Viet Nam’s mindset in new era of national development

The 14th National Party Congress concluded successfully with the goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and realising the vision of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045, for a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilised, and happy Viet Nam, steadily advancing towards socialism. The Congress also identified foreign affairs as an important and regular task, which will be implemented comprehensively at a new high level.

Immediately after the 14^th National Party Congress, many diplomatic activities with important partners were carried out vibrantly to effectively implement the foreign policy set out by the Congress. General Secretary To Lam paid State visits to Laos and Cambodia; welcomed the General Secretary and President of Laos on a State visit to Viet Nam; and held telephone talks with leaders of China, Russia, Cuba, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea (RoK). Viet Nam also received special envoys from foreign leaders to congratulate the success of the 14^th National Party Congress. In the early months of 2026, as the entire country is urgently implementing action programmes to realise the Congress’ resolution and translate the spirit of the 14^th National Party Congress into concrete actions and results, the participation of General Secretary To Lam in the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace as a founding member, and the activities of members of the Vietnamese delegation in Washington D.C., the US, has added fresh momentum, and clearly demonstrated the determination to achieve the country’s strategic development goals.

General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly emphasised that realising the two 100-year strategic goals is a political and historical commitment of the Party to the people and the international community. In his recent article entitled “Promoting comprehensive foreign affairs at a new height”, the General Secretary also stated that human history has proven that any nation that has strategic initiative and seizes the power of the times to increase its internal strength will succeed. The new era requires the implementation of “comprehensive foreign affairs at a new height”: ensuring the highest national interests; taking peace, independence, self-reliance, and resilience as the foundation; placing the people at the centre of all policies; and considering contributions to the international community as a responsibility.

The Gaza Board of Peace is a coordination mechanism with the United Nations to coordinate humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and stabilisation of the region. Participating in the Board, members contribute concrete solutions to end conflict, restore peace and security, reconstruct infrastructure, ensure livelihoods for people in the Gaza Strip, and implement a comprehensive political process in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. With its consistent stance that all disputes and conflicts must be resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law and the United Nations Charter, while respecting the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of the parties concerned, and with a spirit of responsibility and goodwill, Viet Nam is ready to cooperate closely with the Board members and contribute within its capacity to joint efforts in urgent humanitarian assistance, essential infrastructure reconstruction, and confidence-building among the parties.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung, Viet Nam's membership as a founding member of the Gaza Board of Peace reflects the spirit of the 14^th National Party Congress of the consistent implementation of the Party’s foreign policy: proactively and actively contributing to peace, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development; actively and responsibly participating in addressing regional and international common issues; and striving to enhance the country’s prestige and image. It also provides an opportunity for Viet Nam to leverage its experience and capabilities, and to learn from and further integrate with other countries while coordinating to carry out common missions.

At the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace, US President Donald Trump highly appreciated the attendance of General Secretary To Lam and expressed deep respect for Viet Nam, describing it as an admirable country with an increasing role and influence. Commenting on Viet Nam’s presence, The Washington Times wrote that the early acceptance of the invitation and direct participation of General Secretary To Lam immediately after the 14^th National Party Congress demonstrated Viet Nam’s proactive international integration and reaffirmed its independent, self-reliant foreign policy for peace and development. The most profound message of the visit was Viet Nam’s value of peace a country that endured decades of war and has become a vivid example of reconstruction and reconciliation. Few nations understand the value of peace and the hardship of post-conflict reconstruction as deeply as Viet Nam.

After the war, Viet Nam resolutely rebuilt the country, normalised relations with former enemies, and integrated into the international economy. From a divided nation, Viet Nam has become a hub of manufacturing electronics, a destination for multinational corporations, and a responsible member of many international forums. The “Viet Nam story” has become valuable practical evidence for countries seeking post-conflict pathways.

The meeting was attended by heads of state and leaders from more than 50 countries, which are founding members and observers of the Gaza Board of Peace. On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam held bilateral meetings with leaders of many countries. They expressed their impression on Viet Nam’s recent economic growth and their desire to deepen and enhance bilateral cooperation in an effective and substantive manner, particularly in areas where both sides have strengths. Leaders agreed to strengthen political trust through delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level visits, and to prioritise cooperation in economics, trade, investment, cultural exchange, and people-to-people ties.

In spite of being part of a multilateral cooperation framework, the visit also held important significance for Viet Nam US bilateral relations. The participation of General Secretary To Lam demonstrated support for peace efforts in general and the Gaza reconstruction initiative in particular, contributing to further deepening cooperation between the two countries in addressing regional and global issues, consistent with the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The trip continues to reinforce political trust, expand substantive cooperation and add new momentum into bilateral ties.

During his stay in Washington D.C., General Secretary To Lam met with US Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, and held telephone talks with US senators. Ambassador Jamieson Greer emphasised that Viet Nam is one of the US’s important trading partners, and strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation will contribute positively to the overall development of relations between the two countries. The Ambassador shared that negotiations on a reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade agreement between Viet Nam and the US have made significant progress; the US Trade Representative (USTR) will continue to coordinate closely with Vietnamese agencies, ministries, and sectors, striving to conclude the negotiation process as soon as possible, as directed by the two leaders. Members of the Vietnamese delegation also participated in many bilateral meetings to promote foreign relations in various fields, contributing to strengthening international cooperation and creating collective strength to build and develop the nation.

On this occasion, General Secretary To Lam witnessed the signing and exchange of contracts and cooperation agreements between the business communities of the two countries in key sectors such as science-technology, digital transformation, aviation, and healthcare. The total value of the documents exchanged reached 37.2 billion USD, demonstrating the strong commitment of partners on both sides.

According to Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung, after 30 years of normalised relations, Viet Nam and the US have transformed historical differences into a sustainable bridge of cooperation built on mutual respect, understanding, and a shared future orientation. The agreements and cooperation documents between business communities of the two countries significantly contribute to building a strong, substantive, and balanced partnership.

With numerous receptions and bilateral and multilateral meetings, General Secretary To Lam’s participation in the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace is vivid evidence of the concretisation of the viewpoint of promoting comprehensive foreign relations at a new height, contributing to expanding the development space and elevating the country's position in the era of national rise.