Beyond reflecting a new perspective on peace and security, this speech clearly testifies to Vietnam’s vision, capabilities and international responsibility in building the regional and global order. The central message emphasizes that peace is not a passive state to be enjoyed, but must be actively created, cultivated and protected through dialogue, cooperation, strategic trust and respect for international law. This represents a significant evolution in Vietnamese foreign policy thinking, reflecting the country’s increasingly important place on the international stage.
Identify precisely the nature of changes in the contemporary world.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the world experienced profound political, economic, security and technological upheavals. Strategic competition between the great powers has intensified; conflict zones persisted; protectionism, exacerbated nationalism and geopolitical fragmentation have asserted themselves. At the same time, non-traditional challenges such as climate change, cyber security, pandemics, terrorism and transnational crime have continued to take a heavy toll on the global environment, undermining peace and development.
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Secretary-General and President To Lam delivers the opening speech at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue. Photo: VNA |
In this context, the opening speech of Comrade To Lam – General Secretary, Chairman and Secretary of the Central Military Commission – at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue not only presented Vietnam’s position on regional security issues, but also affirmed a new approach to peace, stability and development. This timely message reflects both national interests and Vietnam’s responsibility to the international community.
One of the highlights of the speech was the identification of the root causes of the current instability. Secretary-General and President To Lam said the world is facing three fundamental crises simultaneously: the crisis of the international order, the crisis of the development model and the crisis of strategic confidence. This analysis is of considerable theoretical and practical importance. In fact, many international institutions created after the Second World War encounter significant challenges in terms of their effectiveness and their coordination capacities. The fundamental principles of international law are flouted in many places; brute force continues to be used as an instrument for settling disputes; and development disparities between countries and regions are widening.
In particular, the decline in strategic trust between nations has become a direct cause of increased risks of conflict. When dialogue narrows, mistrust increases and local interests take precedence over the common good, peace becomes more fragile than ever. It is therefore crucial to precisely identify the nature of crises, not only to understand current challenges, but also to develop appropriate solutions to maintain lasting peace and stability.
From a “peacekeeping” mentality to a “peacebuilding” mentality.
The most striking point of this speech lay in the emphasis placed on the need for “proactive peacebuilding”. This represents a significant development in Vietnam’s foreign policy and security outlook. Traditionally, peace is understood as the absence of war or armed conflict. However, in the context of the modern world, peace is not limited to the absence of war; it also encompasses the conditions that guarantee sustainable development, equity, cooperation and prosperity. Peace must be based on trust, effective cooperation mechanisms and shared interests between nations.
Vietnam’s message to Shangri-La demonstrates that peace is not a gift, nor can it be maintained through unilateral imposition or force. Lasting peace relies on the participation of nations in its creation and on their shared responsibility to preserve it. This progressive approach is in line with developments in the modern world.
This approach focused on peacebuilding also testifies to an evolution in Vietnam’s international role. While previously the country focused mainly on protecting a peaceful environment conducive to its national development, today it actively participates in and contributes to common regional and global issues, thus becoming a key player in multilateral cooperation processes.
Affirm the value of dialogue, cooperation and international law.
The message of peacebuilding conveyed by the speech was expressed consistently by emphasizing dialogue, cooperation and respect for international law. The history of international relations shows that any conflict has serious economic, political and humanitarian consequences. However, dialogue always remains the most economical and effective way to resolve disputes. This is why Vietnam continues to affirm the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, based on respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and legitimate interests of all nations.
This speech also conveyed the following message: in an increasingly interdependent world, no nation can solve all the problems alone. International cooperation is no longer an option, but a necessity. Global challenges such as climate change, energy security, food security, water security and cyber security can only be addressed through coordination among nations.
Respect for international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter demonstrates Vietnam’s constant commitment to building a fair, transparent and rules-based international order. This is an essential basis for preventing conflicts and protecting small and medium-sized states from pressures linked to power struggles.
Message on building strategic trust
A particularly significant aspect of the speech was its emphasis on the role of strategic trust in international relations. According to Secretary-General and President To Lam, lack of trust is one of the root causes of the current instability. Strategic trust is not based on uniformity of interests or points of view, but rather on the ability to respect differences and seek common ground. When trust is strengthened, nations are better placed to develop cooperation, minimize misunderstandings and manage disagreements effectively.
In the Asia-Pacific region, where competition between centers of power is fierce, building strategic trust takes on particular importance. This requires countries to engage sustainably in dialogue, ensure the transparency of their policies and avoid any action that could exacerbate tensions or change the status quo by force. Vietnam’s message is not only significant on a regional scale, but also on a global scale, because in a multipolar and multicentered world, trust is an essential strategic resource for maintaining peace and development.
Affirm Vietnam’s international role and responsibilities.
The speech delivered at Shangri-La also demonstrated the remarkable maturity of Vietnamese foreign policy after four decades of reforms. The fact that the head of the Vietnamese Party and State was invited to deliver the opening speech at the main regional security forum testifies to the international community’s recognition of Vietnam’s growing role, position and prestige.
Through this speech, Vietnam affirmed itself as a peace-loving nation, a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community. Vietnam does not remain indifferent to global issues, but actively participates in them, contributes through its initiatives and promotes cooperation for peace, stability and development. This perspective is part of the continuity of Vietnamese foreign policy, independent, autonomous, multilateral and diversified; it also reflects the new strategic vision of Vietnam in the era of deep integration. This involves closely combining the protection of national interests and a positive contribution to peace and the progress of humanity.
The theoretical and practical value of the Shangri-La 2026 message.
The message of building and maintaining peace, as articulated at Shangri-La 2026, has deep theoretical and practical value.
On a theoretical level, this speech contributes to enrich and develop thinking on Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era, by clarifying the dialectical relationship between peace, stability and development. Peace is a condition of development; development lays the foundations for stability; and stability is a prerequisite for maintaining lasting peace.
Concretely, this message defines important directions for Vietnam’s foreign policy, defense and security in the months to come. These include resolutely pursuing an independent and autonomous foreign policy; to strengthen strategic forecasting capabilities; to consolidate international dialogue and cooperation; to actively participate in multilateral mechanisms; and to continuously consolidate national power in order to firmly protect the homeland, from the beginning and from a distance.
In an ever-changing world, the views expressed in this speech are not only important to Vietnam, but also provide valuable perspectives to the international community in its search for solutions to maintain peace and sustainable development.
Secretary-General and President To Lam’s opening speech at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue was a diplomatic message of great strategic importance, reflecting Vietnam’s new vision of peace, security and development in the 21st century. From identifying the fundamental crises facing the world today to proposing a proactive approach to peacebuilding, this speech clearly demonstrated Vietnam’s character, sense of responsibility and aspiration to contribute to regional and global peace.
The essential message conveyed is that peace is not a passive state to defend, but an active process of construction based on dialogue, cooperation, strategic trust and respect for international law. This position, constant for Vietnam, also constitutes a valuable long-term orientation for the international community in its quest for a peaceful, stable and sustainably developed world.
Source : https://www.qdnd.vn/chinh-tri/cac-van-de/thong-diep-kien-tao-va-giu-vung-hoa-binh-trong-bai-phat-bieu-dan-de-cua-tong-bi-thu-chu-tich-nuoc-bi-thu-quan-uy-trung-uong-to-lam-tai-doi-thoai-shangri-la-lan-thu-23-1042255
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