How to conduct the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles according to the latest regulations?

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• What is the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?
• What are the principles for carrying out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?
• How to carry out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?

What is the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?

According to the provisions at point a clause 6 Article 3 of Decree 18/2022/ND-CP of Vietnam (effective on April 10, 2022) on the definition of state visit as follows:

"Article 3. Interpretation of terms

For the purpose of this Decree, the following terms shall be construed as follows:

…

6. “State visits”, “official visits”, “working visits”, "unannounced visits”, “private visits" are titles of visits of high-ranking foreign guests, indicating the nature and extent of the visit:

a) “State visit” is a visit with the highest extent of state ceremonies for a Head of a guest nation who is also the Head of the Governing Party and the guest of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; a Head of a guest nation who is the guest of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;”

How to carry out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles according to the latest regulations?

What are the principles for carrying out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?

According to the provisions of Article 4 of Decree 18/2022/ND-CP of Vietnam (effective on April 10, 2022) on the principles for carrying out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles:

“Article 4. Principles of organizing diplomatic ceremonies

1. The presiding agency organizing diplomatic ceremonies shall comply with regulations of the Constitution and the law of Vietnam as well as the international laws and practices.

2. The organization of diplomatic ceremonies shall be uniformly performed in the entire political system including agencies of the Communist Party and the State, serving political and diplomatic requirements of the Communist Party and the State and affirming the leading position and role of the Vietnam Communist Party regarding the political system of Vietnam.

3. The presiding agency shall propose measures of diplomatic ceremonies on the basis of equality and reciprocity; focus on handling differences between the political system, practice, and culture of Vietnam with the political system, practice, and culture of the guest nation.

4. Special cases shall have their separate plans; competent authorities shall decide the approval of such plans.”

How to carry out the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles?

According to the provisions of Article 7 of Decree 18/2022/ND-CP of Vietnam (effective on April 10, 2022), the ceremony of reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles is carried out as follows:

"Article 7. Reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit under two titles

1. The organization of the reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party on a state visit at the invitation of the General Secretary and the President of Vietnam is as follows:

a) The General Secretary shall preside over the state-level welcome ceremony, meeting, and reception of the Head of State who is also the Head of the Governing Party (hereinafter referred to as “Head of the Guest Delegation”);

b) The President of Vietnam shall preside over the state banquet with the General Secretary, hold a private audience and invite the Head of the Guest Delegation to a friendly meal.

2. Airport greeters:

a) Composition: Head and Deputy Head of the Central Diplomatic Department, Head of the President’s Office or escorting Minister, Vietnamese Ambassador in the guest nation, Deputy Chief of Office of the Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanoi city, Director of Directorate of State Protocol, Director of the Reception Department of the Central Diplomatic Department, Director of the Regional Affairs Department of the Central Diplomatic Department, Director of Department of Foreign Affairs of the President’s Office, and Director of the Regional Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

b) Protocol: same as prescribed in Point b Clause 1 Article 6 of this Decree.

3. State-level welcome ceremony:

a) The General Secretary shall preside over the welcome ceremony;

b) Composition: The spouse of the General Secretary (if the spouse of the Head of Guest Delegation also accompanies him/her), Deputy Prime Minister, Vice-president of the National Assembly, Head of the Central Diplomatic Department, Head of the President’s Office or escorting Minister, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi city, Vietnamese Ambassador in the guest nation; heads of ministries or central authorities corresponding to the composition of the guest delegation and requirements of the reception.

c) Reception protocol:

The General Secretary and his/her spouse shall receive the Head of the Guest Delegation and his/her spouse at the parking place of the vehicle of the Head of the Guest Delegation;

Children gift flowers to the Head of the Guest Delegation and his/her spouse;

Children wave flags of both nations;

d) Reviewing protocol of the Honour Squad of the People’s Army of Vietnam:

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall step on the honour podium; the spouse of the General Secretary and spouse of the Head of the Guest Delegation shall be invited to the front row of Vietnamese officials;

The military band shall play the national anthem melody of the guest nation and Vietnam; 21 rounds of cannons shall be fired while the national anthems are being played on the basis of reciprocity or according to the approved plan;

Captain of the Honour Squad of the People's Army of Vietnam shall greet, report, and invite the Head of the Guest Delegation to review the Honour Squad;

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall review the Honour Squad together;

The Honour Squad shall wish the Head of the Guest Delegation good health;

The General Secretary shall introduce the Vietnamese officials attending the welcome ceremony to the Head of the Guest Delegation and his/her spouse. The Head of the Guest Delegation shall introduce official members of the delegation to the General Secretary and his/her spouse.

The Director of Directorate of State Protocol shall introduce some Ambassadors (if invited) to the General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation and their spouse

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall return to the honour podium. The spouse of the General Secretary and the spouse of the Head of the Guest Delegation shall be invited to the position behind the honour podium

The Honour Squad shall start the marching;

dd) After the welcome ceremony, the General Secretary and his/her spouse shall take pictures with the Head of the Guest Delegation and his/her spouse

The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall go to the small-meeting room or the state-level meeting room. The spouse of the General Secretary shall separately receive the spouse of the Head of the Guest Delegation;

Arrange honour guard formations in the main hall;

e) In case of inconvenient weather, the official welcome ceremony will be held at the National Assembly House. Cannons shall not be fired during the national anthem melodies of both nations. The Honour Squad shall not perform the marching after the review.

4. Small meeting and state-level meeting:

a) The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall have a small meeting before the state-level meeting according to the agreement of both parties;

b) The General Secretary and the Head of the Guest Delegation shall preside over the meeting together;

c) The composition of Vietnamese participants corresponds with the official composition of the guest delegation and requirements of the meeting content;

d) During the small meeting and state-level meeting, there must be honour guards arranged.

5. High-ranking reception:

Arrange the high-ranking reception of the Head of the Guest Delegation with the President of Vietnam, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, and other leaders according to specific requests and conditions of the visit.

6. State banquet:

a) The General Secretary and the President of Vietnam shall preside over the banquet;

b) Roll out a carpet from the entrance of the banquet room to the parking place of the vehicle of the Head of the Guest Delegation; Arrange honour guard formations in the main hall; and arrange guarding honour guards at the entrance of the banquet room;

c) Participants:

Vietnamese side: the spouse of the General Secretary and spouse of the President of Vietnam (if the spouse of the Head of the Guest Delegation accompanies him/her), Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, Chief Procurator of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, members of the Government, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi city, President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, President of the Friendship Association of Vietnam and the guest nation, President of Friendship Parliamentary Group of Vietnam and the guest nation, members who participate in the state-level welcome ceremony and meeting, former Vietnamese Ambassadors in the guest country, and special individuals or representatives of the enterprise that have many cooperation with the guest nation;

Vietnamese participants invited to the state banquet shall correspond with the composition of the guest delegation and political requirements of the visit;

Guest side: official members, servants, representatives of enterprises (if any) and a number of diplomats of foreign diplomatic missions of the guest nation;

d) Protocol:

The military band shall play the national anthem melody of the guest nation and Vietnam at the start of the banquet;

The General Secretary shall give a welcome speech;

The Head of the Guest Delegation shall respond to the speech;

dd) Organization of welcome art performances at the banquet.

7. The see-off delegation at the airport: same as when welcoming.

8. Some other special measures may be carried out according to the reception protocol plan prescribed in Clause 7 Article 6 of this Decree or the separate plan approved by competent authorities."