Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairsand heads of Vietnamese representative missions abroad are ready to workalongside domestic cities and provinces in comprehensively fostering externalrelations with other countries, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign MinisterPham Binh Minh on August 12.

He made the statement in his opening remarks at the 19th National External Affairs Conference, which took place in Hanoi on August 12under the theme “Activeness and creativeness for effective integration andsustainable development.”

The biennial event was organised ahead the 30th Diplomatic Conference slated for August 12 – 17, bringing together 500delegates from ministries, state agencies and departments of external affairsof 63 cities and provinces nationwide alongside heads of Vietnam’s diplomaticmissions overseas.

The foreign ministry and Vietnamese diplomatic corps inforeign countries are willing to help localities introduce investmentopportunities and promote trade abroad to expand the market. At the same time,the localities will be assisted in verifying partners and settling tradedisputes against the backdrop of Vietnam being a member of a number of new-generationfree trade agreements, the deputy PM noted.

He added that the ministry and diplomatic corps also aimto help the cities and provinces promote their image and signature products andwork together to protect the rights of Vietnamese citizens, particularlyfishermen, overseas.

Minh urged the departments of external affairs across thecountry to act as a point of contact to strengthen external relations andenhance efficiency of international integration. They must contribute more tothis work by providing advices to local governments and timely proposingsolutions to remove barriers during the implementation of international andregional integration commitments, he stressed.

According to Director of the ministry’s Department ofForeign Affairs of Localities Nguyen Hoang Long, the ministry and Vietnameserepresentative missions abroad have signed 420 agreements between Vietnam’scities and provinces and foreign localities and enterprises between 2016 and2018, an increase of 20.3 percent from the previous three-year period. Theagreements have intensified friendship and cooperation between Vietnam andforeign partners and helped promote the image and potentials of the country andits localities.

Thanks to such efforts, Vietnam’s foreign trade in 2016 –2017 hit 775 billion USD, up 23.8 percent from that of 2014 – 2016, Long said.The FDI flow into the country over the last two years also rose by 34.9 percentto 60.28 billion USD, compared to 44.67 billion USD of the 2014-2016 period.

Since the 18th National External AffairsConference in 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked closely withcities and provinces to prepare applications for Vietnamese heritages to berecognised by UNESCO. Seven recognitions have been earned since then, bringingthe total number of UNESCO-recognised heritages in Vietnam to 38.

The ministry has channeled many efforts into connectingVietnamese overseas and cities and provinces nationwide to strengthen nationalsolidarity, attract investment and raise funds for charity. The borderlocalities have closely coordinated with the ministry in border management,contributing to the security and social order along shared border withChina, Laos and Cambodia.

During the conference, delegates focused their discussionon several topics, including external affair work for local economicdevelopment, strengthening organizational structures of local foreign affairagencies, and reward system to encourage localities in fostering externalrelations. –VNA