Hanoi, December 30, 2025 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has underscored the need to further strengthen relations with partner countries, neighbours, traditional friends and other key partners as part of efforts to effectively implement Việtnam’s comprehensive foreign policy strategy and project an international image commensurate with the country’s stature, position and strength in the new era.
Speaking at a conference on Monday reviewing the performance of the diplomatic sector in 2025 and outlining key tasks for 2026, the Prime Minister said Việt Nam’s external affairs recorded many notable achievements over the past year, despite a challenging international environment.
He noted that 2025 in particular, and the 2021–2025 period as a whole, were marked by numerous unexpected, abnormal and adverse factors that affected national development. Nevertheless, Việt Nam maintained macroeconomic stability, kept inflation under control, promoted economic growth and met or exceeded 22 of 26 key socio-economic targets.
According to the Prime Minister, foreign affairs and international integration were implemented in a comprehensive and effective manner, making an important contribution to these outcomes. He stressed that the diplomatic sector played a key role by proactively and decisively carrying out organisational streamlining and administrative restructuring, including the implementation of the two-tier local government model, alongside stronger decentralisation and delegation of authority.
He said external affairs adapted promptly to shifts in the international environment and policy adjustments by other countries, helping preserve a peaceful and stable environment while firmly safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Cooperation frameworks, the Prime Minister added, have been aligned more closely with national strategic priorities, focusing on development needs and maximising the strengths of international partners. Expanded cooperation has also laid the foundation for upgrading partnerships to higher levels, enhancing Việt Nam’s strategic value and international standing.
As a result, Việt Nam has been widely recognised as a successful development model and a positive force in promoting multilateralism. The country has proactively shaped development pathways, responded flexibly and effectively to external shocks, mobilised breakthrough resources and made significant contributions to socio-economic outcomes.
Prime Minister Chính highlighted the issuance of Politburo Resolution 59 on international integration as a timely and strategic response to global volatility, with a focus on maintaining peace and stability and safeguarding independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security amid external uncertainties.
He noted that Việt Nam has upgraded relations with 17 countries, bringing the total number of partners at the comprehensive partnership level or higher to 42, and has established diplomatic relations with 194 countries. In 2025, key leaders carried out 75 foreign affairs activities, nearly 1.5 times higher than the previous year, helping to set strategic orientations for relations with partners.
The diplomatic sector, he said, has further enhanced Việt Nam’s international role and standing, demonstrated by the successful hosting of major high-level multilateral events such as the ASEAN Future Forum and the P4G Summit, the co-organisation of the opening ceremony for the signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, and Việt Nam’s effective performance as a member and re-election to the UN Human Rights Council.
At the same time, the Prime Minister pointed out shortcomings, noting that the diplomatic sector has yet to fully capitalise on favourable external conditions and established partnership frameworks, and has not fully unlocked the potential of certain relationships, levels of interdependence and political trust in some areas.
Key lessons, he said, include the need to be resolute yet flexible, firmly uphold national interests, closely monitor developments and enhance persuasiveness, thereby demonstrating Việt Nam’s stature and diplomatic acumen while finding common ground and orienting efforts toward the future.
Looking ahead, Prime Minister Chính stressed the need to closely monitor the rapid and decisive policy adjustments of other countries, maintain a firm grasp of regional developments and the East Sea situation, and uphold ASEAN’s central role.
He called for further consolidation of Việtnam’s security-development perimeter, maintaining strategic initiative in the face of complex and unpredictable global conditions. Relations with priority and key partners should continue to be deepened in a stable and sustainable manner.
The Prime Minister also urged Việtnam to contribute more actively to peace, development and the resolution of shared regional and global challenges, helping to build and protect a fair and equitable international order based on international law.
Efforts should continue to expand development space, create breakthrough opportunities and maximise external resources and favourable conditions to achieve rapid and sustainable growth. He further stressed the need to build a comprehensive, modern and professional diplomatic service, with coordinated and effective implementation across the three pillars of Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy.
