Attending the conference were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; leaders of various ministries and agencies; Vietnamese ambassadors and heads of representative missions abroad; as well as leaders of localities, associations, and businesses.

Delegates attending the conference at the Son La venue

 Attending and chairing the conference at the Son La venue was Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Nguyen Dinh Viet.

At the conference, delegates reviewed the results of economic diplomacy during the first half of 2025, assessed advantages and challenges, and drew lessons to make greater efforts, implement more effectively, and achieve even more positive outcomes in the second half of the year. Accordingly, in the first six months of the year, external affairs in general—and economic diplomacy in particular—were carried out proactively, decisively, and comprehensively, making tangible contributions to the country's growth and development goals. Economic diplomacy has continued to be institutionalized and systematized methodically, enjoying strong consensus and engagement from the entire political system, along with close coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities. The number of foreign affairs delegations in the first half of 2025 nearly matched the total for the entire year of 2024. Over 200 commitments and agreements were signed—double the number in 2024. Diplomatic relations with 10 countries were upgraded, bringing the total to 10 out of 13 comprehensive strategic partners upgraded since the beginning of the current term. Traditional growth drivers have continued to be renewed and further promoted through enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, and labor with major markets and key investment partners—especially in Northeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas—while also exploring many new markets.

The conference was held virtually with Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

At the meeting, localities, associations, and businesses shared the difficulties and challenges they are facing amid a complex global economic landscape. Exports are showing signs of overreliance on a few specific markets, while competitive pressure is mounting due to tariff measures and trade defense mechanisms. Meanwhile, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows remain unstable in the context of a shifting globalization trend.

In his concluding remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the crucial role of economic diplomacy in contributing to the implementation of Resolution No. 59 of the Politburo on international integration, as well as other key resolutions. He underscored that the global situation is changing rapidly and unpredictably, and embassies must proactively monitor, forecast, and analyze developments to provide timely recommendations to the Party and State leadership for appropriate policy responses. The Prime Minister called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese embassies, and local authorities to strengthen coordination and ensure serious, full implementation of commitments and cooperation agreements with other countries, thereby increasing the value of import and export goods. He also urged continued efforts to promote the signing of free trade agreements in markets where high-level trade frameworks already exist. Ultimately, he emphasized turning economic diplomacy into a strong driving force to help achieve the national growth target of 8% in 2025 and lay the foundation for double-digit growth in the following period.

Diep Huong

Translated by Huyen Vu