The Paris Agreement – A great diplomatic victory closely associated with the name of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Binh, signs the Agreement of the International Conference on Vietnam, March 2, 1973. Photo: VNA

The legacy of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh

Former Vice President and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Binh, served as the head of the negotiating delegation of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (1968) and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (from 1969-1973). Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh was also the only woman to sign the Paris Agreement .

On November 4, 1968, upon arriving in Paris, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh made a strong impression when she spoke about the five-point solution of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.

In her speech, she emphasized that: “Firstly, the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam strives for independence, democracy, peace , and national reunification. Secondly, the United States must end the war and withdraw its troops from Vietnam. Thirdly, the internal affairs of South Vietnam must be resolved by the people of South Vietnam themselves. Fourthly, the reunification of Vietnam is the right of the Vietnamese people. Fifthly, Vietnam pursues a policy of peaceful and neutral diplomacy.”

Her strong and straightforward speech resonated with the international community. Immediately, Nguyen Thi Binh was called “Madame Binh” by the international community and she became a new symbol in the anti-war and peace movement.

Her sharp responses to international reporters also left an unforgettable impression. One famous example was when a Western journalist asked her if she was a member of the Communist Party, she replied, "I belong to the Patriotic Party," leaving the journalist speechless.

On another occasion, when a journalist asked her about the presence of North Vietnamese troops in the South, she replied, "The Vietnamese nation is one; Vietnamese people in the North as well as in the South have a duty to fight against aggression." When the journalist asked about liberated zones in Vietnam, she asserted that every place the US bombed and shelled was a liberated zone of Vietnam.

A heart devoted to the country.

The Paris negotiations were described as a challenging and arduous diplomatic battlefront. In her memoir "Family, Friends, and Country," Nguyen Thi Binh wrote that upon arriving in Paris for the negotiations, "we reminded each other to maintain a dignified and cheerful demeanor, as Comrade Xuan Thuy (Head of the Diplomatic Delegation of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) had said. That day, I wore a dark pink ao dai, a gray trench coat, and a black scarf with floral patterns..."

The femininity but determination of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh was once compared to the woman "dancing among wolves" surrounded at the negotiating table in Paris before the attack of the US and the Saigon government.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh recounted that when she signed the Paris Agreement on January 27, 1973, she was extremely emotional. "Thinking of my compatriots, comrades, and friends in both the North and the South... When I remember those who are no longer here to know about this event, I burst into tears" - she wrote in her memoir.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Binh, signed the Paris Agreement on Vietnam on January 27, 1973, at the International Conference Center in Paris, France. Photo: VNA

Finally, on April 30, 1975, the world press reported solemnly on the historic victory of the Vietnamese people and army.

“People all over the country poured into the streets, embracing each other and weeping, their voices filled with tears of joy! This is the inevitable result of the sacrifices of the entire nation, from the armed forces, political forces operating openly or secretly, from the children who led the way to people from all walks of life, the well-known heroes and millions of anonymous people...” - excerpt from the memoir “Family, Friends and Country”.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh recounted that the whole world sent congratulations to the Vietnamese people, expressing their joy and astonishment. Many international friends asked how, and for what reasons, Vietnam had fought and won throughout the long and protracted resistance wars.

In particular, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh recalled her visit to Palestine, where she met with leader Yasser Arafat, and they also asked her how Vietnam had won.

In her memoirs, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh wrote: “We responded with three reasons – three reasons for victory. Firstly, we had Ho Chi Minh – the outstanding leader of Vietnam who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for independence and freedom for the country.”

Second, we have very strong national unity.

And third, we had the North, the socialist half of the country, as a strong and reliable rear base.”

In her memoir "A Heart for the Country," recently published by the National Political Publishing House and currently on display from August 15th to September 15th, 2025 at the Hoan Kiem Ward Library, 42 Nha Chung Street, Hanoi, the distinguished diplomat Nguyen Thi Binh wrote: "My life is intertwined with the life of the nation... I liken our country to a boat. Through countless rapids and obstacles, the boat of the Fatherland has reached the open sea, with a new horizon ahead."

Two memoirs by Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh. Photo: VNA

Two memoirs by Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh. Photo: VNA/Vietnam+

According to Dr. Tran Doan Lam, former Director of The World Publishing House, through each page of the book, readers will find a lesson about character, a leadership model, and above all, the unwavering loyalty to the country of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh.

Laodong.vn

Source: https://laodong.vn/thoi-su/hiep-dinh-paris-thang-loi-ngoai-giao-vi-dai-gan-lien-ten-tuoi-ba-nguyen-thi-binh-1558646.ldo