Vietnam has recorded many encouraging results amid complex and unexpected developments in the world situation in 2023. Many experts and international organisations perceived that the country remains a bright spot in the global panorama.

Elevating stature

This year, Vietnamese leaders have paid tens of visits to other countries, attended many regional and international events, and engaged in a number of bilateral meetings with important partners. Leaders of many countries and international organisations have also come to Vietnam, including Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and President of the US Joe Biden.

Hundreds of exchanges and celebrations of the anniversaries of Vietnam’s diplomatic relations with major countries and traditional friends have also been held both at home and abroad, bringing the Southeast Asian nation closer to people around the world.

Grigory Trofimchuk, Chairman of the Russian Council of Experts of the Eurasian Research Fund, said Vietnam’s influence is spreading to almost all continents in the world, even to the Middle East and Africa, with different levels and diverse areas of cooperation.

The year 2023 also set a milestone in the upgrade of Vietnam’s ties with many countries. In September, during US President Joe Biden’s visit, the two countries’ relations were lifted to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. In November, Vietnam and Japan elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world during President Vo Van Thuong’s visit to the Northeast Asian country.

Dr. Ruvislei Gonzalez Saez from the Cuban Centre for International Policy Research (CIPI) held that the upgrade of relations with important partners marks a particularly successful year of Vietnam’s diplomacy.

In a complex world situation, maintaining independence in its foreign policy while not abandoning the principle of protecting an equal world where all people are respected regardless of their countries’ sizes is a sound path of Vietnam’s diplomacy, he noted,

Assoc. Prof. Beak Yong-hun from the School of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies under the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Dankook University said along with the previously established comprehensive strategic partnerships with China, Russia, India, and the RoK, the progress in 2023 has shown that Vietnam is continuing to pursue a balanced foreign policy imbued with the identity of “bamboo diplomacy”.

He added the increasing number of strategic and comprehensive strategic partners reflects other countries’ trust in Vietnam while affirming and consolidating Vietnam’s stature in the international arena.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bharti Chhibber, an Indian expert on Vietnam, stressed that the country is emerging as an important stakeholder in a multipolar world. Its “bamboo diplomacy” with a flexible foreign policy has brought about many achievements in its international relations this year.

Together with its active participation in multilateral frameworks and forums, the strides in bilateral ties have helped perfect a bright panorama of Vietnam’s external relations in 2023.

Resilient internal strength

Amid continuous and complex changes in the world, the firmness in the diplomatic front has created more momentum and opened up more opportunities for socio-economic development.

During their recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency, experts said the attention to Vietnam following diplomatic activities have been translated into investment and business cooperation chances as well as external resources for the country to boost socio-economic development.

Chhibber said the large number of visits to strategic partner and neighbouring countries by Vietnamese leaders this year has built up trust and enhanced cooperation in broader areas. Vietnam has continued to emerge as an attractive destination for foreign investors and supply chains.

The elevation of relations with other countries, including the US and Japan, is a leverage for Vietnam’s economic development. The US is a major export market of Vietnam, and new cooperation opportunities will be opened up in various fields like education, health, climate change, security, and defence. While Japan is a crucial supplier of official development assistance (ODA) and also one of the most important foreign investors in Vietnam, bilateral connections have also been promoted considerably in science - technology, education, culture, and defence, according to Ruvislei.

On the other hand, the stability and growth of Vietnam’s economy have also provided an important basis for other countries to place their confidence in and bolster partnerships with Vietnam.

Despite the global economic contraction, Southeast Asia is considered a bright spot with Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore posting fast growth.

Yasuhiro Nojima, Chairman of the Vietnam - Japan Friendship Association, affirmed that Vietnam’s economic strength is growing, and in terms of potential, it could be said that the country is the most shining among the ASEAN members.

The World Bank (WB) forecast the Vietnamese economy could expand by 4.7% this year before growing by 5.5% next year and 6% in 2025. WB Lead Economist in the country Andrea Coppola said the growth rate in Vietnam is what many others dream of.

For its part, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicted that the economy will grow by 5.2% this year and 6% in 2024 while inflation has been controlled relatively well, at 3.8%, lower than the cap of 4%.

Experts of WB and ADB described the Vietnamese economy this year as resilient in the face of recession shocks or headwinds, with the recovery drivers of export, public investment, and private consumption.

Vietnam has been taking firm steps on the path to affirm its voice, role, and stature in the international arena and attract external resources for socio-economic development. The expansion of substantive and effective relations and the consolidated political prestige in the eyes of international partners are believed to provide a solid stepping stone for the country to obtain more socio-economic achievements in the coming years.

VNA