Viet Nam currently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, multilateralization and diversification of international relations, proactive international integration. To implement this policy, Viet Nam has had high-level exchanges with many countries and partners in the region and the world. Recent overseas visits include the official visit by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Laos and China, President Truong Tan Sang to Singapore, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Laos, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ukraine, National Assembly President Nguyen Sinh Hung to Cambodia to attend the 32nd AIPA, etc. Those foreign relation activities have produced important results and contributed not only to the enhancement of the friendship and multi-facetted cooperation between Viet Nam and those countries, but also to the maintainance of peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

President Truong Tan Sang (L) met with Indian PM Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Oct. 12

The visit by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to China and the visit by President Truong Tan Sang to India have received much attention from international and regional media, who echoed positive comments and assessments regarding the two visits. Most believe that the visit to China by Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong has brought about remarkable outcomes: Viet Nam and China are making new efforts in resolving disputes, working with other regional countries to gradually establishing a Code of Conduct in the East Sea. The two countries reached the Agreement on the Basic Principles guiding the Settlement of Maritime Issues. This is seen as an important step toward peaceful settlement of international disputes. Moreover, the two sides also agreed to set up a hot line to deal with emerging issues related to the sea and islands.

Concerning the recent visit to India by President Truong Tan Sang, one should view the visit in the context of Vietnam - India relationship that should not be linked with any third party relationship. The visit to India by the Vietnamese President is part of Viet Nam’s regular foreign relations activities that was pre-planned, an effort by the Vietnamese side to further strengthen the traditional, multifaceted, friendly cooperative relations with India on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 5th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership.

Yet, a number of regional newspapers have thrown out unconstructive, subjective and malicious comments that “Viet Nam is playing an about-face game”, “casting smokescreen in the East Sea”, that “Viet Nam on the one hand is calling for peaceful resolution, but on the other is entangling India and other countries.” One newspaper even went so far as to conclude “Viet Nam is playing a two-faced game when it signed a maritime agreement with China while at the same time went with India on an oil and gas deal”. Another newspaper even distorted the cooperation agreements between Viet Nam and India, saying Viet Nam and India intentionally signed oil and gas exploitation agreements in the disputed waters (?)

Viet Nam increasing cooperation with India in oil and gas is clearly based on international law since cooperation projects between Viet Nam and India’s ONGC lies completely within Viet Nam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, completely under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Viet Nam, in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). One can’t say that Viet Nam and India schemed on agreements in disputed waters.

Would it be “irregular” for a sovereign State to carry out its foreign policy with the aim of contributing to peace, stability in the region and over the world? Or would it be seen as “entangling with one country against the other”?

Hopefully those newspapers with such views, comments should restraint themselves to the facts, respect the truth, and live up to the noble ethic of the press.