US expert hails Vu Khoan as consummate, prominent diplomat
Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan was a consummate and prominent diplomat, former Vice President and Counsel of the US-Vietnam Trade Council Frances Zwenig has said about the Vietnamese official who passed away on June 21.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan delivers a speech at a seminar on 75 years of Vietnam's diplomacy sector in 2020. (Photo: VNA)
Washington D.C. (VNA) – Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan was a consummate and prominent diplomat, former Vice President and Counsel of the US-VietnamTrade Council Frances Zwenig has said about the Vietnamese official who passed away on June21.
The US expert told the Vietnam News Agency's reporters in Washington D.C. that the outstanding diplomat had madesignificant contributions to Vietnam, especially during the period when the US and Vietnam worked together to improve and switch their bilateralrelationship “from one of wariness to one of trust.”
“When there were problems and complaints, Minister Vu Khoan, more than most,understood that is where we needed and wanted to go to resolve the problems,”she said.
“Minister Vu Khoan was a person with diplomatic stature andgravitas. He ranked among the best on the world in his times. I was honored toknow and work with him. Minister Vu Khoan had vision and he could see aroundthe corner— incredible gift given the complexities of today’s world.”
From left, first row: Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Vietnamese Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen rejoice after the signing ceremony of the bilateral agreement concluding negotiations with the US on Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation. (WTO). (Photo: VNA)
A State-level funeral is held today in Hanoi for Vu Khoan,who was born on in 1937 and became a member of the Communist Party of Vietnamin 1961. He held various positions, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (1990), Minister of Trade (2000), Deputy Prime Minister in charge of foreign economic relations and Chairman of the National Committee on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation – APEC (2002)./.
Former Secretary of the Party Central Committee and former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan passed away after a period of illness at 7:05 am on June 21 at the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi, according to the Central Committee on Health Care for Senior Governmental Officials.
A State-level funeral will be held in Hanoi on June 27 for former Secretary of the Party Central Committee and former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, who passed away on June 21.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan was an important public intellectual, a technocrat with political opinions and ideas and an economist who had made significant contributions to the construction and development of Vietnam, especially in the process of opening up, bringing the country into deep integration with the world.
Former Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Fredesman Turro Gonzalez has grieved the passing way of former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, who he described as a sincere friend of Cuba.
First Vice Chairman of the Russia - Vietnam Friendship Association Piotr Tsvetov, who used to work with Vu Khoan for many years, has shared his unforgettable memories of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam who passed away recently.
He also welcomed the “Vietnam Private Sector Panorama” as a platform for dialogue, awareness-raising, and inspiring a wealth-creation movement, emphasising that it must deliver tangible results.
During a meeting on August 10 in Seoul with 100 representatives from the RoK’s intellectuals, associations, people’s organisations, businesses, and non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam, Party General Secretary To Lam expressed his gratitude to Korean friendship, economic, cultural associations, universities, research institutes, individuals, and NGOs for their significant contributions to nurturing the Vietnam–RoK relationship.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with Chairman of the Republic of Korea (RoK)–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee is scheduled to convene its 48th session on August 11-13, with August 14-15 set as a backup date, according to the NA Office.
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Brazil and Bolivia Bui Van Nghi has led an embassy delegation to attend official events marking the 200th anniversary of Bolivia’s Independence Day.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan delivers a speech at a seminar on 75 years of Vietnam's diplomacy sector in 2020. (Photo: VNA) 
From left, first row: Deputy US Trade Representative Karan Bhatia, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Vietnamese Minister of Trade Truong Dinh Tuyen rejoice after the signing ceremony of the bilateral agreement concluding negotiations with the US on Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation. (WTO). (Photo: VNA) 
