In his Twitter account, US President Donald Trump thanks Vietnam for supplying masks to the US.
“Vietnam's support of masks for the great powers, and difficult countries like Laos and Cambodia, is a foreign policy which demonstrates Vietnam's humanity that puts the interests and safety of people first,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. and Major General Le Van Cuong, former Head of the Strategic Research Institute, Ministry of Public Security. “At the same time, this shows that Vietnam is responsible in addressing difficulties with the international community.”
Even in its fierce struggle against COVID-19, Vietnam still sent 550,000 antibacterial cloth masks to five European countries; while Hanoi helped Moscow cope with the health crisis; and provinces bordering China also sent medical supplies to support many Chinese provinces.
The Vietnamese Government is determined to act in accordance with its commitment "to continue to support friends and partners affected by the disease, within its ability."
The world respected Vietnam even more when it saw the country of 100 million people, bordering China where COVID-19 was first reported, having successfully controlled the pandemic with over 380 cases and no fatalities.
Vietnam is also the first country in Asia to enter a "new normal".
Mr. Derek Grossman, senior defense analyst at RAND Corporation, believes that Vietnam's success in the fight against COVID-19 as well as its noble deed in the current crisis is an opportunity for Vietnam to prove its increasing value to the world. It helps Vietnam strengthen its soft power, and spread solidarity and generosity to the whole world.
In an article entitled "Vietnam poised to be big post-pandemic winner", Asia Times said that COVID-19 created not only a great challenge for Vietnam, but also brought many new opportunities for this country.
At this time, when many powers like the US, Japan and some European countries are considering separating from the supply chain with essential imports such as medical supplies, Vietnam has emerged as a reliable supplier.
“Vietnam is a major beneficiary of this diversification as it has proved to be friendly while still cost-effective to firms from the West, and Vietnam will be, in many cases, their first choice when they look around to find a reliable alternative. The shift couldn’t be better timed for Vietnam,” said Alexander Vuving, professor at the Daniel K Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Foreign Deputy Minister To Anh Dung presents Vietnamese Government medical supplies to Sweden. (Photo: VNA)
Ralph Cossa, Honorary Chairman of the Pacific Forum of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said many countries are eager to diversify their supply sources and reduce their dependence on China, and are thus urgently looking for reliable suppliers.
He expressed his belief that Vietnam seems to be becoming the leading candidate on this list, as what Vietnam has been doing is very impressive, and it is considered a good potential market for investment.
Vietnam's assistance action has been started since the past. Over the recent years, Vietnam has sent officers to participate in UN peacekeeping activities as well as to help countries with lower economic development.
Do Ta Khanh, Director of the EU Research Center under the European Research Institute, said that Vietnam's assistance actions to the world during COVID-19 were just a continuation of a process of Vietnam playing its role on the international arena, and it is an expression of an open and responsible foreign policy.
“We simply carry out our open and responsible foreign policy towards the international community when possible. This is a pure international spirit, following the ideology of President Ho Chi Minh,” Mr. Khanh said.
Flexible foreign policy helps Vietnam prove its worth to the world. This is the result of a whole process, from planning to implementing policies in the long run, not just in this epidemic.
Many international experts say that Vietnam is showing a good sense of activeness and responsibility in international affairs, demonstrating and promoting its capacity in both roles of ASEAN Chair 2020 and as non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council term 2020-2021. Typically was the flexibility to organize the ASEAN, ASEAN + 3 online Summit and promotion of the proposal on establishing a joint ASEAN cooperation fund in response to COVID-19./.