Vietnam Upholds 'Four Nos' Defense Policy in Ongoing Strategy

Vietnam’s commitment to its “four nos” defense policy remains steadfast as it strives for independence, self-reliance, and multilateral partnerships on the international stage. During a government meeting on international partnership, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the principles behind the policy: no military alliances, no taking sides in conflicts between nations, no foreign military bases or using Vietnamese territory against other countries, and no use or threat of force in international relations. These principles were outlined in Vietnam’s Defense White Book of 2019.

Prime Minister Chinh highlighted Vietnam’s role as a loyal friend, reliable partner, and responsible member of the global community. He emphasized the importance of Vietnam’s independent and self-reliant economy, which is deeply integrated into the international landscape. The Prime Minister stressed the need to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the fourth industrial revolution, reconfigure supply chains, and optimize free-trade agreements to position Vietnam advantageously in the evolving international environment.

While acknowledging the challenges of international integration, Prime Minister Chinh expressed his desire to strike a balance between independence, self-reliance, and international engagement. He underscored the necessity of enhancing self-reliance, competitiveness, resilience, and adaptability, urging Vietnam to be bold and innovative in pursuing national interests. Building high-quality human resources, improving institutional capacity, and aligning domestic policies with international commitments were identified as fundamental factors for successful integration.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of effectively implementing international agreements and commitments, both bilaterally and multilaterally, with a focus on fulfilling promises and achieving tangible results. The government meeting served as a review of the implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution 22 on international integration over the past decade. Vietnam’s integration efforts have extended beyond the economic realm to encompass politics, security, and national affairs. The country has established diplomatic relations with nearly 200 nations, participates in UN peacekeeping missions, and has signed 16 free trade agreements with approximately 60 economies.

Although Vietnam’s trade volume reached $730 billion last year and its national brand was valued at $431 billion, Prime Minister Chinh acknowledged that Vietnamese businesses still have limited involvement in global supply chains. The country’s competitiveness has shown minimal improvement over the past decade, and the level of connectivity between foreign direct investment companies and domestic businesses has yet to meet expectations.