Vietnam actively seizes opportunities, overcomes challenges to enter new era

According to the diplomat, in 2024 the world witnessed profound shifts with intertwined challenges and opportunities. In the context of a multi-polar, multi-center world, strategic competition among major powers, the escalation of hotspots-conflicts, and non-traditional security issues continue to unfold, becoming more intense and complex. However, peace, cooperation, and development remain the common goals that most countries strive for, that provides Vietnam with an opportunity to step into 2025 to seize opportunities and advance its development.

In 2025, he said, the competition among major powers is expected to enter a more intense and comprehensive phase, encompassing all aspects of international relations, from economics and technology to diplomacy, to even new domains such as the Arctic, outer space, and the deep seabed.

Some existing hotspots may see de-escalation, while new hotspots could emerge. Major conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts might cool down due to exhaustion on the battlefield, rising civilian casualties, and mounting international pressure for ceasefires. Meanwhile, new regional conflicts could arise in various areas due to power vacuums, miscalculations by involved parties, and major power competition.

The global economy is expected to maintain growth, though it will face many difficulties and challenges. The 4th Industrial Revolution will bring remarkable advancements, with breakthroughs in areas like artificial intelligence, digital transformation, energy conversion, quantum computing, space technology, health care, and more.

The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be the global growth center, with many of the world's largest economies projected to experience the highest growth rates. It will witness fierce competition among major powers to secure influence and status. ASEAN, with Malaysia assuming the Chairmanship in 2025, will strive to reinforce its central role, while multilateral mechanisms in the region will continue to emerge and strengthen.

Entering 2025, the Deputy Foreign Minister said, Vietnam faces both advantages and challenges. On the one hand, it could encounter greater difficulties in managing relations with major powers; conflict hotspots near its borders could see new complexities; and it could feel stronger impacts from global security issues that major powers tend to overlook.

On the other hand, Vietnam has opportunities to leverage global technological advancements, deepen relations with various partners, diversify export markets, and play a more responsible role in global issues.

In this context, the diplomat said, Vietnam must continue to steadfastly pursue its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development, multilateralism, and diversification of external relations. It should enhance domestic production capabilities and diversify export markets, attract investments into strategic technology sectors, and strive for technological self-reliance.

Vietnam should continue utilizing multilateral mechanisms to assert its voice, identifying areas where it holds strengths to contribute to global multilateral forums, while closely monitoring global developments and adapting to a world of complex shifts, he suggested.

2025 is forecast to be a year of complex disruptions, yet filled with opportunities for cooperation. Dialogue and international cooperation remain dominant trends; the global economy will continue growing; multilateral mechanisms have opportunities to reform toward more effective global governance. These, Vu said, will serve as important foundations for Vietnam to seize opportunities, convert challenges into development drivers, and confidently advance into a new era of national advancement.