London (VNA) – The importance of strongrelationships built on trust, integrity, support and influence has not beenunderestimated in the implementation of Vietnam’s foreign policy over the lastyears and it is these ꦅstrong relationships, built through professional and dedicated diplomats that have led to Vietnam’s success on the world stage, Vice Chairman o💝f the Vietnam-UK Network (VNUK Network) Paul Smith hasaffirmed.

Assessing Vietnam’s achievements in its internationalintegration during an interview given to the Vietnam News Agency’s resident correspondent in London, Smith said Vietnam is now recognised as a trusted partner intrade, defence and security by the world’s leading economies, and a seriousinfluencer with the United Nations, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

He believed this position will enable Vietnam’s diplomats tofurther increase global trade and influence to achieve the status of ahigh-income country by 2045. Commenting on Vietnam’s foreign policy described as “bamboowith strong roots” by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the VNUKNetwork Vice Chairman said this is very appropriate, particularly in theflexibility that is required to build global relationships and in dealing withsecurity and defence challenges. Smith said Vietnam has built a significant internationalpresence internationally, become a respected and trusted trading partner nowsitting as a fulcrum in ASEAN and Asia with increasing trade partnerships inover 220 countries. Few other emerging economies have achieved such stellarprogress and such high levels of respect in such a short time frame, heremarked. Smith believed the UK can become Vietnam’s largest Europeantrading partner over the next few years through collaboration in health care,pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and sustainability, education, and technologysectors. Meanwhile, President of the Foreign Relations Commission ofthe Chamber of Deputies of Mexico Alfredo Femat Bañuelos believed that Vietnamhas affirmed its increasingly growing role and position in the regional and internationalarenas with a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship,cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations. Speaking to VNA’s correspondents in Mexico, he underlinedthat this foreign policy has helped Vietnam raise its pillar role in ASEAN aswell as other multilateral forums. Femat said achievements in economic diplomacy has helped Vietnam stay firmly on the course to become an industrialised and modernised country. In addition, Vietnam’s success in cultural diplomacy hasproved that culture is the key and means to access and bolster dialogue and mutualunderstanding between nations across the globe, he stated./.