Hanoi (VNA) – Under the Party’sleadership and the State’s management, forces in charge of foreign affairs have fulfilled theirimportant tasks of contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stableenvironment at home and raising the country’s position in the internationalarena, a senior Party official has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency regardingParty diplomacy, Le Hoai Trung, member of the Party Central Committee and headof its Commission for External Relations, affirmed that Vietnam has expanded itspartnerships in 2022, not only with political parties but also with States andpeople’s organisations.

Party diplomacy has been conducted through various formssuch as phone talks, official visits, theory workshops and experienceexchanges, among others, he continued.

Vietnam and its partners have enhanced their mutualunderstanding and consolidated their political trust, the official stressed.

Trung highlighted Vietnam's relations with neighbouringcountries, recalling the official visit to China by Party General SecretaryNguyen Phu Trong in late 2022, which was a success across spheres.

Vietnam celebrated the 60th founding anniversary ofdiplomatic ties and 45 years of the signing of the Treaty of Amity andCooperation with Laos, and the 55th anniversary of diplomaticties with Cambodia this year, with an array of practical and diverseactivities organised.

The country has also joined a number of diplomatic activitiesof political parties in Southeast Asia, including those between them and theirinternational partners, he added.

The official also emphasised Vietnam's relations with countriesin Asia, Europe, America and Latin America, which have been fostered throughphone talks, meetings, visits and experience exchanges.

Asked about difficulties and challenges to Partydiplomacy in the year, Trung said the biggest obstacle lies with the complexregional and international situation, including the fierce competitions betweenpowers.

The problem is how to maintain the policy ofindependence, self-reliance and multilateralisation and diversification of relationsin that context, consolidate an environment of peace and security, mobiliseexternal resources to serve national development, and maintain the country’sdevelopment achievements, he pointed out.

Trung, however, firmly believed that Vietnam willovercome all the headwinds to reap greater achievements next year.

According to the official, priorities of Party diplomacyin 2023 will be given to realising the master plan approved by thePolitburo and the Secretariat relating to the implementation of Directive No. 32-CT/TWdated February 18, 2019 on enhancing and improving the efficiency of Partydiplomacy in the new situation.

He emphasised the significance of improving the forecastingcapacity, adopting suitable policies and solutions in a timely manner to respondto changes, and raising the efficiency of coordination between relevant forces.

Trung said the leadership plays an important part in all thethree pillars of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy,saying leaders should be well aware of the main viewpoint agreed at the 13th National Party Congress that is to build a comprehensive, modern diplomaticsector with the three pillars./.