Viet Nam from 2001 to 2020 has implemented synchronously and comprehensively the foreign policy of independence, autonomy, multilateralization and diversification, being a friend, a reliable partner, a responsible member of the international community, striving for peace, cooperation and development. Cultural diplomacy in this period has been promoted firmly and become one of the three main pillars of Vietnamese diplomacy, making significant contributions to foreign affairs of the Communist Party and State. Cultural diplomacy activities are deployed in many platforms in a variety of forms. These activities not only enhance Viet Nam’s position in the international arena but also bring benefits to tourism and foreign investment, contributing to promoting socio-economic development of the locality and the country as a whole. This paper analyzes the role of cultural diplomacy in Viet Nam’s foreign policy in the first two decades of the 21st century (2001-2020), to clarify the changes and adjustments in shaping diplomacy and evaluating the role of cultural diplomacy in Viet Nam’s comprehensive and multilateral diplomacy.