Looking back on Vietnam’s revolutionary history, national development and global integration have always moved in tandem with the tides of the era. From the earliest days of independence, President Ho Chi Minh’s message to the United Nations expressed Vietnam’s desire to befriend all nations and pursue “an open-door policy and cooperation in all fields.” This can be seen as the very first declaration of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s commitment to international engagement.

Global integration: Placing the nation in the flow of the times

The philosophy of “combining national strength with the strength of the era” has been creatively implemented by the Communist Party of Vietnam for over 80 years - anchoring Vietnam’s revolution in progressive global trends and the shared cause of humanity.

During the Doi Moi (renewal) period, the Party identified that peace and development required openness and cooperation with the outside world. Global integration, in this context, was recognized as the highest form of international cooperation. It meant placing the nation “in the mainstream of the era - beating to its rhythm, breathing with its breath” - strengthening Vietnam through its global connectedness.

Initially focused on economic integration, Vietnam gradually expanded its scope toward comprehensive international integration. This approach aimed to open and deepen relations with nations and international organizations, attract external resources for socioeconomic development, elevate national stature, and embed Vietnam within the global political system, economic structures, and modern civilization.

Vietnam is entering a new era of prosperity and strength, striving for a nation that is “wealthy, powerful, democratic, just, and civilized.” This calls for a refreshed position, mindset, and approach to global integration.

Resolution 59-NQ/TW, issued on January 24, 2025, by the Politburo on “International Integration in the New Context,” is a groundbreaking policy shift. It defines integration as a key driver for entering this new era - not just receiving but contributing; not just integrating deeply, but fully; not trailing behind but leading in emerging fields.

The Party sees global integration as a vital strategy to bolster political standing, drive economic development, safeguard national security, and enhance Vietnam’s global influence. From limited, ideology-based engagement to comprehensive and deep integration, Vietnam’s path has evolved.

The 9th National Party Congress first introduced “international economic integration.” By the 11th Congress, the strategy had broadened to “integration across all areas.” Resolution 22-NQ/TW in 2013 marked a turning point with the policy of “proactive and active international integration.”

The 13th Party Congress reaffirmed this with the directive: “proactive, active, comprehensive, and effective international integration.”

After 40 years of reform, Vietnam has made remarkable strides in international integration. From an isolated, embargoed economy, the country has established diplomatic ties with 194 countries, strategic or comprehensive partnerships with 34 - including all five permanent UN Security Council members - and active membership in over 70 international organizations.

Economically, Vietnam transformed from poverty into one of the world’s 34 largest economies, with GDP nearly 100 times higher than in 1986 and per capita income rising from under $100 to nearly $5,000.

Seventeen free trade agreements have linked Vietnam to over 60 major economies, embedding it into global production and supply chains. Vietnam is now among the top 20 global traders and top 20 destinations for foreign investment since 2019. It also ranks in the top 10 for global remittance inflows.

Despite these gains, global integration has yet to meet its full potential. Persistent bottlenecks - such as uneven development, policy gaps, limited capacity, and cultural and ideological challenges - continue to hamper progress. Integration brings opportunity but also exposes Vietnam to unfair competition, environmental risks, cultural erosion, and ideological threats like “self-evolution” and loss of public trust.

We stand at a historic crossroads. The world is undergoing profound transformations in politics, economics, culture, and technology. The period leading to 2030 is critical in shaping a new world order. This transition presents both opportunities and challenges, especially for small and medium-sized nations. Without timely adaptation, Vietnam risks falling behind in the global race. 

At a historic crossroads, the nation needs historic decisions

The world is undergoing profound, era-defining transformations, with fundamental shifts across politics, economics, culture, society, and science–technology. These changes are being driven by major global realignments. The period from now until 2030 is considered the most critical phase for shaping and establishing a new world order.

Such transformations are creating a more multidimensional international environment, presenting both great opportunities and significant challenges for our country. In transitional periods - between the old and the new - small and medium-sized nations are often placed in a passive position, struggling to adapt.

In this pivotal shift, if we fail to promptly align with global trends, identify and seize emerging opportunities to position our country within the flow of the times over the next 10 to 20 years, the risk of falling behind will become more real than ever before. 

The power of our time lies in global political, economic, and social trends such as peace, cooperation and development; the democratization of international relations; the pursuit of sustainable development; and the trend toward economic collaboration and integration.

