HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam had a successful year in diplomacy in 2016, with its political stability and development potential continually highlighted and its relations and diverse co-operation with other countries and partners deepened, stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Spokesperson Lê Hải Bình.

At a regular press conference of the ministry in Hà Nội yesterday, Bình noted that last year, Việt Nam welcomed nearly 30 heads of state.

Important events were organised, including the seventh Ayeyawady-Chao Phreaya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, the eighth Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Việt Nam Summit, and the first World Economic Forum on Mekong Region, he said.

At the same time, Việt Nam promoted its active role in building the ASEAN Community, while showing a strong performance as a member of UN agencies such as the Human Rights Council, Socio-Economic Council, and UNESCO Executive Board.

For the first time, a representative of Việt Nam was elected to the UN International Law Commission, he highlighted.

Việt Nam has set up strategic partnerships with 15 countries and comprehensive partnerships with 10 countries, including all world powers and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

With the conclusion and continuous negotiations of 16 free trade agreements, Việt Nam has enforced free trade deals with 60 partners that hold 90 per cent of the world’s GDP and 80 per cent of global trade, said Bình.

He underlined that last year, the ministry also took a number of measures to call for the support of international friends and the Vietnamese community abroad for the country’s reform, international integration and development.

The ministry also worked to boost the effective and active engagement of Việt Nam in 70 organisations and co-operation mechanisms from sub-regional, regional to global levels.

The spokesperson stated that in the future, Việt Nam will continue prioritising comprehensive and intensive international integration, aiming to introducing to the world a dynamic economy; a beautiful country with rich culture, traditions and tangible and intangible cultural heritage of humankind; and an attractive destination for investment, business and tourism.

Việt Nam’s largest diplomatic activity in 2017 will be the hosting of the APEC Year. This is the second time in 10 years that Việt Nam has been chosen as the host of the event, showing the country has gained international credibility for its international integration efforts, he said.

Other important events include the 40th anniversary of Việt Nam’s joining of the UN, and ASEAN’s 50th founding anniversary, he added. — VNS