Proactively and actively integrating into the world in order to successfully carry out the task of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Photo: dangcongsan.vn

1. The policy of comprehensive international integration in a proactive and active manner

The 13th Party Congress determined: “Consistently implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of foreign relations. Ensuring the highest national interests based on fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, equality, cooperation and mutual benefits. Combining national strengths with those of the new era for proactive and active comprehensive international integration”⁽¹⁾.

The Party bases the above policies on the following scientific and objective foundations:

Firstly, the common perception of the era, and international and regional situation, is becoming more evident. While affirming that it is still a transitional era from capitalism to socialism, our Party realizes the complicated and long-term nature of the social transformation process. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain the proper awareness of the moves, characteristics, trends and natures of the era at present and in the future.

In the field of the international environment, our Party is well aware that countries, regardless of political regimes and development levels, peacefully coexist, cooperate and fight for their national interests. The Party believes that “the face of the world continues to change in the direction of multi-polarity and multi-center”⁽²⁾, which is becoming more evident. Major countries have changed their strategies towards cooperating, compromising, competing, and struggling to contain each other, strongly affecting the international and regional situation. The manifestations of extreme nationalism, oppressive authoritarianism, and pragmatism are increasingly emerging in international relations. Developing countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, are facing new opportunities, challenges, and difficulties on their way towards development.

Secondly, after 35 years of reforming in the field of foreign affairs and expanding international integration, Vietnam has gained “great achievements of historical significance”⁽³⁾, along with profound lessons of experience. Expanding foreign relations, Vietnam has safeguarded its independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, socialist regime, political security and social order and safety; ended the blockage and embargo; normalized and established stable and long-term relations with other countries; created and maintained a peaceful environment, as well as taken advantage of favorable factors of the international environment for development.

The country’s foreign relations have been further expanded and deepened. Particularly, Vietnam has developed friendly relations and cooperation with countries and territories worldwide based on respect for independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and political regime; gradually deepened and stabilized relations with its key partners. Along with state diplomacy, Party diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy have enhanced Vietnam’s position and prestige at multilateral forums.

Thirdly, the 13th Party Congress clearly states: In the coming years, the world will witness various complicated and unpredictable developments, but “peace, cooperation and development remain the main trends”⁽⁴⁾, and the process of “globalization and international integration continues to progress”⁽⁵⁾, cooperation, competition, struggle and interdependence among countries, especially among powerful countries, are increasing; “The fourth industrial revolution, especially digital technology, has strongly developed, creating breakthroughs in various fields, producing both opportunities and challenges for all nations and peoples”⁽⁶⁾.

The political and security situation in the world has rapidly changed with highly complicated and unpredictable developments. The encroachment on national sovereignty, disputes over territory and resources, ethnic and religious conflicts, subversive interventions, terrorism, cyber wars, civil wars etc., have been continuously happening in different areas. The face of the world has rapidly transformed towards the trend of multi-polarity and multi-center. Major countries have adjusted their strategies towards cooperating, compromising, competing and struggling to contain each other, which strongly affects the international and regional situation. Developing countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, are facing new opportunities and challenges; “global issues, such as protection of peace, human security, natural disasters, epidemics, social security and non-traditional security, especially cyber security, climate change, sea-level rise, environmental pollution, etc. continue to develop complicatedly”⁽⁷⁾. 

2. Solutions to implement the policy of comprehensive and deep international integration in a proactive and active manner

In order to successfully implement the policy of “comprehensive and deep international integration in a proactive and active manner; maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, constantly improving Vietnam’s position and prestige in the world”⁽⁸⁾, from now to 2030 and with a vision to 2045, it is necessary to focus on thoroughly grasping several principles and solutions as follows:

Regarding principles: (i) Proactively and actively integrating into the world in order to successfully carry out the task of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; (ii) International integration is the cause of the entire people and the whole political system under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State. International integration is based on making the most of internal resources and taking advantage of external resources, of which the essential resources are internal strengths and human resources; (iii) Proactively and actively integrating into the world, well handling the relationship between independence, self-reliance and international integration; promoting comprehensive, extensive, flexible and effective international integration for the sake of the nation, ensuring national independence, self-reliance and sovereignty⁽⁹⁾. Independence and self-reliance are the foundation, creating internal strengths to improve the efficiency of international cooperation as well as proactive and active international integration; (iv) International economic integration is the focus of international integration; any integration in other fields should facilitate economic integration and actively contribute to economic development, strengthening national defense, ensuring national security, preserving and promoting national cultural identity, promoting cultural and social development; (v) International integration is a process of both cooperation and struggle; holding firm to the interests of nation and peoples; proactively forecasting, flexibly handling any situations so as not to fall into any passive, confrontational positions and not to ally with one country to fight another; (vi) Strictly complying with the international commitments that Vietnam participates in, along with actively contributing and effectively using the international rules and regulations, as well as participating in the activities of the regional and international community; proactively proposing initiatives and cooperation mechanisms on the principle of mutual benefits; consolidating and enhancing its role in the regional and international community, actively contributing to the struggle for peace, independence, democracy and social progress in the world.