It is also embodied in the collective strength of the international community, united in shaping and reinforcing a multipolar, multilateral world that is democratic, just, and equitable - grounded in international law. Most notably, the ongoing scientific and technological revolution is unlocking boundless developmental potential, driven by human knowledge and capability.

At this historic juncture, the country requires historic decisions. Building on affirmed values, Resolution 59 has captured the momentum of this era’s transformative forces and elevated international integration through bold, revolutionary, nationally grounded, scientifically informed, and forward-looking perspectives.

First, alongside national defense and security, "promoting foreign relations and international integration" is a crucial and regular task. The essential and continuous spirit in international integration is to leverage external resources and favorable conditions for the early and distant goals of protecting the Fatherland and developing the country; ensuring the highest national and ethnic interests, and best safeguarding the interests of the people.

Second, in terms of awareness, international integration must be the cause of the entire populace and the entire political system, under the leadership of the Party and the management of the State. The people and enterprises are the center, the main subjects, the driving force, the principal force, and the beneficiaries of the benefits of international integration. Integration must maintain national identity - integrating and assimilating without dissolving.

Third, international integration must be based on internal strength playing a decisive role, enhancing internal capacity in tandem with utilizing external forces. Internal strength is the main resource and the root of power; therefore, it must always be promoted to ensure proactivity, independence, and self-reliance. At the same time, it is necessary to maximize the utilization of all external resources to combine and supplement internal strength. Seamlessly combining national strength with the strength of the era creates Vietnam's power in the era of rising.

Fourth, international integration is a process of both cooperation and struggle, "cooperating to struggle and struggling to cooperate; emphasizing partnerships, minimizing adversaries." At the same time, respecting the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. In integration, it is necessary to embody the spirit of "active and responsible partnership" within the international community, ready to contribute to the common efforts of the region and the world.

Fifth, international integration must be "synchronous, comprehensive, and deep," in which various fields must be closely linked and complement each other within an overall strategy, with focus, key points, appropriate roadmaps, and steps.

We are facing the requirement for a revolution with strong, comprehensive reforms for development. Along with the "spirit of renewal" regarding the organizational arrangement of the political system as per Resolution No. 18; the "breakthrough thinking" on the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation as per Resolution 57; the orientation on international integration as the "action handbook" of Resolution 59 will create the "strategic trio" focusing on "Long-term stability - Sustainable development - Improved living standards" outlined by the Party. In the current revolutionary phase, we need to implement decisively and effectively in the following directions:

First, new thinking, awareness, and actions in international integration must be thoroughly grasped and brought to life. Accordingly, the awareness of proactive and active international integration that is synchronous, comprehensive, deep, and effective is a major strategic orientation of the Party, an important driving force for development and national defense, the realization of social progress and justice, environmental protection, and the preservation and promotion of national cultural identity. This awareness needs to be unified from the Central to local levels, to every organization, individual, and enterprise.

The Party and State's guidelines and policies on international integration, the requirements, tasks, opportunities, rights, responsibilities, and obligations of Vietnam in international integration need to be deeply disseminated and thoroughly understood throughout the Party, the people, and the army.

Second, economic integration is identified as central; integration in other fields must facilitate economic integration, with top priority given to restructuring the economy, innovating the growth model, and promoting digital transformation. Focus on sectors with advantages and potential, prioritize mobilizing resources for key areas and projects such as strategic infrastructure in transportation and energy, including high-speed railways, highways, seaport systems, airports; nuclear power plants, wind power, solar power; emission reduction and carbon neutrality to avoid waste and achieve high efficiency, especially in the context of current digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Effectively utilize commitments, agreements, and international economic linkages, especially new-generation FTAs, to enhance interwoven interests, avoiding dependence on a few partners. Improve domestic institutions to enhance the capacity to implement international commitments and agreements. Develop appropriate specific mechanisms and policies to strongly attract high-quality FDI, especially in emerging, important fields that are new drivers for increasing labor productivity, such as information technology, telecommunications, semiconductors, artificial intelligence...

Implement suitable policies to encourage foreign investors to transfer technology, management, and professional skills to Vietnamese enterprises and workers. Encourage Vietnamese enterprises to invest and conduct effective business abroad, building national brands with international stature.

