Also attending the Conference were comrade Le Hoai Trung, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Party Central Committee's External Relations Commission; comrade Bui Thanh Son, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs; comrades of the Party Central Committee: Deputy Chief of the Party Central Committee Office Pham Gia Tuc, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of Public Security, Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung; comrades leading departments, ministries, branches, central agencies, leaders and former leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, in 2024, the vision and strategic thinking on foreign affairs, along with the decisions, strategic orientations and direct participation in foreign affairs activities of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, Party and State leaders, especially the upgrading and elevation of relations with important partners and traditional friends, have created a fundamental change in the foreign affairs situation of our country.

Thanks to that, foreign affairs work has been increasingly enhanced, strongly promoting its pioneering role, creating increasingly high consensus and achieving many new developments in the fields of bilateral and multilateral foreign affairs, political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, foreign information, work with overseas Vietnamese and citizen protection.

In particular, economic diplomacy and foreign economic relations under the close and drastic direction of the Prime Minister have transformed strongly in many areas such as trade, investment, digital transformation, green transformation, semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence, etc.

Vietnam continues to be a safe and attractive destination

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed that in 2024, global, national, and comprehensive issues will develop faster, more complicatedly, and more unpredictably. However, the trend of peace, cooperation, and development is still the dominant trend, the main flow, and this is an opportunity for us to "turn danger into opportunity". Science and technology and digital transformation are becoming new productive forces, opening up breakthrough development opportunities for countries. The Indo-Pacific region is the most dynamically developing in the world, but it is also a site of fierce strategic competition among major countries.

Domestically, Vietnam is a transitional economy with a modest economic scale, high openness, and limited resilience. In the context of difficulties and challenges, we still overcome, stabilize, develop, and achieve many victories in all fields, affirming the mettle, intelligence, solidarity, and maturity of our staff, as well as our decisiveness and flexible response in important moments. 2024 has become the first year in many years that we have achieved and exceeded all 15/15 set targets.

In particular, Vietnam has become a bright spot in terms of growth in the region and the world (over 7%) with a stable macroeconomic foundation, controlled inflation, and guaranteed major economic balances.

Vietnam continues to be a safe and attractive destination for international investment and business, among the 15 developing countries attracting the largest FDI in the world with nearly 40 billion USD registered, realized capital reaching nearly 25 billion USD; stock market capitalization reaching nearly 7.2 million billion VND, the stock market growth rate reaching double digits, the highest in the region; import and export is estimated at 786 billion USD, the highest ever; foreign tourists to Vietnam are estimated at 17.6 million, an increase of 39.5% compared to 2023.

Along with that, the spirit of entrepreneurship, science and technology and innovation is strongly aroused; strategic breakthroughs have achieved very positive results in the direction of open institutions, smooth infrastructure and smart governance.

National defense and security were maintained and strengthened. Politics and society were stable, culture and society were given attention, social security was improved and more effective; no one was left hungry, cold, hungry, or without clothing, no students were left without schools, no sick people were left without medical treatment; the consequences of typhoon Yagi were overcome promptly and effectively. The happiness index increased by 11 levels, the sustainable development index increased by 1 level, the spirit of mutual love, national affection, and compatriotism were strongly promoted, and people's trust in the Party and State was enhanced.

Maintain, consolidate and enhance on 3 prominent aspects

Regarding the results of foreign affairs in 2024, the Prime Minister assessed that the overall achievements of the whole country include very important contributions from the diplomatic sector with many outstanding results, which can be summarized in three aspects: maintaining, consolidating and enhancing .

Firstly, contributing to maintaining a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment for development. Harmoniously and satisfactorily handling a number of issues arising in relations with important partners. Diplomacy has closely coordinated with national defense and security.

Second, continue to strengthen political trust and upgrade relations with partners, creating a favorable foreign situation .

Third, constantly expand the scope, objects, and areas of diplomatic activities, through economic diplomacy, technological diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, foreign information and propaganda, and attract resources from overseas Vietnamese...

To achieve the above results, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the Party building and diplomacy sector building work in the past year and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, in a professional, standardized and modern direction.

