Vietnam pivots diplomacy toward development at 22nd national foreign affairs conference

The 22nd National Conference on Foreign Affairs was held on 2 August in Hanoi as part of the 33rd Diplomatic Conference, gathering more than 500 representatives from ministries, local governments, and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad. The event, chaired by Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung, called for local diplomacy to become a concrete driver of development, urging the transformation of external relations into projects, investments and tangible results to support the country’s target of 10 % economic growth.

Officials highlighted a shift in Vietnam’s diplomatic strategy. Ambassador to the United States Nguyen Quoc Dung described a transition from expanding relations to mobilising resources for national development. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam sent a congratulatory message to Swiss President Guy Parmelin, underscoring Vietnam’s broader diplomatic achievements. The conference set four evaluation criteria—tangible outcomes, added value, adherence to timelines, and public expectations—and outlined priorities for the coming years to integrate diplomacy into local development strategies.