Havana (VNA) – The year 2023 is a particularly successful year of Vietnam’sdiplomacy in elevating the country’s relations with important partners in theinternational arena, said a senior researcher at the Cuban Centre forInternational Policy Research (CIPI).

Talkingto the Vietnam News Agency, Dr. Ruvislei Gonzalez Saez from the CIPI, who isalso Director of the International Relations Programme of Cuba, said thecomplexity of the world today with big uncertainties has led to the need fora peaceful, diverse, and responsible diplomatic policy to help enhanceinternational relations.

Vietnam’sdiplomatic sector has obtained many outstanding achievements as seen in thevisits by leaders of world powers like the US and China and the elevation ofbilateral ties with some countries, he went on.

Overthe past months, Vietnam has carried out a number of high-level activities withboth China and the US. Last August, Party General Secretary of Vietnam Nguyen PhuTrong visited and planted a memorial tree at the Huu Nghi International BorderGate in Lang Son province, which borders China. US President Joe Biden came toHanoi in September, and the two sides lifted their relations to the comprehensivestrategic partnership. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh took part inbilateral activities in the US also in September. Meanwhile, VietnamesePresident Vo Van Thuong attended the third Belt and Road Forum forInternational Cooperation in China in October. In early December, Party GeneralSecretary and President of China Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Vietnam.

Theseactivities reflect achievements of Vietnam’s foreign policy, Ruvislei opined,elaborating that the country has further intensified the comprehensivestrategic cooperative partnership and agreed to build a community with a sharedfuture with China. It has also upgraded the connections with Japan to the “comprehensivestrategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world”.

Atthe multilateral level, Vietnam started 2023 with its role as a member of theUnited Nations Human Rights Council in the 2023 - 2025 tenure. Besides, it waselected Vice Chair of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for theSafeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The country has also continued actingas an active member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In addition,Vietnam and China agreed to promote a cooperation plan to connect the Two Corridors,One Belt framework with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Heheld that the upgrade of relations with other countries, including the US andJapan, will be the leverage for economic growth that Vietnam needs, adding its bilateral relations,including in science and technology, education, culture, and defence, have grownconsiderably over the recent past.

Speakinghighly of Vietnam’s rich and diverse culture, Ruvislei said culture couldbecome an important bridge helping advance the country’s reach to the world,and that although Vietnamese cuisine has been present at many restaurantsacross Asia, there remains much room for it to be further popularised and haveits influence expanded.

Ina complex world situation, maintaining independence in its foreign policy whilenot abandoning the principle of protecting an equal world where all people arerespected regardless of their origin is a clear-sighted path ofVietnam’s diplomacy, according to the expert./.