Hanoi (VNA)ꩲ - All external affairs and diplomatic activities must serve the country’s goal of achieving at least 8% growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the diplomatic sector’s conference on January 6.

PM Chinh said that last year, despite challenges, Vietnam achieved significant successes across all sectors, surpassing all 15 set targets. Notably, Vietnam has become a bright spot in growth in both the region and the world, as it achieved a growth rate of over 7%, with a stable macroeconomic foundation, controlled inflation, and balanced key economic indicators. The country remains a top destination for international investment, attracting nearly 40 billion USD in FDI, of which over 25 billion USD was disbursed. The stock market capitalised at nearly 7.2 quadrillion VND (283.5 billion USD) with double-digit growth, and export-import value reached 786 billion USD. The number of foreign tourists enjoyed a year-on-year surge of 39.5% to hit 17.6 million. The spirit of entrepreneurship, science, technology, and innovation flourished, driving strategic breakthroughs in governance and infrastructure. In addition, national defence and security were maintained, with political and social stability and improved social welfare, while strengthening national unity and trust in the Party and State. The PM affirmed that the diplomatic sector has played a crucial role in these achievements, helping maintain a peaceful and stable environment for development, handling relational issues with important partners, and strengthening political trust and upgrading relations with partners. Recognising and praising the efforts and achievements of the diplomatic sector, the Government leader urged the entire sector to be more proactive, timely, and effective in understanding global, regional, and local developments, providing the Party and State with flexible, appropriate, and effective policy responses. He also emphasised the importance of further strengthening the sector's role in effectively implementing commitments and agreements with partners, turning them into assets for the country’s development.

The sector must steadfastly adhere to the path of national independence and socialism, and implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification, and active international integration. The diplomatic missions should also continue being trusted friends, reliable partners, and responsible members of the international community, stressed PM Chinh. To help the country achieve the set targets for 2025, the Government leader requested the sector to maintain, consolidate, and strengthen a favourable diplomatic landscape, and ensure an environment for peace, cooperation, and development. It should deepen and stabilise relations with all countries, especially major powers, neighbouring countries, and traditional friends. Diplomatic activities must contribute to advancing new production forces in the current context, such as semiconductors, big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, blockchain technology, cultural industries, entertainment, biomedicine, new energy, and new materials. The sector must complete the reception of functions and tasks from the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations and the National Assembly's Committee for Foreign Affairs, as well as the restructuring and streamlining of the organisational apparatus. It should strengthen and promote the three main pillars of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy. The PM directed the sector to carry out all regular tasks concertedly and effectively, strengthen economic diplomacy and cultural diplomacy, and build a modern and professional diplomatic system. He expressed his confidence that, with the collective effort, unity, and determination of administrations at all levels, sectors, and localities, the diplomatic sector will overcome difficulties and challenges, implement its tasks comprehensively and effectively, and achieve breakthrough results to lay a foundation to propel the country into a new era - the era of strong development, civilisation and prosperity./.