At a meeting in Hanoi on February 7, Mr Manh told new ambassadors, general consuls and heads of diplomatic missions that the appointment is a ‘great honour’ and a ‘glorious task’ entrusted to them by the Party, State and people.

The ambassadors should understand and implement the Party and State’s foreign policy of self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversifying international relations, integrating into the world economy, and expanding cooperation in other areas, said Mr Manh.

He asked them to work hard and promote Vietnam as a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community, which is taking an active part in regional and international cooperation.

An important task of our foreign policy is to maintain a peaceful environment, boost socio-economic development, speed up national industrialisation and modernisation, and firmly defend the nation, said Mr Manh.