Senior leader calls for stronger Party, people-to-people diplomacy
VOV.VN - A senior Party leader has called for stronger coordination among Vietnam's three pillars of foreign affairs, stressing the need to elevate Party diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy in support of the country's foreign policy objectives during its new stage of development.
Standing member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu made the remarks at a plenary session on Party diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy held in Hanoi on August 5 as part of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference.
The session was connected online with authorities in all 34 provinces and centrally run cities, as well as Vietnam's overseas representative missions.
He urged the diplomatic sector, ministries, localities, socio-political organisations and mass organisations entrusted by the Party and the State to further strengthen awareness of the roles of Party diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy while ensuring close coordination among Vietnam’s three foreign affairs pillars - Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy.
According to him, although each pillar serves different functions and engages different partners, they share the common objective of safeguarding national interests and advancing Vietnam's overall foreign policy agenda.
Deepening political ties and expanding cooperation
Regarding Party diplomacy, the senior Party official called for continued efforts to deepen relations with political parties, particularly ruling parties in neighbouring countries, major powers and countries that have established strategic or comprehensive partnerships with Vietnam.
He also urged broader cooperation among political parties to strengthen political trust and support more flexible and effective Party-to-Party cooperation mechanisms.
On people-to-people diplomacy, he stressed the need to shift from traditional friendship exchanges and outreach activities toward a more practical approach centred on shared interests and long-term cooperation.
He requested broader participation by the entire political system and society while encouraging stronger engagement in regional and international people-to-people networks and forums.
Supporting Vietnam's foreign policy goals
Delegates at the session focused discussions on strengthening the role of Party diplomacy as the political foundation of Vietnam's external relations; renewing people-to-people diplomacy to better support national development; improving coordination among the three foreign affairs pillars; and enhancing the role of Vietnam's overseas representative missions in implementing the Party's foreign policy and people-to-people diplomacy.
Presenting a paper on Party diplomacy in Africa, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Hoang Sy Cuong said the Communist Party of Vietnam currently maintains official relations and exchanges at various levels with around 40 political parties across 24 African countries.
These Party-to-Party ties have become increasingly substantive, helping facilitate bilateral cooperation, particularly in the economic sphere, he affirmed.
Sharing local experience in people-to-people diplomacy, Deputy Party Secretary of Lang Son province Vu Hoang Anh said the northern border province has continued to strengthen friendly exchanges with neighbouring localities in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region following the implementation of Vietnam's two-tier local government model.
He noted that Lang Son maintains friendship ties between 12 paired border villages and has organised a wide range of cultural, sports, trade and tourism exchanges during the first half of 2026, helping reinforce the social foundation of Vietnam-China relations.
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