In 2019, the context of the world and the region was complicated and had a significant impact on the foreign affairs of the country in general and the defence foreign affairs in particular. However, with political determination and proactive and creative spirit, the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence have led and directed the synchronous and comprehensive deployment of defence foreign affairs. Close attention has been paid to the resolutions and action plans to implement the Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress (2015 - 2020 Tenure), Resolution No.806-NQ/QUTW issued on December 31^st, 2013 by the Central Military Commission on “International integration and defence foreign affairs until 2020 and the beyond” and effectively implement the project on “International integration in defence up to 2020 and vision to 2030”, etc. As a result, the defence foreign affairs have achieved many important results, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, enhancing the position of the country and the Army, and contributing to firmly protecting the Socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

First and foremost, defence foreign affairs have asserted itself as an important channel, along with the Party's foreign affairs, the State diplomacy, the People's foreign affairs, to struggle to protect territorial sovereignty by peaceful means in accordance with international laws. Secondly, defence foreign affairs have contributed directly to building strategic trust and raising Vietnam's position in the international arena. Thirdly, defence foreign affairs have made the most of the resources that have contributed to building the Army, consolidating national defence and protecting the Fatherland. Fourthly, defence foreign affairs have practically contributed to war consequence remedies. Finally, it has been proactively preparing all aspects for the year when Vietnam assumes on the role of ASEAN Presidency 2020.

General Nguyen Chi Vinh addresses at the mission briefing of defence foreign affairs in 2020

In 2020, Vietnam will assume the role of ASEAN Presidency, marking 25 years of official participation in the ASEAN common home. At the same time, Vietnam will also assume the role of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. Accordingly, the Ministry of National Defence will preside over 20 military conferences and activities of ASEAN. The successful implementation of these roles is of great significance, especially in the time when the entire Party, the People, and the Army are focusing on fulfilling the final tasks of the 2016-2020 term and preparing for all aspects of the 13^th National Party Congress. In the context that the world continues to move rapidly and complicatedly with many uncertain and unpredictable factors; ASEAN continues to have many new issues raised, especially the need to consolidate more intra-regional solidarity and improve capacity to adapt to rapid and complex changes in the international arena, in order to contribute to the overall success of the country's diplomacy during the year when Vietnam assume the role of ASEAN Presidency, defence foreign affairs should focus on well implementing a number of the major tasks as follows:

1. To continue to carry out activities according to foreign policies defined in the Resolution of the 12^th Nation Party Congress; Resolution of the 8^th Central Party Commission (the 11^th Tenure) on “The Strategy for defending the Fatherland in a new situation”; Resolution No.22-NQ/TW issued on April 10^th, 2013 by the Politburo (the 11^th Tenure) on “International integration”; Resolution No.806-NQ/QUTW issued by the Central Military Commission on “International Integration and Defence Foreign Affairs by 2020 and the subsequent years”; and Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress. Thereby, to be aware that defence foreign affairs and international integration is one of the ways to protect the country early, from afar, and by peaceful means. To proactively cooperate, taking cooperation as a premise to promote building confidence and creating an interweaving, cohesive, binding, and balancing interests between Vietnam and other countries and international organizations; and to repel risks of conflict and maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national construction and development. To continue to synchronously and effectively implement the project on “Defence international integration by 2020 with vision to 2030”.

2. To proactively grasp the situation, especially from external impacts on national defence and security; to identify the right partners and subjects to promptly advise with the Party and the State on important policies to strengthen confidence and relations with neighboring countries, major countries, ASEAN countries, and other traditional friendly countries; to timely prevent conflicts and protect the national sovereignty; and to resolutely maintain peace and stability to develop the country. To actively advise and propose guidelines and solutions to combine national defence, security, and foreign affairs with economic, cultural, and social development, especially in the implementation of Resolution No.36-NQ/TW issued on October 22^nd, 2018 by the Party Central Committee (the 12^th Tenure) on “The strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy by 2030 with vision to 2045”. During the term of ASEAN Presidency, Vietnam will continue its efforts to accelerate the negotiation process to complete the Code of Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (COC) between ASEAN and China.

3. To continue to deploy defence cooperation with other countries in accordance with State-level partnerships, choose the right breakthrough stage, and gradually bring the relationships and cooperation into depth and to achieve effective results; in particular, to focus on training, war consequences remedies, humanitarian assistance - disaster relief, UN peacekeeping participation, strategic research, defence industry, military and commercial engineering, and maritime security etc. To strengthen the consolidation and promotion of bilateral defence relations with ASEAN countries and partnership and dialogue countries in order to build confidence and create consensus and support of the countries for the year Vietnam takes on the role of ASEAN Presidency.

4. To promote the role of proactive and responsible member in multilateral military and defence cooperation. To fully and effectively participate in organizations, security structures, forums, ... for the sake of regional, inter-regional, and global stability and peace; to pay attention to building laws and principles and proposing initiatives to organize field activities. To implement the plans for organizing ASEAN defence conferences and activities in 2020 according to the approved schedule. In particular, to focus on the narrow meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers (ADMM retreat); ASEAN Defence Force Command Meeting (ACDFM); ASEAN Defence Minister Meeting (ADMM); extended ASEAN Defence Minister Meeting (ADMM +); the 10^th Anniversary of ADMM +, etc. contributing to the overall success of the year Vietnam’s ASEAN 2020 Presidency.

5. To improve the ability of strategic forecasting and the capacity of advising, directing, managing, operating, coordinating, and organizing the implementation of defence foreign affair activities and defence international integration; to ensure a transparent, unified, and strict axis from orientation, direction, and implementation to presentation and propaganda on foreign affairs, ... in accordance with the Party's goals and views on foreign affairs and the State’s laws and in compliance with to the requirements and duties of the Fatherland protection.

6. To supplement and perfect the system of legal documents in relation to defence foreign affairs e in accordance with the development of the situation and international laws. In the immediate future, to promulgate a Circular detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of Decree No.22/2016/NĐ-CP issued on March 31^st, 2016 by the Government on defence foreign affairs; to submit to the Government the draft Decree on amending Decree No.104/2012/NĐ-CP issued on December 5^th, 2012 by the Government on foreign military ships to Vietnam.

7. To strengthen the communication and propaganda on defence foreign affairs in 2020 and promote bilateral defence cooperation with other countries; results of cooperation in the fields of war consequences remedies, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, sovereignty protection, national border, sea, and island security, and border foreign relations; Vietnam's results in UN peacekeeping operations; Vietnam's role, position, initiatives, and contributions during the ASEAN Presidency 2020; to promote and propagandize about ASEAN and the ASEAN armies in the period of 2019-2020; and to promote the country, culture, history, and good values ​​of Vietnamese people.

8. To pay attention to fostering and improving the political stuff, professional qualifications, laws, foreign languages, information technology, etc. for the contingent of officials engaged in defence foreign affairs to ensure the ability to participate in the compositions of international and regional organizations in relation to national defence and security and ensure good service for ASEAN military and defence conferences in 2020.

The above issues are the basic and important contents that orient all defence foreign affair activities when Vietnam to assume the ASEAN Presidency 2020. The whole Army needs to thoroughly grasp and organize the effective implementation to contribution to firmly defending the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development, and raising Vietnam's role and position in the international arena.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defence