Regarding solutions:

Firstly, as far as the political integration is concerned, with the spirit of the 13th National Congress on raising political integration to a higher level, Vietnam is to build comprehensive and deep relationships, promote external relations to serve domestic relations, expand external relations to enhance economic relations, strengthen international cooperation for socio-economic development, and step up industrialization and modernization.

- Perfecting the system of mechanisms and policies; reforming institutions and laws; creating favorable conditions for promoting political integration, and establishing political cooperation agreements. Reviewing the system of legal documents; amending, supplementing, developing and promulgating new documents to ensure uniformity, transparency, feasibility, and in line with international commitments that Vietnam has signed. Strengthening the close coordination mechanism between channels, levels and external agencies; promoting and improving the efficiency of foreign affairs and international integration.

- “Strengthening and deepening the bilateral cooperation relationship with partners, especially strategic, comprehensive and other important ones, creating intertwined interests and increasing trust”⁽¹⁰⁾. Reviewing the implementation of frameworks and schemes for relationship development with neighboring countries, the Mekong sub-region, ASEAN, Asia-Pacific, major countries and essential partners; upgrading and expanding bilateral relations in accordance with the requirements of international integration; providing specific plans and priority tasks to promote cooperation in all fields, especially large cooperation programs and projects; timely solving problems, contributing to bringing the established relationship frameworks with other countries into reality, creating intertwined and bonding interests between our country and partners⁽¹¹⁾.

Focusing on proactive and active political cooperation in non-traditional security issues in line with the orientation of the 13th National Congress of “proactively and constructively sharing information, closely coordinating to do research, management and exploitation, efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, ensuring ecological security, environmental security, water security, food security, and energy security”⁽¹²⁾. Developing programs and projects to “expand relations and promote cooperation with political, social forces and people of other countries, striving for peace, national independence, democracy, development cooperation and social progress”⁽¹³⁾.

- Proactively and actively participating and promoting the “core, leading and conciliatory” role in multilateral mechanisms; considering participating in building and shaping political institutions, institutions, laws and standards; closely and effectively cooperating in bilateral ones.

- Increasing dissemination, promotion and introduction of the guidelines and lines of the Party and State, policies and strategies of the Government on commitments on political integration; “renovating contents and methods, improving the effectiveness of foreign affair dissemination, citizen protection, and implementing more comprehensively and strongly the overseas Vietnamese affairs. Improving political will, quality, capacity, professional style, innovation of the staff working in foreign affairs and international integration; proactively adapting to situational changes”⁽¹⁴⁾.

Secondly, regarding economic integration, proactive and active solutions for extensive and comprehensive international integration in the field contribute to building an independent and self-reliant economy; improving the efficiency of international economic integration, and making Vietnamese enterprises strong enough to take the core role in the economy; “multilateralizing, diversifying international economic relations, avoiding dependence on one market or one partner”. Improving the economy’s resilience to external negative impacts”⁽¹⁵⁾.

- Perfecting the system of mechanisms, policies, reforming institutions and laws, creating favorable conditions for promoting economic integration in line with the country’s international commitments and actual development conditions. Focusing on formulating, amending and improving laws and acts related to international economic integration. Reviewing and evaluating cooperation outcomes, updating and implementing strategies and plans for international economic integration.

- Promoting and improving the efficiency of bilateral economic, investing and trading cooperation with partners, establishing cooperation frameworks, especially in such fields as digital economy, green economy; “implementing different forms of international economic integration with flexible roadmaps, being suitable to the country’s conditions and targets in each period”⁽¹⁶⁾.

- Speeding up multilateral economic relations, promoting the role of shaping and building new institutions, mechanisms and rules, both multilateral and bilateral economic mechanisms.

