Signing of the coordination regulation between the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City in matters of advice on foreign affairs.

Speaking at the ceremony, Comrade Duong Hong Thang, head of the city People’s Committee Office, said that in recent years, the city’s work on foreign policy has been implemented comprehensively and effective according to the three pillars: Party diplomacy, state diplomacy and interpersonal diplomacy.

Following the reorganization of administrative units in accordance with Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly, work on foreign affairs in the Office of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has been benefited from increased attention with the creation of the Department of Foreign Affairs from July 1, 2025.

The Office of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has actively collaborated with the Department of Foreign Affairs to advise the city’s leadership on hosting numerous high-level foreign delegations, organizing working groups, expanding the network of international partners, quality of consular work, protection of citizens and promotion of the resources of Vietnamese abroad.

According to him, the signing of the regulation is a prerequisite for the two agencies to be able to quickly propose flexible and creative solutions; promote digitalization in the management of documents relating to foreign affairs; and focus on training and development of staff in advisory roles.

Duong Hong Thang, head of the People’s Committee office in He Chi Minh City, speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: Chu Van)

Comrade Pham Dut Diem, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of He Chi Minh City, said that after more than six months of intensive work, the two bodies finalized the regulation, ensuring that it is both legally strong, flexible and practical in its application.

The regulation aims to standardize the main aspects of cooperation: unifying mechanisms for rapid and secure sharing and processing of external information; clearly define responsibilities for directing and coordinating the hosting of international delegations and the organization of work trips abroad for municipal leaders; strengthen the evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of international agreements and memorandums of understanding; closely coordinate consular work, guarantee external security and promote administrative reform.

According to Comrade Pham Dut Diem, the regulation serves as a “guideline for action” and is also a prerequisite for signing a coordination regulation between the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for the Implementation of Foreign Affairs and International Integration Work for the period 2026-2030.

Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Dut Diem, delivers a speech. (Photo: Chu Van)

In his opening speech, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee, praised and thanked the two bodies for their proactive and responsible approach in developing the regulations. He stressed that this regulation aims to harmonize working methods in a practical and efficient way, building on the functions and tasks already defined, and helping to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each body so that it can act more proactively.

Regulations should be implemented flexibly and not rigidly; in addition to clearly defining the responsibilities of each party, the general spirit should remain coordination and mutual support for joint efficiency in foreign policy work.

Comrade Nguyen Loc Ha, member of the Standing Committee of the city Party Committee, permanent deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the city People’s Committee and permanent vice chairman of the city People’s Committee, attended the event and delivered a speech. (Photo: Chu Van)

Comrade Nguyen Loc Ha pointed out that the new context imposes increasingly high demands, forcing departments, agencies and units to strengthen their sense of responsibility, regularly review, evaluate and implement their work according to their responsibilities and their real effectiveness; each task and each meeting must clearly define specific objectives and results.

The comrade said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the city People’s Committee office are the two main bodies responsible for advising on foreign affairs, but it is a shared responsibility requiring the participation of ministries and sectors concerned; During implementation, there must be continuous connection and coordination, to ensure that no agency is left behind.

He expressed confidence that the signing and implementation of the Regulations will bring about new changes in foreign affairs advisory work, thereby making a concrete contribution to the development of He Chi Minh City.