Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh
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On the occasion, the Deputy PM has highlighted the key acitivities of external relations in 2016, the tasks for 2017, and made his assessment about the result after one year of ASEAN Community estabishment in an interview granted to the Economic and Urban Newspaper.
2016 was a year of uncertainty and unpredictability. During the year, the world witnessed the events that were not thought to happen tens of years ago, including: the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba and the UK's leaving the European Union (EU).
Regarding on Vietnam's achievements in foreign affairs in 2016, Deputy PM Minh said that last year saw success and the launching of external relations policies set by the 12th Party Congress.
The Deputy PM highlighted that in 2016, bilaterally, Vietnam strengthened its strategic and comprehensive partnerships through high-ranking visit exchanges with China, the US, France and India. Vietnam also fostered ties with neighbouring countries.
He noted that Vietnam has been also implementing effectively the multilateral diplomatic activities such as active participation in Francophone Summit, Non-Aligned Conference and attending for the first time of expanded G7 meeting in Japan.
According to the Deputy PM, Vietnam's position and role has been enhanced through regional conferences such as 7th AMECS Summit 8th CLMV and Mekong Economic Forum.
Vietnam worked closely with other ASEAN member countries to work towards building the ASEAN Community, he added.
The Deputy PM said that 2016 was also a successful year for cultural and economic diplomacy, while citizen protection was assured.
As the situation in the region and the world will continue having complexities as forecast in 2017, Deputy PM Minh said that it is important for Vietnam to promote its relations with all countries, especially neighbours and those with important roles in the world.
Vietnam aims to foster common interests of all nations to maintain peace and stability, said the Deputy PM, adding that the country will continue deepening ties with its strategic and comprehensive partners.
Vietnam will continue to follow the policy being friends with all countries, multilateralising and diversifying relations on the basis of independence, self-reliance and international law, the Deputy PM stressed.
Vietnam has actively participated in multilateral mechanisms and agreements signed in 2016, thus contributing to help the countryl overcome the external challenges for next year, he stated.
Delivering his assessment about achievements after a year of the establishment of ASEAN Community, he said that Vietnam worked closely with other ASEAN member countries to work towards building the ASEAN Community.
According to the Deputy PM, in 2016, the main achievements of ASEAN Community were the building of uniform basis of production facilities and unified markets, removing of tariff barriers and facilitating to the production links.
