APEC 2017 and high-profile visits put Vietnam on the global diplomatic map

February 15, 2018 | 15:18

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Even though peace, co-operation, and development remained on the diplomatic table, the world still faced many risks and uncertainties in 2017 due to financial and monetary instability, coupled with instability in world geo-politics and international security caused by rising nationalism and protectionism.

Vietnam’s diplomatic activities in 2017 were heavily impacted by policy adjustments by other powers, in which there was a complex interweaving of co-operation and competition. In this context, with its great contributions to the country’s socio-economic achievements, Vietnam’s diplomatic work in 2017 was implemented both proactively and drastically, and across bilateral and multilateral relationships.

One of the most outstanding activities was the successful organisation of APEC 2017, which has helped elevate Vietnam’s multilateral diplomatic work to new heights, meaning Vietnam has “proactively contributed to constructing and shaping common rules of the game”. This has helped to effectively protect and boost strategic interests in national security and development.

At the same time, Vietnam’s bilateral diplomatic activities with other nations have also continued to be strengthened through the channels of the Party, the state, the government, and the National Assembly.

As Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh said, “2017 was one of the years that saw the most successful diplomatic achievements”, Vietnam Investment Review would like to assess the most eminent diplomatic events in 2017.

Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Vietnam in November took place right after the conclusion of the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders' Week organised in the central city of Danang. It was also the first overseas visit of Jinping after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, demonstrating how China and Jinping himself have attached much importance to the relationship between the two countries.

The most outstanding activity in Vietnam’s diplomatic activities in 2017 was the country’s excellent execution of its role as host of APEC 2017, which culminated in the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders' Week in November in Danang, which saw the issuance of the Danang Declaration. This event created positive and multi-dimensional effects, highlighting APEC as a leading region in economic co-operation and connectivity, and giving prominence to Vietnam as the host of such a global-level event. For the first time in 10 years, all APEC leaders attended the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, while thousands of delegates, businesspeople, and reporters flew to Vietnam for various meetings during APEC 2017.

At the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and a delegation of high-ranking officials paid an official visit to China in January 2017. The welcoming ceremony was solemnly organised, with the highest level of etiquette used for a state leader, combined with a 21-gun salute. The two leaders witnessed the signing of 15 co-operation deals during this visit. Later in 2017, Trong also paid a state visit to Myanmar and an official visit to Indonesia.

In June 2017, President Tran Dai Quang paid an official visit to Russia at the invitation of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. In a joint statement released during the visit, the two leaders agreed to promote the implementation of the Vietnam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement. Earlier in May 2017, Quang paid a state visit to China and attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

The official visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the invitation of President Donald Trump was of special significance, as Phuc was the first Southeast Asian leader to visit the US since Trump was elected US president. This visit produced comprehensive results, contributing to maintaining and fostering the development of the Vietnam-US relationship.

During his state visit to Vietnam in his first year as US president, Donald Trump was surprised by Vietnam’s development. He said, “Today, an opening Vietnamese economy is one of the fastest- growing economies on Earth. It has already grown more than 30 times over.” He affirmed that the US has attached much importance to its co-operation with Vietnam and the role that Vietnam has been playing in the region.

During the official visit to Vietnam by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the two countries issued a joint statement on lifting their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive partnership. In addition, on the sidelines of the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders' Week in Danang, Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc agreed to raise their countries’ relations to a strategic partnership.

During his official visit to Vietnam, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe affirmed that he attached special importance to his relationship with Vietnam. Also in 2017, the relationship between the two countries was further strengthened by a state visit to Vietnam by Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, as well as by an official visit from Oshima Tadamori, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, and his spouse.

At the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the Republic of Korea's National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and a delegation of high-ranking officials made an official visit to Vietnam. This visit has contributed to further riveting the two countries’ strategic partnership.

The official visit to Singapore by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was aimed to further cement the relationship between the leaders of both countries, especially as Singapore had just concluded the election of its president and parliament chairperson for a new tenure. In 2017, parliament-based diplomacy was a diplomatic channel that brought about many successes, with official visits by Ngan to Sweden, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Australia.