At the regional/inter-regional level, reviewing and updating signed agreements, preparing to participate in FTAs between ASEAN and its partners such as the EU and UK; focusing on contributing to the building of the ASEAN Economic Community, and actively taking part in the process of shaping regional multilateral institutions in ASEAN, Mekong region; actively taking part in developing economic administration frameworks and regulations at the regional and inter-regional levels (such as APEC), promoting the fields in which Vietnam could gain interests and benefits; implementing commitments such as EVFTA and EVIPA to boost exports to the EU, attracting a new investment wave from the EU, taking advantage of funding sources for the development of the sustainable economy as well as mountainous and rural economy.

At the global level, continuously promoting effective cooperation within the United Nations to mobilize support in terms of policy, finance and technique for development activities, especially in areas such as economic restructuring, growth model innovation, agricultural restructuring towards increasing added value and sustainable development, innovation, adaptation to climate change, green development, green transformation, renewable energy, circular economy, maintaining global supply chains, sustainably developing marine economy, promoting vaccine diplomacy, technology, medical supplies for Covid-19 prevention, control and treatment.

- Providing training and conducting dissemination and communication; improving research capacity on international economic integration and new development trends (digital transformation, supply chain transformation, production and investment; green, sustainable, inclusive development; circular economy, etc.); promoting Vietnam’s commitments to international economic integration; “intensifying the training and fostering of staff with a deep understanding of international law, international trade and investment, capable of working in the international environment, especially those directly engaged in economic integration, international dispute settlement”⁽¹⁷⁾.

Thirdly, regarding defense and security integration, international integration in defense and security aims to contribute to “stabilizing political security, ensuring social order and safety, human security, economic security, cyber security, and building an orderly and disciplined society”⁽¹⁸⁾, “proactively preventing the risks of war and conflict from afar; early detecting and timely handling with adverse factors, especially the ones that cause sudden changes; stepping up the struggle to defeat all plots and destructive activities of hostile forces, reactionaries and political opportunists”⁽¹⁹⁾.

- Supplementing and improving mechanisms, policies, and legal institutions, reviewing the implementation of schemes, strategies, programs and plans to promote defense and security integration in line with the new thinking on national defense and security. Reviewing, evaluating, and promoting the implementation of foreign affairs and defense and security integration activities in the spirit of the 13th National Party Congress; Directive No.25-CT/TW dated August 8th, 2018 of the Secretariat on promoting and elevating multilateral external relations to 2030; the 11th Military Party Congress Resolution, Resolution No.806-NQ/QUTW of the Central Military Commission on “International integration and defense diplomacy until 2020 and beyond”; project “International integration in defense to 2020, with a vision to 2030”⁽²⁰⁾.

- Proactively and actively expanding comprehensive bilateral integration in security and defense; establishing defense-security agreements. Continuing to maintain and hold firm to friendly relations and defense cooperation with neighboring and major countries, ASEAN and traditional friends⁽²¹⁾. Focusing on expanding and diversifying methods of implementing cooperation contents with strategically important partners, giving priority to several areas such as overcoming war consequences; search and rescue, military medicine, strategic training, research, maritime security, border diplomacy⁽²²⁾, Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control, border protection coordination, enhanced military medicine cooperation, medical equipment support⁽²³⁾, through the exchange of military delegations at all levels, defense consultation and dialogue, in order to strengthen friendship, mutual understanding, build trust and prevent conflict⁽²⁴⁾. Strengthening cooperation in research and technology transfer, mastering modern technology, producing high-tech and deterrent weapons and equipment, and promoting the consumption of defense products⁽²⁵⁾.

- Proactively and actively participating in defense and security multilateral mechanisms in line with the new thinking on national defense, participating in the shaping of defense, security institutions, regulations, and standards; “proactively, actively and responsibly working with ASEAN countries to build a strong and united Community, maintaining ASEAN’s central role in the regional security architecture”⁽²⁶⁾. Diversifying forms and methods of fostering national defense and security knowledge, training teachers and lecturers, disseminating defense knowledge, especially on international integration on defense and security, changing and transforming the people’s awareness and the awareness of the contingent of cadres and Party members⁽²⁷⁾.

Fourthly, as far as cultural integration is concerned, international integration in culture aims to “awaken the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country; promote Vietnamese cultural values and human strength in the cause of national construction and defense, and international integration”⁽²⁸⁾, “promoting comprehensive human development and building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity so that Vietnamese culture and people truly become the endogenous strength, the driving force for the development and protection of the country. Increasingly investing in cultural development. Building, developing and creating the most favorable social conditions to arouse patriotism, national pride, belief and aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country; talents, intelligence and qualifications of Vietnamese people are the most important goal and driving force for national development”⁽²⁹⁾.

