Conference highlights role of localities' foreign affairs

ABO/NDO- The 21st national conference on foreign affairs wrapped up in Hanoi on December 18 with the adoption of action orientations for localities’ external relations and international integration.

Under the orientations, the policies on foreign affairs and international integration adopted at the 13th National Party Congress will be implemented concertedly, effectively, and comprehensively.

Other targets include raising public awareness of the role of foreign affairs and international integration of localities, promoting economic diplomacy, and reforming local-level external work.

Localities will also set out specific plans for foreign relations, enhance the work across spheres, and increase investment in the field, especially in terms of material facilities and personnel.

Delegates to the 21st conference on foreign affairs in a group photo. (Photo: baoquocte.vn).

The conference, held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), saw the attendance of nearly 500 delegates from ministries, agencies, localities, Vietnamese representative offices abroad, foreign embassies, and international organisations in Vietnam.

In his opening remarks, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son lauded the close coordination between localities and the MoFA and other agencies in external relations over the past time.

To raise the effectiveness of localities’ foreign relations, he suggested optimising the country’s new position and potential, with economic diplomacy being the key task, stressing that the work should be done in a professional and modern fashion, with a focus on raising the personnel quality.

Delivering a speech at the conference, Country Director of the ADB for Vietnam Shantanu Chakraborty pointed to opportunities for Vietnam to access loans in order to spur its economic growth, and suggested the country improve its competitiveness in supply chains.

Gabor Fluit, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam, expressed his support for the Vietnam-Europe relations through green economy cooperation mechanisms, thus ensuring the country’s sustainable and comprehensive growth.

(Source: NDO)