Third, political, security, and defense integration must aim to enhance national potential and position, protecting the Fatherland early, from afar, before threats arise. International integration must effectively utilize established partnership networks to increase political trust, leverage resources for development, resolve existing issues by peaceful means, and strengthen cooperation based on respect for and compliance with international law.

Enhance coordination with partners to effectively address traditional and non-traditional security challenges such as the East Sea issue, water security, food security; combating pollution, epidemics, cybercrime, transnational crime... With new position and strength, we can rise to play a core, leading, and mediating role in appropriate areas; contribute more actively to peacekeeping operations, international rescue, and disaster relief; diversify defense and security cooperation, develop an independent, self-reliant, modern, and dual-use defense and security industry.

Fourth, science, technology, and innovation must be identified as top strategic breakthroughs and as a driving force for rapidly developing the productive forces and perfecting production relations, as guided by Resolution 57. Therefore, international integration in science, technology, and innovation must aim to align domestic standards and regulations with advanced international norms and practices. This will swiftly enhance national competitiveness, expand the country’s development space, mobilize and harness international resources, and strongly promote domestic capabilities to develop prioritized, spearhead, and emerging industries, as well as innovation sectors.

Fifth, there is a need to promote comprehensive integration in culture, society, tourism, environment, education and training, healthcare, and other sectors.

In terms of culture, integration must be linked to the preservation, promotion, and international dissemination of national cultural heritage; development of cultural industries, content industries, and high-quality cultural products and brands with global competitiveness.

In healthcare, it is essential to strengthen cooperation in scientific research and application in public health care, and to develop internationally-standard specialized medical centers that combine Eastern and Western medicine in treatment.

Regarding education and training, efforts must be made to standardize, innovate, and improve the quality of domestic education to reach regional and international standards.

In tourism, the focus should be on expanding and diversifying markets, particularly those with strong potential, high spending capacity, and long stays.

For labor, mechanisms must be implemented to develop a high-quality workforce, improve lifelong learning skills, and enhance the capability and productivity of Vietnamese labor. At the highest level, this includes formulating a strategy to develop the Vietnamese people of the “rising generation” so that by 2045, young men and women in their twenties can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their international peers in both intellect and physical ability.

Sixth, bottlenecks in the implementation of international commitments and agreements must be addressed, while institutional and policy frameworks need to be improved. This includes accelerating the review and incorporation of international law into national legislation to fully, consistently, and effectively fulfill obligations and commitments. Organizations and unions must strengthen oversight of the implementation of Party policies, laws, and international integration commitments. Ministries, sectors, and localities must step up enforcement of agreements and treaties. Additionally, integration strategies should be institutionalized and concretized by sector and field, especially in building and improving laws related to green economy, digital economy, circular economy, energy transition, digital transformation, carbon emission reduction, and space.

Seventh, following the spirit of Resolution 18, it is crucial to restructure specialized agencies for international integration toward a leaner, stronger, more modern, and professional apparatus. The goal is to increase efficiency in coordination between levels, sectors, localities, and each citizen and business in implementing international integration. Cadre work must be regarded as foundational - building a team of international integration professionals with high expertise and skills, international standards, and the ability to participate in mediation and dispute resolution. There must be renewed efforts to enhance the initiative and creativity of localities, people, and businesses in participating in integration.

Lastly, international integration will only succeed when it becomes a self-motivated cultural practice of every organization, individual, business, and locality - when people play a central, active, and creative role in linking international and domestic integration, connecting regions and sectors, linking research with implementation, to translate integration into concrete outcomes.

President Ho Chi Minh creatively applied the principle of combining national strength with global strength to find a path to national liberation, freeing Vietnam from slavery and winning independence and freedom. In today’s interdependent world, the development of each nation cannot be isolated or immune from global and historical dynamics. Following his example, we must keep pace with global developments, chart a course toward peace, stability, prosperity, development, and elevate Vietnam’s position in the new era.

Our nation stands at a critical juncture with immense opportunity for advancement, yet also faces tremendous challenges. The achievements of integration so far have helped build the foundation for a new breakthrough. Continuing in that spirit, Resolution 59 marks an important shift in the Party’s thinking and orientation on international integration for the coming period, serving as a driving force to propel our country toward the noble goals of independence, freedom, happiness, prosperity, and enduring strength.

General Secretary To Lam