The late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng with Cuban people and students at the Hồ Chí Minh Monument in Hòa Bình Park, Havana, on March 28, 2018. VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI – Numerous international experts have told the Vietnam News Agency that Việt Nam's bamboo diplomacy has achieved historically significant milestones, especially amid a rapidly evolving and complex global landscape that presents new challenges in international relations.

Journalist Gaston Fiorda, an expert on Southeast Asian issues at Argentina’s national radio station, emphasised that the diplomacy, articulated by the late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and reaffirmed by Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm in his recent article, represents a clear and decisive foreign policy, focused on international integration and contributions to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

Former Indian national security advisor Satyendra Pradhan said that bamboo diplomacy had elevated the Southeast Asian nation’s standing in the international arena and maintained its independence to protect national interests.

According to Dr. Cheng Hanping, Director of the Việt Nam Research Centre at the Zhejiang University of Technology, the diplomacy has led to significant economic achievements for Việt Nam, making it unique in Southeast Asia, enhancing the country’s international stature and contributing to increasing national pride among its people.

Emeritus Professor Carl Thayer from the Australian Defence Force Academy said that Vietnam has established an extensive political and diplomatic network with all major powers and key multilateral organisations globally. This has enhanced the country's reputation and international standing, while also supporting economic development.

Echoing this view, Associate Professor and Dr. Vũ Minh Khương from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, under the National University of Singapore, noted that Vietnam's diplomacy has unique features that the world should learn from, such as the country's approach to befriending all nations and transforming potential conflicts into genuine mutual understandings for building the future. This not only strengthens its position but also benefits the region and the global community.

Dr. Nguyễn Hồng Hải, Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Futures, at the University of Queensland (Australia), highlighted that the success of Vietnam's bamboo diplomacy lies in its role in preserving national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, creating a peaceful and favourable environment for the country's development. Additionally, it contributes positively and responsibly to regional and global security, peace and development, helping Việt Nam achieve the fortune, potential, international position and prestige it holds today.

Many experts highlight that the diplomacy represents a blend of proactivity, high adaptability in a rapidly changing world and a smart, creative, and flexible approach to 'harmonise' with all poles in a multipolar world.

Dr. Shoji Tomotaka, Director of the Regional Studies Department at the Japanese Ministry of Defense's National Institute for Defense Studies, assessed that this diplomatic approach fits well with the strategic environment and historical context, demonstrating that Việt Nam's foreign policy is not dogmatic, but rather flexible depending on partners and situations.

Dr. Abed Akbari, Director of the Tehran International Studies and Research Institute (Iran), noted that in an era of volatility, Việt Nam has developed a unique and outstanding diplomatic school that helps protect the country from threats and build trust among global friends. This confirms the correctness of implementing bamboo diplomacy.

International opinion also praises the strategic equilibrium in Việt Nam’s foreign policy. The US website nationalinterest.org describes bamboo diplomacy as a balanced approach, allowing Việt Nam to maintain stable relations with major powers like the US and China simultaneously.

Supporting this view, Peter Mumford from the US-based Eurasia Group, a global political risk consultancy, assessed that Việt Nam’s foreign policy perspective is always balanced between major powers. Part of that strategy is to maintain a special relationship with China, while also strengthening ties with the US and other major powers.

Co-founder of the Việt Nam-Australia Policy Institute (AVPI), Layton Pike, observed that Vietnam continues to pursue a cautious, proactive and consistent approach towards global powers such as China, the US, Russia, Japan, India and Australia. This strategy demonstrates Việt Nam’s commitment to being friends with all countries.

Korean author Cho Chul Hyeon, who published a book exclusively about Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in May this year, noted that bamboo diplomacy is highly regarded internationally for Việt Nam's effective foreign policy with the major powers of the US, China and Russia.

In late 2023, the British news agency Reuters highlighted Vietnam's diplomatic achievements, including two state visits by the Chinese Party General Secretary and President as well as the US President and the relations upgrade to strategic partnerships with the US and Japan. Reuters attributed these successes to the strength of Việt Nam’s bamboo diplomacy.

Dr. Ruvislei González Sáez, Vice President of the Cuba-Việt Nam Friendship Association, emphasised that Việt Nam has proven to be one of the most reliable countries for strengthening relations. He highlighted the nation’s role as a trusted partner within the international community and its active participation in international and regional cooperation. These moves, matching the growing dynamism of this Southeast Asian nation, have reinforced its diplomatic standing. VNS