Viet Nam is a country with a long-standing culture and always acts in a kind, sympathetic way towards all countries in the world, especially the neighbours. This fine tradition is also the nation’s consistent ideology and standpoint as well as a strategy to protect the country from afar by peaceful means. As time progresses with numerous ups and downs in history, the precious thought, strategy, and experience of our predecessors about foreign affairs in general and relations with neighbouring countries in particular are still valuable. The National Defence Journal has the honour to roll out an article entitled “Viet Nam strengthens ties with neighbours to raise country status” written by Quang Hop and Manh Ha with the aim of contributing to affirmation, inheritance, and development of this precious experience and tradition to a new height in accordance with specific conditions of the country in the new situation.

I. Strategic importance of neighbour relations

In today’s international context, expansion and strengthening of foreign relations are an urgent and vital requirement, which even decides the existence and development of all nations. Clearly, Viet Nam is not outside this mainstream. On perceiving this matter, our Party has affirmed “implementation of a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, and development; diversification and multilateralisation of foreign relations”; “Viet Nam is a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, responsible member in the international community”. This is a consistent standpoint of our Party and State, which is also a message to nations in the world. Viet Nam’s foreign policy is not formalist at all but completely substantive and is clearly expressed by its practical actions in foreign relations. Viet Nam wishes to be “a friend, a reliable partner” of all nations; is ready to expand defence cooperation relations regardless of differences in political regimes and levels of development; always respects its partners’ independence, sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity. Viet Nam is not dependent on and does not accept defence cooperation relations under pressure or any coercion. Meanwhile, it is committed to pursuing a defence policy of transparency, peace, and self-defence, and “advocates neither joining any military alliances, siding with one country against another, giving any other countries permission to set up military bases or use its territory to carry out military activities against other countries nor using force or threatening to use force in international relations”. Independence and self-reliance are the utmost interests of the country and also Viet Nam’s immutable principle in foreign relations. Viet Nam is not dependent on any nations and does not allow any forces to encroach upon these supreme interests and principle in international relations. Given the aforementioned active, responsible viewpoint, Viet Nam is highly appreciated by international community. Accordingly, Viet Nam’s foreign relations are increasingly expanded and diversified. Our country has established diplomatic relations with 189 out of 193 members of the United Nations, in which 17 countries are its strategic partners, 13 are its comprehensive partners. Russia and India are its comprehensive strategic partners, while China is its comprehensive strategic cooperative partner, and Japan is its extensive strategic partner. Moreover, Viet Nam is a member of many international, regional organisations.

It is within this context that our Party attaches special importance to cooperative relations with neighbouring countries, clearly specifying that this is a strategic issue, which has direct influence on national interests and the cause of national building, development, and defence of our military and people. Viet Nam is a maritime nation and does not have many neighbours. Viet Nam, therefore, always respects, preserves, and ceaselessly develops previous and current ties with its neighbouring countries regardless of major or small ones, rich or poor. They are comprehensive strategic cooperative relations in all fields on the basis of equality and mutual benefits between neighbouring nations, thus contributing to maintenance of interests and a peaceful, stable environment conducive for cooperation and development in the region and the world.

As for our nation, the term of “neighbour” has a good meaning in both national and family aspects. It is deeply ingrained in most Vietnamese people. In the family aspect, “neighbours” are people who are extremely close to each other. That is why Vietnamese people have proverbs: “A stranger nearby is better than a far-away relative” or “Neighbours share their joys and sorrows.” This good pattern of behaviour has been long cultivated, tested, and carried on generation after generation and becomes character and human tradition of Vietnamese people. In national aspect, “neighbours” are countries which share boundaries and have traditional, friendship, cooperative relations that not all nations are entitled to. History has proved that there is nothing more joyful and happier than having good neighbours, and there is nothing more unfortunate than having no neighbours or bad neighbours. If good neighbour relationships are developed, everything will go well, problems will be solved no matter how difficult they are. On the contrary, bad neighbour relations worsen problems. Viet Nam’s relations with its neighbours have been developed from history and tested over time by numerous upheavals. Thus, they are close-knit, extremely faithful, pure, and unbreakable. Viet Nam always attaches importance to strengthening the bonds with its neighbouring countries. In fact, these relationships have become an invaluable property, endogenous strength, and the catalyst for overcoming all difficulties and challenges in the cause of national construction and defence.

The Party, State, and people of Viet Nam never forget and are extremely grateful to precious assistance in both spiritual and material terms from international friends, especially the socialist and neigbouring countries, in the struggle for national liberation. Thanks to this wholehearted support, particularly the solidarity of three Indochina countries, namely Viet Nam, Laos, and Cambodia, the struggle for national independence has reaped huge success, marking a glorious milestone in the history of fighting foreign aggressors of each country. As for Viet Nam, it always respects the past, looks toward the future, and behaves humanly and consistently with its neighbouring countries. On deeply grasping the viewpoint of “helping friends is helping ourselves”, Viet Nam is always willing to assist its neigbouring countries when they are in need. The most tangible evidence is when Cambodia was in misfortune, Vietnamese volunteer soldiers undertook their noble international mission to assist Cambodian people to liberate their nation from the brutal regime of Pol Pot and Ieng Sary in 1979 regardless of sacrifice and hardship. In the official visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia on 21 December 2021 of State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the two sides issued a joint statement with 16 activities, signed seven documents to further boost cooperation on critical areas, and discussed many important issues of common interest. They are clear proofs of “good neighbours, traditional friendship, and sustainable, long-term, comprehensive cooperation” between the two countries as well as between neighbouring countries in general. The spirit of unshakable cooperation and friendship between the neighbouring countries continue to be upheld in the fight against common enemy of the humankind or the COVID-19 pandemic. Viet Nam and its neighbouring countries have actively cooperated, shared experience, and provided medical equipment, vaccines, etc., to cope with critical situations of the pandemic.

History has shown the significant importance of neighbour relations. These relations are unique in many dimensions. They are extremely close, extremely faithful and pure, extremely traditional friendship, etc., thus going beyond the scope of normal diplomatic relations. The significance and value of neighbour relations are displayed not only through ways of behaviour, mutual support and trust in dealing with regional, international issues in bilateral and multilateral forums, but also through comprehensive cooperative relations for mutual benefits between neighbouring countries. Currently, the world situation witnesses many complex developments. International relations are potentially laden with sensitive issues and intertwined interests. Thus, the strengthening of traditional, friendship, cooperative relations between neighbouring countries becomes more and more important and plays a core role in the general international relations of our Party and State. This is a strategic matter, key to Viet Nam’s future and successful accomplishment of “a prosperous people and a strong, democratic, equitable and advance country”, national building, and firm protection of the Fatherland.

(To be continued)

QUANG HOP and MANH HA