The highlights of diplomatic work in June include the acceleration of regional integration, establishment of strategic partnership with Thailand and Indonesia, and enhancement of the relations with China.
Establishing strategic partnership with Thailand and Indonesia
The previous month marked a new chapter in the history of the bilateral ties with Thailand and Indonesia following official visits of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Thailand from June 25-27 and State President Truong Tan Sang to Indonesia from June 27-28.
Thailand chose Viet Nam as its first strategic partner in the region, which is based on five major areas of politics, national defense and security, economy, social-cultural and regional and international cooperation.
Both sides stressed the importance of exchanging delegations all levels, organizing strategically political dialogues, expanding national defense and security cooperation, and striving to lift up two-way trade turnover to US$15 billion by 2020.
The two countries committed to beefing up regional and international cooperation in a bid to build the ASEAN community of political unity, economical connectivity and social responsibility.
Particularly, the two leaders agreed to task competent agencies to quickly design, sign and realize action plans for the aforesaid five strategic fields in in 2013.
A day later, Indonesia officially became the second strategic partner of Viet Nam in ASEAN.
The visit made by State President Truong Tan Sang is a historical turning points in the history of the bilateral ties.
The leaders witnessed the signing ceremony of more than 30 agreements in such fields like politics, national defense, security, economics, trade, education, agriculture among others, laying a firm foundation for the thriving relations between the two nations.
They also vowed to lift up the two-way trade value to US$10 billion by 2018.
By now, Viet Nam has set up diplomatic ties with 181 countries, including 11 strategic partners, namely Russia (2001), Japan (2006), India (2007), China (2008), the Republic of Korea, Spain (2009), the UK (2010), Germany (2011), Italy, Thailand and Indonesia (2013).
Consolidating strategic partnership with China
State President Truong Tan Sang made his first State visit to China from June 19-21 since he took office.
During his talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the two leaders emphasized the importance of consolidating and enhancing the strategic partnership between the two neighbors.
Both sides issued Joint Statement and signed 10 documents, including the joint plan of action between Governments of Viet Nam and China on implementing the Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, border defense cooperation agreement between the two Ministries of Defense, and an agreement on the establishment of a hot line on unexpected incidences in fishing operations at sea.
The two leaders agreed to take drastic measures to reduce trade imbalance and increase trade volume to US$60 billion by 2015.
Accelerating regional economic integration
On June 6, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung left Ha Noi for the 2013 World Economic Forum on East Asia in Myanmar’s capital city, Nay Pyi Taw.
In his keynote speech, Prime Minister Dung said the theme of this year’s forum is selected properly and timely.
According to the Vietnamese Government chief, an indispensable part of the regional transformation and integration progress is the effort to enhance economic connectivity among ASEAN or Mekong Subregion, especially the formulation of trans-national economic corridors.
These corridors will bridge South Asia and Central Asia with Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean and the Pacific regions.
He called on investors to pour investments in socio-economic development projects along the corridors.
Prime Minister Dung took the occasion to affirm Viet Nam’s readiness to talks with business community about the improvement of the country’s business environment.
Earlier on June 4, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh left for the China-South Asia Expo and Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair.
In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Ninh said the above events would help boost economic and trade relations between Viet Nam and South Asian countries as well as between Viet Nam and China.
That is why, Viet Nam always sends the highest number of businesses to he fair. Last year, Viet Nam joined the Kunming Fair with 196 stalls of leading enterprises who wished to introduce, advertise products, seek opportunities and expand market shares. This year, the figure was 180.
Continuing diversification of relations
Last month, Chairman of El Salvador's Legislative Assembly Sigfrido Reyes paid an official visit to Viet Nam from June 6-11, marking a new turning point in the relations between the two countries.
Mozambique’s Minister of Home Affairs visited Viet Nam on June 4 with a desire to enhance cooperation in crime prevention and fight.
UK Trade and Investment Minister Lord Stephen Green said that British enterprises are extremely interested in investment activities in Viet Nam while he paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on June 12.
He hoped that the Vietnamese Government would create favorable conditions for them to penetrate in the market.
Stephen Green also suggested the two sides strengthen education-training cooperation and cultural exchanges to consolidate the mutual friendship and understanding.
The US commits to closer cooperation with Viet Nam in preventing and fighting newly-emerged diseases, especially infectious ones and transferring HIV/AIDS-related technologies, according to US Minister of Health and Human Service Kathleen Sebelius.
Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavath paid a working visit to Viet Nam on June 21. and Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino’s visit to Viet Nam on June 24 aimed to step up political and trade ties with Viet Nam.
Particularly, from June 13-14, the Viet Nam–Vatican Joint Working Group convened its fourth round of meetings at the Vatican from June 13-14, as part of its agreement reached at the previous round of meetings in Ha Noi in February, 2012.
The Holy See stressed the desire to develop Viet Nam–Vatican ties and the need to appoint a Vatican Special Envoy to Viet Nam for the two sides’ benefits.
The two sides shared their view that Viet Nam–Vatican ties have developed positively in the spirit of goodwill and constructive dialogue and respecting principles in their relations. The Vatican non-resident Special Envoy to Viet Nam will continue receiving favorable conditions to fulfill assigned tasks./.