Mr. Cam Van Phuong

Director of Son La Department of Foreign Affairs

70 years ago, after the success of the August Revolution, the temporary Government represents Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born with full of its Ministries, and President Ho Chi Minh was also to hold Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs - the person Who laid the foundation of Vietnam diplomacy. Since the beginning day of establishing, Vietnam diplomacy has inherited and promoted the traditional diplomacy of previous generations by experiences from thousand of year of history of building and defending the Nation including Ho Chi Minh Thinking in the modern era: being in friendly terms with neighbour countries, expanding relations, getting more friends and fewer enemies; firmly maintaining the principle of national independence, sovereignty and intact territory with soft strategies for the aim that national interest is highest. Under the leadership of the Party, Foreign Affairs as an important front has significantly contributed to the struggle for national liberation.

On each specific period of the revolution, diplomacy focused on implementation of main missions and can be devided into following periods: from 1945 to 1956: When Democratic Republic of Vietnam was born, national revolution encountered innumerable difficulties, national destiny threatened because of having to deal with internal and external enemies, diplomacy in those days effectively contributed to the success of defending the revolutionary government. From 1947 to 1954: diplomacy served the struggle against the invasion of French colonialism. The historical Dien Bien Phu Victory forced the French colonialism to sit at the negotiating table and sign the Geneve Agreement, marked the great victory of the struggle against French colonialism; most importantly, independence, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam were undertaken to respect by other countries including France. From 1954 to 1975: diplomacy served two strategic missions: struggle against the American imperialism in the South and building socialism in the North. The Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air Victory of the 12 day battle forced America to sit at the negotiating table and sign the Paris Agreement on January, 27^th 1973 ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam, created beneficial situation for liberation struggle in the South and national reunification.

In the struggle for national independence and reunification, diplomacy has significantly contributed to breaking the blockade and isolation, making the world understand and support our struggle, created power to win enemies, enlisted huge support in both material and spirit from the countries of the socialist camp, the democratic and progressive countries as well as peace-loving people in the world. From 1975 - 1986: diplomacy served economic restoration and development, national construction. From 1986 till now: during the period of national renovation initiated and leaded by the Party, diplomacy has contributed to implementing successfully the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, openness, multilateralisation, diversification of relations and active international integration. Until now, Vietnam has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries in all continents, establishing strategic partnerships with 10 countries, establishing a comprehensive partnership with the United States of America, also being involved and positively contributing to the construction of international community for peace, stability, cooperation and development through multilateral international forums.

To meet the mission requirements on each period, specialized agencies working in the local Foreign Affairs of Son La province was soon established, firstly with the formation of the C mission monitor unit belonging to the Provincial People's Committee; The Western Commission of Son La province was establised in 1969 which changed to be the C Commission - cum Foreign Affairs of Son La province; In 1990, the Foreign Affairs Board was established under the Office of the Provincial People's Committee; In the period of 1991 - 2000, the Foreign Affairs Bureau of Son La province was established; From 2000 to 2003, Bureau of Foreign Affairs was established under the Office of the Provincial People's Committee; In the period of 2003 - 2005: the Provincial Boundary and Foreign Affairs Board was found on the basis of gathering the Foreign Affairs Bureau and the Provincial Boundary Board; In 2005, the Son La Department of Foreign Affairs was established. Although many times of changing in names and organizational scale but the main tasks and functions were remained as follows: Advising Executive Committee, local government of the foreign affairs in the province; implementing the state management of foreign affairs, national boundary and territory.

Since mainly performed tasks to strengthen relations of friendship and aid to Laos with just two provinces of Laos as: Hua Phan, Luang Pra Bang decentralized by the Central to implement (in the period of 1969 - 1989), then the international partnership of Son La provinve has been increasingly expanded. In the field of the friendly and cooperation relation with Laos PDR: So far Son La province has signed and implemented a comprehensive cooperation agreements with 08 provinces of Northern Laos PDR, many sectors of cooperations has reached fruitful practical results contributing to ensuring national defense and security, social-economic development, gradually stabilizing and improving the living of people of each side; maintaining boundary briefings with two boundary provinces, the implementation of the Viet Nam - Laos Agreement on National Boundary Regulations effectively; From 2008 to 2013 Son La province completed the scenery implementation the project on planting and upgrading Vietnam - Laos national boundary markers with planting 125 national boundary markers and 12 piles met the demand of the Plan of the two Governments. Son La province has established partnerships with many other partners to bring practical results as follows: The friendship and cooperation between Son La Province and Midi-Pyrénées areas (France) have achieved positive results on some sectors; that the mobilization funding from international organizations, embassies to attract external resources for contributing to build and develope the province.

Over 10 years of establishing up to now, the local Foreign Affairs Agency has made maturation in every aspect, ensuring to meet the requirements to complete the political assignments in the new situation. With specialization requirement is increasingly following the common trend, Son La Department of Foreign Affairs will focus on building a team of foreign affairs officials having firm political qualities, professional qualifications meeting specific mission requirements of the industry, loyalty, creativity, dedication, exemplary; thrift practice, implementing democratic regulations in the agency effectively, studying and following the sample model of Ho Chi Minh. Advising the Province to implement the Viet Nam-Laos Agreement on National Boundary Regulations effectively; maintaining boundary briefings with the two provinces: Hua Phan, Louangphabang; directing the boundary communes, districts organise periodic briefings; propaganda of laws and regulations related to the boundary works; completing the remaining work of the project on planting and upgrading Vietnam - Laos national boundary markers, following the general plan of the two Governments. Continueing to advise the province in the field of expanding international cooperation with the countries and territories; focusing on strengthening the people's external relations to make use of the support from the international organizations and individuals; continue to perform the consulate, protocol well; advising the province to readjust and launch promptly the defined acts, guiding the implementation of the unified management of foreign activities; organizing the training courses and guidance on foreign operations for the branches, localities and units directly; in addition to this, implementing well the mobilization of overseas Vietnamese towards the homeland and contribute more to the national building./.