Lessons that Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh left for Vietnamese Diplomacy

Những bài học của bà Nguyễn Thị Bình để lại cho Ngoại giao Việt Nam

General Secretary To Lam, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, presented the title of “Hero of Labor” to Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Vice President, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Diplomatic sector, August 25, 2025. (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

In 1975, I was assigned to work at the Embassy of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in the Republic of Iraq. Immediately after taking up my assignment at the Embassy, my first interpreting assignment was for Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh when she visited Iraq that same year, and my last interpreting assignment was in 2002 when she returned to Iraq to meet President Saddam Hussein, at that time I was the Ambassador.

And when I retired in 2011, I was invited by Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh to work with her at the Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation (VPDF) founded by her. Perhaps I am one of the people who is closest to her, so I learned a lot from her.

Former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh and Ambassador Nguyen Quang Khai. (Photo: TGCC)

Before retiring in 2003, Mrs. Binh asked the State to award me the Third Class Labor Medal. Saying this shows that despite being busy with a thousand things, she still remembered and cared a lot about the people who had worked with her.

Mrs. Binh is 99 years old this year, her health has declined a lot, but her mind is still very clear. Not long ago, I visited her. She held my hand tightly and said: "In the hospital, I still followed and read your articles about the Middle East, but there were no pictures of you. I am very happy to see you today." What a wonderful person!

Mrs. Binh deserves many medals, but the most precious medal is in the hearts of all who love her.

Without studying at any diplomatic school, but through training in the struggle for national independence and unification, Ms. Binh has become a talented diplomat, far-sighted, fluent in foreign languages, strong and resolute in dealing with opponents and close and affectionate with friends.

She made an important contribution to the nation's historic victory on April 30, 1975 and left many valuable lessons for Vietnamese diplomacy, especially in the struggle with the US at the Paris Conference negotiating table from 1968, leading to the signing of the Paris Peace Agreement in 1973.

Her most difficult mission was at the end of 1968, while the American war in Vietnam was raging, she was appointed as the head of the delegation of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, later the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at the Paris Conference on Vietnam. At that time she was only 42 years old, but had great intelligence, fought uncompromisingly with the American delegation and the Saigon government and was always on the offensive. Her famous quote when answering journalists in Paris was "Americans can go to the Moon and return safely, but when it comes to Vietnam, we are not sure!". It is very difficult for anyone to think of this quote!.

Mrs. Binh is a shining example of patriotism, loyalty to revolutionary ideals, steadfastness and courage, strong will, determined to maintain her position, protect the interests of the nation, not submit to any force, when necessary, she is tense, but at other times she is very flexible, making everyone, including her opponents, respect her.

Ambassador Nguyen Quang Khai accompanied and interpreted for Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh during her visit to Iraq in 2002. (Photo: TGCC)

She always put the national interest first. That is to demand that the US end the war, withdraw its troops from Vietnam, restore peace and unify the country. This is an unchangeable goal. She always upholds the just struggle of our people, thereby winning the hearts and affections of millions of people, gaining the support of people in countries around the world. No other struggle has received such widespread and strong international sympathy and support.

As soon as she arrived in Paris, Mrs. Binh declared the five-point stance of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. These were independence, democracy, peace and national reunification. The US must end the war and withdraw its troops. The internal affairs of South Vietnam must be resolved by the people of South Vietnam themselves. National reunification is the right of the Vietnamese people. Vietnam pursues a foreign policy of peace and neutrality.” Throughout the negotiations, she always maintained these principles.

After signing the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, Mrs. Binh cried to express her deep remembrance and gratitude to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. She considered them an inseparable part of the struggle and victory of the nation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh answered the press interview after signing the Paris Agreement in 1973. (Photo: Document)

The second task was no less difficult. In 1975, when the South was liberated, it encountered many difficulties and had to rely on the help of friendly countries. Mrs. Binh was assigned to go to Iraq to ask the Iraqi government for an oil loan. In a meeting with the then Iraqi leader, President Saddam Hussein, I was the interpreter, she said: "South Vietnam, which had just been liberated, encountered many difficulties because the old government lived entirely on aid from the US. Now that the US has withdrawn and there is no more aid, we can only rely on our friends to overcome these difficulties. We hope the Iraqi government will help us." President Saddam Hussein immediately decided to lend 2 million tons of oil without interest and another 400,000 tons as gifts to the Vietnamese people on the occasion of the victory day.

In 2002, before retiring, she asked to go to Iraq again with only one reason: to visit President Saddam Hussein because he had previously signed an oil loan agreement with her. I was the one who translated for her. During the meeting with President Saddam Hussein, she confided: "In the past, we were very young. You and I signed an oil loan agreement with Vietnam. I only have 10 months left until I retire, but until now we still have not paid off all the debt to Iraq. I am not at peace." This statement won the sympathy of President Saddam Hussein, he immediately replied: "You should go home and take care of your health. You don't have to worry about anything. From now on, our two countries will no longer owe each other anything." While Iraq was also facing many difficulties due to a comprehensive embargo, canceling the debt for Vietnam was a very special decision. This was another diplomatic art of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh.

Loyalty and gratitude to those who helped her are her virtues and are essential for a diplomat. In her memoir "Family, Friends and Country", she wrote: "What mistakes Saddam Hussein made in domestic and foreign affairs, what sins he committed against his people, the history of Iraq will judge. But for Vietnam, I think we are grateful for his valuable help in the years when Vietnam just emerged from the war".

Some people think that thanking President Saddam Hussein will affect relations with the US, but these are also the virtues of Americans who are grateful to those who have helped them. In the US, there is a Thanksgiving Day.

And the final lesson is that diplomacy requires good foreign language skills. Ms. Binh is fluent in French. In work, negotiations and communication, she directly responds in fluent French, making her opponents admire her.

Mrs. Binh left many lessons for the younger generation. Learning from her example is extremely necessary while Vietnam is implementing an integration policy.

During her visit to Iraq in 2002 before retiring, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh once again convinced President Saddam Hussein to forgive a large debt for Vietnam. This was another diplomatic art of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh. (Photo: NVCC)

Over the past 80 years, Vietnamese diplomacy has made an important contribution to the victory of our people in the struggle for national independence, national reunification, and the construction and defense of the Fatherland.

Resolution 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025 of the Politburo on "International integration in the new situation" is one of the four pillars to bring our country into a new era - the era of development, prosperity and strength of the Vietnamese people". Promoting the achievements that have been made, the diplomatic sector will continue to fulfill its mission to contribute to moving the country forward.

The world is evolving in a very complex and unpredictable manner, with many potential difficulties and challenges, but also many opportunities. Promoting Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology and Resolution 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new situation, the task of the diplomatic sector is extremely heavy, requiring a more proactive and flexible strategy and approach, innovative thinking, creativity, overcoming challenges, taking advantage of opportunities for development, both integrating deeply and widely, maintaining independence, autonomy, national identity, protecting national interests, promoting one's role and position in the international arena, contributing to the cause of building and protecting the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and to peace, security and stability in the world.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nhung-bai-hoc-cua-ba-nguyen-thi-binh-de-lai-cho-ngoai-giao-viet-nam-325767.html