Training conference on foreign affairs of Vietnam Trade Union in 2023

Training conference on foreign affairs of VIETNAM Trade Union in 2023
On the morning of November 1^st, VIETNAM General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) organized a training conference on foreign affairs of VIETNAM Trade Union in 2023. Comrade Tran Thanh Hai - Deputy Secretary of the Party Union, Senior Vice President of VGCL - Attend and deliver keynote speeches at the conference.

Also attending the conference was comrade Nguyen Duc Thinh - Member of the Presidium, Head of the International Department of VGCL.

Speaking at the conference, Senior Vice President of VGCL Tran Thanh Hai said that in recent times, trade unions at all levels have made many efforts to strengthen foreign affairs activities, promote international cooperation, and achieve many achievements, important results in the context of the country's increasingly deep integration.

“The results in foreign affairs have contributed to enhancing the position and reputation of the VIETNAM Trade Union in the international area, contributing to building a strong VIETNAM Trade Union organization, positively contributing to the overall achievements of foreign affairs". Mr. Tran Thanh Hai assessed.

The Senior Vice President of VGCL also frankly pointed out the limitations of trade union external activities. Specifically, trade union foreign affairs activities have not been truly proactive in international relations, there have been no new breakthroughs, and the results of international cooperation have not been comprehensive.

"VIETNAM's Trade Union is still passive in participating in multilateral foreign affairs activities - even though this is identified as an important task. There has not been much innovation in the content of participation; there have not been important contributing initiatives. There is not much participation in the leadership structure of international organizations; the content of activities in terms of development cooperation and protection is still limited". Mr. Tran Thanh Hai said.

In addition, the bilateral cooperation framework is not worthy, has not focused on key points, and has not fully utilized the support of partners in terms of experience and knowledge during practical activities...

The above limitations and shortcomings have many causes, but according to Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, they are mainly due to subjectivity, in which the awareness of a part of trade union officials about foreign affairs is not really complete and profound. Compliance with regulations on unified management of foreign affairs activities at trade union levels is sometimes not strict. The coordination of trade unions at all levels in implementing foreign affairs activities is still not smooth. The group of trade union officials working in foreign affairs is lacking in quantity, experience, and skills to meet the requirements of the new situation...

The Senior Vice President of the VGCL emphasized that trade union officials working in foreign affairs need to improve their foreign language skills and hone their political will in the process of foreign affairs activities; and hope that the conference will contribute to resolving existing problems to continuously improve the results of foreign affairs activities in the new situation.

At the conference, Ms. Pham Phuong Chi - Deputy Director of the Department of People's Foreign Affairs, Central Committee for Foreign Affairs - presented to the delegates the topic of the Party's policies and guidelines on people's foreign affairs in the new situation.

Delegates in the training conference.
        
In addition, at the conference, delegates were also introduced to instructions related to signing cooperation agreements with foreign partners; foreign policy and orientation of the VIETNAM Trade Union in the new situation; situation and experience through building a foreign plan for 2024...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang - Head of International Treaties Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke at the conference.