Vietnam’s wider international integration in 2013
(VOV) - 2013 has been as a successful year for Vietnam’s external relations, in particular politics, security and economics.
At a year-end press conference Deputy Prime minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that the Vietnamese diplomatic sector has successfully implemented the external policy of openness, diversification and multilaterlisation of relations and international economic integration.
Vietnam has established a cooperation framework with almost all of its major world partners this year.
High-level exchange visits between Vietnam and influential nations such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia and India have created a firmer political trust in a bid to deal with current regional and international issues.
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| Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh |
Speeches by State President Truong Tan Sang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung earned great acclaim at international forums and contributed to successful multilateral relations.
Vietnam was also elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee thus raising its status for deeper international integration.
On border and territory issues, Vietnam completed the border marker planting with Laos, fulfilled 80 percent of such work with Cambodia and implemented three documents on border management with China.
Regarding the East Sea issue, FM Minh said despite the complex developments in the East Sea in 2012 and early 2013, the country managed to maintain a stable environment to protect exclusive economic zones and ensure fishermen’s normal operations as well as preventing acts of sea infringement.
Vietnam has joined with ASEAN member countries to consult with China on formulating a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
In 2014, the country will go ahead with the external policy adopted at the 11th National Party Congress and international integration and national defence strategy.
Vietnam will continue to boost cooperation with strategic partners and traditional friends with a long-term view of promoting political and cultural diplomacy and protecting Vietnamese citizens abroad, said Minh.