Analyzing the reasons for the results achieved, the Prime Minister assessed that the diplomatic sector has closely followed the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on foreign affairs and international integration; organized serious, drastic, timely and effective implementation. The whole sector has made efforts, promoted the spirit of solidarity, responsibility, proactiveness, smooth and effective coordination of departments, ministries, branches, localities and agencies in the political system.

Recognizing, praising and congratulating the efforts and achievements of the diplomatic sector, the Prime Minister hoped that the diplomatic sector would be more proactive, timely and effective in grasping the world, regional and local situations to advise the Party and State to have flexible, appropriate and effective policy responses; further promote the vanguard role to effectively exploit commitments and agreements with partners, turning them into resources and material assets to serve the country's development, especially the role of ambassadors; build a more professional team, "both red and expert".

Basically agreeing with the lessons learned by the delegates, the Prime Minister emphasized three important lessons.

One is to persevere in the line of national independence and socialism, implement a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, proactive and active international integration, be a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community.

Second, grasp the domestic and foreign situation, respond promptly, flexibly, effectively, and give correct and accurate advice, so as not to let the Party and State be passive or surprised in foreign affairs, objects, and areas.

Third is to build a team of cadres who are both red and professional, have national pride, great ambitions, think deeply and do great things, have foresight, are politically sensitive, economically astute, have a deep understanding of science and technology, and are highly professional.

Achieve more practical and breakthrough results, continue to be a bright spot

The Prime Minister stated that 2025 is of special importance, we must both "accelerate and break through" to complete the goals and tasks set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress; run and line up to reorganize and streamline the apparatus; successfully organize party congresses at all levels towards the 14th National Congress of the Party; well organize major holidays and important events of the country to celebrate the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday, the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Party, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Country, the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, and the reunification of the country.

According to the Prime Minister, besides the advantages, foreign affairs and diplomacy also face many challenges, such as how to put the country in the most favorable context, the most optimal position in the new situation and order that is taking shape, and flexibly adapt to all external fluctuations; how to continue to maintain an open foreign situation, handle harmonious and balanced relations with major countries, in the context of fierce strategic competition; how to effectively handle the two strategic goals of firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development; how to effectively exploit agreements, make the most of favorable international conditions to serve rapid and sustainable economic development, etc.

To contribute to the realization of the country's 2025 goals, create momentum, create strength, create position, create trust and strengthen the hope of people, businesses and international friends, with the viewpoint of valuing time, intelligence and timely decisiveness, the Prime Minister requested the entire diplomatic sector to focus on key tasks and solutions.

Firstly, all foreign affairs and diplomatic activities must effectively serve the growth target of at least 8% and strive for higher growth under possible conditions.

Second, maintain, consolidate and enhance a favorable foreign policy situation, a peaceful, cooperative and developing environment, promote in-depth, stable and sustainable relations with all countries, especially major countries, neighboring countries and traditional friends.

Third, diplomatic activities must contribute to promoting new productive forces in the new context such as semiconductor chips, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, internet industry and internet of things, blockchain technology, cultural industry, entertainment industry, biomedical industry, new energy, new materials, etc.

Fourth , complete the reception of functions and tasks from the Central External Relations Commission and the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, streamline the apparatus to be strong, efficient, effective and efficient; consolidate, strengthen and further promote the three pillars: Party external relations, State diplomacy and people's diplomacy.

Fifth, develop and implement a project to restructure and improve the quality of the staff, civil servants and public employees, and consolidate and enhance the domestic and foreign material resources of the diplomatic sector.

Along with that, synchronously and effectively carry out regular tasks, promote economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, promote the national image, build modern and professional diplomacy; focus on building a clean and strong Party; improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations and Party members; step up the fight against negativity and waste...

The Prime Minister hopes and believes that, with the joint efforts, solidarity and consensus of all levels, sectors and localities, the diplomatic sector will overcome all difficulties, overcome all challenges, strongly and comprehensively implement assigned tasks, continue to achieve breakthrough and more practical results, continue to be a bright spot in the coming years, make practical and effective contributions, and create a foundation to bring the country firmly into a new era - an era of strong, civilized and prosperous development./.