- Promoting bilateral cultural relations, bringing into full play the cultural factors to foster political and economic relations. Speeding up cooperation with traditional partners such as Laos, Russia and potential partners such as Japan, Korea, Germany, the EU, and the United States. Diversifying the form and content of cultural exchanges, movies, and fashion, promoting the combination of culture and tourism, updating new issues such as knowledge transfer, management technology, technical support on policy-making, developing legal documents in labor, employment, and human resource development, social security. Being innovative and creative in cultural integration, significantly diversifying its forms such as online, digital culture, digital society, etc., particularly in accelerating digital transformation after Covid-19.

- “Expanding and improving the effectiveness of cultural diplomacy, making practical contributions to promoting the national image and enhancing the country’s synergy”⁽³⁰⁾. The works of history promotion, Vietnamese culture, and language development associated with the tourist economy should be fostered. Cultural exchange activities such as festivals, publications of valuable Vietnamese artworks, traditional craft villages, tourist attractions, literary and artistic works, music, painting, cinema, photography, architecture, etc. should be diversified, contributing to actively creating the works of culture, art, science, etc. in the world.

Fifthly, regarding scientific, technological, educational and training integration, integration in these fields aims to “improve the quality of human resources, obtaining a breakthrough mechanism to attract and retain talents, vigorously applying science and technology, especially the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s achievements, promoting innovation, creating a new driving force for rapid and sustainable development”⁽³¹⁾. Accordingly, some proposed measures are as follows:

- Building, consolidating and improving the legal and institutional system to promote the renewal of the national science and technology system, innovation, education and training, and assist Vietnam in implementing signed international treaties and commitments. Promoting innovation foundation, scientific and technological achievement application, human resource development to prove its comparative advantages and proactively integrate into the world⁽³²⁾; “speeding up national digital transformation; digital economy development based on science, technology, and innovation”⁽³³⁾. Actively implementing the National Strategy on the Fourth Industrial Revolution to 2030 to expand international cooperation and integration in science and technology. Formulating and implementing the Science and Technology Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045. Developing and implementing the Project on international integration in education and vocational training to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

- Strengthening bilateral cooperation programs, signing agreements with leading partners in science, technology, education and training. Diversifying international cooperation, signing and effectively implementing international treaties, agreements and bilateral cooperation agreements in education, science and technology, especially prioritizing those signed with strategic partners.

- Promoting a proactive and active role in multilateral institutions/fora on science and technology; contributing to shaping and building global institutions, mechanisms, laws, and standards in science, technology, education and training. Continuing to strengthen participation in multilateral frameworks on science, technology and education and training to take advantage of the resources of knowledge, technology, equipment, and documents to improve the Vietnamese staff’s capacity. Focusing on promoting international integration in health, epidemic prevention, vaccine research and production, proactively and actively participating in global institutions on health governance, health security and humanitarian aid.

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Received: January 12, 2021; Revised: January 19, 2021; Approved for Publication: February 22, 2022.

Endnotes:

(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), (13), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (26), (28), (29), (30), (31), (33) CPV: Documents of the 13th National Party Congress, vol.I, Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 161-162, 105, 25, 105, 105, 106, 106-107, 117-118, 164, 163, 52, 164, 165, 135, 135, 135-136, 117, 117, 163, 202, 115-116, 50, 110, 115.

(11) Resolution No.22-NQ/TW dated April 10th, 2013, of the Politburo on international integration.

(20), (21), (23), (24) Hoang Xuan Chien: International integration and defense diplomacy in 2020, orientation to 2021, http://m.tapchiqptd.vn.

(22) Foreign Affairs and Defense Cooperation, the website of the Ministry of Defense.

(25) Vu Chien Thang: International integration and defense diplomacy creating essential resources to build the modern military, https://www.qdnd.vn.

(27) Ngo Minh Tien: Synchronously and effectively implementing the national defense and security education, http://m.tapchiqptd.vn.

(32) Nguyen Minh Phong, Nguyen Tran Minh Tri: Vietnam’s economic position and prospects, https://nhandan.vn.

Assoc.Prof., Dr. HOANG PHUC LAM

Party Committee Deputy Secretary and Vice President,

Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics