between diplomacy and defence-security in implementing the Partyand State’s external affairs and international integration.-VNA