Duties and powers of HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam

Duties and powers of HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Position and functions of HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam

- HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs is a unit under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the function of advising and assisting the Minister of Foreign Affairs on unified management of foreign affairs activities and directly implementing foreign affairs activities in Ho Chi Minh City and provinces and cities from Quang Nam province and Da Nang city to the South (hereinafter abbreviated as southern provinces and cities); at the same time, advising and handling issues related to the City's foreign affairs activities under the direction of the City Party Committee and the City People's Committee.

- HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs has legal status and a seal with the National Emblem; to open accounts at the Bank and the State Treasury according to the provisions of law; Headquarter located in Ho Chi Minh City.

(Article 1 of Decision 153/QD-BNG 2014)

2. Duties and powers of HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam

The duties and powers of the HCMC Department of Foreign Affairs are specified in Article 1 of Decision 153/QD-BNG of 2014, including:

- Unified management of foreign affairs in the City and southern provinces and cities on the basis of authorization from the Minister of Foreign Affairs (hereinafter abbreviated as Minister) in accordance with the guidelines and foreign policies of the Party and State, in accordance with international law and practices; Support and cooperate with agencies in the City (including central agencies located in the area) and southern provinces and cities to ensure the implementation of our State's regulations in relation to foreign agencies and foreigners. Specifically:

+ Advise the Minister in: organizing the dissemination, thorough grasping, and implementation of the Party's guidelines and policies, state laws in the field of foreign affairs, the implementation of tasks of the Diplomatic Service in politics, economics, culture, and territorial borders and work for Vietnamese people abroad, serving the socio-economic development of the City and southern provinces and cities; coordinating with functional units of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to handle specific, sensitive issues related to democracy and human rights in the southern provinces;

+ Advise City Leaders: carry out the City's foreign affairs work in all fields; The City's friendly and cooperative relationship with cities and localities around the world; act as a focal point for diplomatic work to serve the local economy; implement bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation; and the City's international economic integration work.

- Periodically report on the situation of foreign affairs in all fields of politics, economics, culture, and the work of Vietnamese people abroad in the southern provinces and cities, the Southwest region, and the Central Highlands. .

- Manage consular representative agencies and official representative agencies of countries in economics, trade, culture, science and technology, and international organizations located in the City; participate in handling cases with foreign elements in the City and southern provinces and cities.

- Organize to welcome and serve international delegations of the Party and State to visit and work in the City.

- Carry out a number of consular tasks in southern provinces and cities as authorized by the Minister, including: issue, extend, amend, supplement, or cancel diplomatic and official passports; grant entry permits and issue, extend, amend, supplement, or cancel visas for foreigners under the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; issue a diplomatic note requesting competent foreign agencies to grant visas to Vietnamese citizens; Carry out consular legalization and consular certification of papers and documents; participate in handling cases related to foreigners, foreign legal entities, and cases with other foreign elements; and carry out other consular work as authorized by the Minister.

- Coordinate with Vietnamese authorities and foreign representative agencies to handle exit procedures according to Vietnamese and foreign laws.

- Carry out foreign information work, disseminate, and guide the implementation of foreign policy guidelines of the Party and State and foreign affairs operations in the City and southern provinces and cities.

- Manage activities of foreign press reporters in the City and southern provinces and cities.

- Manage and direct the activities of the Institute for Cultural Exchange with France, the Center for Training and Fostering Diplomatic Knowledge and Foreign Languages
to implement policies on foreign culture, serving foreign politics and economics.

- Manage and direct the activities of the Foreign Service Center according to the policy of Diplomacy serving the task of economic development.

- Manage and direct the activities of the Government Guest House to well perform the function of serving the foreign reception activities of the Party, the State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the City and the southern provinces and cities.

- Organize the implementation of administrative reform contents according to the programs, plans, and assignments of the Minister.

- Manage and utilize the team of civil servants and public employees under the Department; have a training plan to improve foreign languages, expertise, and professional skills; implement reward and discipline policies; and take care of the material and spiritual lives of officers and employees to ensure completion of assigned tasks.

- Perform other tasks as assigned or authorized by the Minister and Chairman of the City People's Committee.

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