People-to-people diplomacy flexibly adapts to new situation: VUFO President
The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and other people’s organisations have flexibly responded to the current challenges and renovated their activities to adapt to the new situation, VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga has said.
VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Union ofFriendship Organisations (VUFO) and other people’s organisations have flexibly respondedto the current challenges and renovated their activities to adapt to the new situation,VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga has said.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency(VNA) ahead of the National Conference on External Affairs, slated for December 14in Hanoi, Nga pointed out the challenges to people-to-people diplomacy, including complexdevelopments of the world situation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the 13th National Party Congress hasidentified people-to-people diplomacy as one of the three pillars of externalrelations, together with Party diplomacy and State diplomacy.
Highlighting Vietnam’s friendship with foreign countries,friends and partners, which has been consolidated over the past decades, the VUFO President said Vietnam is working hard to expand the network of friends andmobilise international resources to serve national construction and development.
During the interview, Nga also reviewed achievementsrecorded in people-to-people diplomacy across spheres, saying despite thepandemic, Vietnam’s connection with international friends has not beendisrupted thanks to the utilisation of internet and social platforms.
She said VUFO has so far raised more than 47billion VND (2.04 million USD) in support of the COVID-19 combat. Meanwhile, 57non-governmental organisations have donated over 10.6 million USD to help Vietnamese fight the pandemic.
The Vietnam-Laos, Vietnam-Cambodia and Vietnam-India Friendship Associations, among others, have also mobilised resources to aid foreign friendsaffected by the pandemic, Nga added.
She emphasised contributions of the associations tothe country’s socio-economic development through the organisation of seminars overthe past time.
Right after the pandemic was brought under control,people-to-people diplomacy activities have been integrated into overseas tripsby high-ranking leaders, according to the VUFO President.
Apart from bilateral activities, people-to-peoplediplomacy has also played a part in affirming Vietnam’s role and position atpeople’s forums like the ASEAN People’s Forum and the Asia-Europe People’sForum.
In the foreign non-governmental work, Nga saidforeign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have pledged 260 million USD in aid for Vietnam this year.
The upcoming conference willset out specific orientations, directions and strategies for agencies,ministries and branches in this field.
It will also seek measures to promote theeffectiveness of coordination between agencies and localities, and betweenParty diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy./.
The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) hosted a ceremony on May 14 to celebrate the 48th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi on August 31 had a meeting with representatives from the Russia - Vietnam Friendship Association and the association of Russian former military experts serving in Vietnam during wartime in an effort to accelerate people-to-people diplomacy between the two countries.
Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung has highlighted the need to ensure the Party’s leadership in diplomatic work and the importance of combination of Party, State and people-to-people diplomacy.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
VUFO President Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga (Photo: VNA) 
