Establishing Relations

In 1973, Hùng completed his degree and returned home to Hanoi. Having studied international relations, Hùng was assigned to the department of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. In a time when the majority of Western countries did not recognize the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, he prepared briefs and translated Soviet documents to support ongoing negotiations with allies and neutral countries. After a year in Hanoi, Hùng was sent to the embassy of the Provisional Revolutionary Government in Algeria. Wartime diplomacy came with its quirks.

“Bên Algeria lúc đó có hai cái đại sứ quán. Một cái đại sứ quán là của Việt Nam Cộng Hòa. Một cái là của Chính phủ Cách mạng Lâm Thời Cộng Hòa Việt Nam. Tức là hai anh em với nhau, cùng một mẹ thôi”

“At that time in Algeria, there were two embassies. One was the embassy of the Republic of Vietnam. The other belonged to the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. We were like two brothers, from the same mother.”

This was mirrored across a small group of neutral countries, where the diplomatic organs of both Vietnams vied for support. The time spent in Algeria became foundational to Hùng’s career later on. It was here that he learned to apply diplomacy in practice, navigating ideological differences that defined the Cold War. Hùng’s term in Algeria lasted three years. During this period, Vietnam’s southern government was ousted from power, resulting in the dissolution of the Republic of Vietnam’s foreign presence. By the time he returned to Hanoi, the two governments had been reunified into one. Instead of competing for influence and recognition on the international stage, the question now was how to best represent a newly established government and mend relationships with previous adversaries.

“Thời đó là Việt Nam bị cấm vận, cho nên là nói chung là tình hình rất khó khăn, rất là nghèo đói. Lúc đó rất là nghèo”

“At that time, Vietnam was under an embargo, so overall conditions were extremely difficult. There was widespread poverty. It was very poor then.”

For the first decade after the war, a rigid planned economy made it difficult to meaningfully participate in the global market. However, the Đổi Mới economic reform policies transitioned into more of a market economy, allowing privatization and reorganizing industry. Within a decade, integration into the global market slowly occurred as international relations became more intimate, marked by membership in ASEAN and the end of US trade embargoes. The watershed moment came in 2000, when Bill Clinton became the first American President to visit a unified Vietnam, establishing formal relations and economic ties. When Air Force One landed at Tân Sơn Nhất airport, Hùng was on the tarmac to welcome him to Ho Chi Minh City. For the entire historical visit, he managed the logistics, from transportation to accommodation, while simultaneously engaging with American counterparts. In 2005, Hùng also formed the delegation that welcomed George W. Bush.

“Ông rất là vui vì thấy là quan hệ Việt Mỹ đã được cải hóa vì sẽ bớt cái khó khăn cho, cho, cho đất nước mình. Hai cựu thủ lĩnh bây giờ đã chịu khó, đã, đã ngồi lại với nhau để nói chuyện được.”

“I was very happy to see that Vietnam–U.S. relations had improved, because it would ease the difficulties facing our country. Finally, two former adversaries were now willing to sit down together and talk.”

Throughout his career, Hùng not only saw, but personally helped build Vietnam’s standing in the global community.

“Trong vòng sự nghiệp của ông là ông chứng kiến được rất nhiều sự thay đổi. Lúc mà ông mới bắt đầu thì Việt Nam rất là khó khăn. Nhưng mà từ từ lên thì tới bây giờ Việt Nam là một trong những nước phát triển mạnh, có vai trò lãnh đạo trong vùng.”

“Throughout his career, I witnessed profound change. I began working at a time when Vietnam faced immense difficulty, but step by step, the country advanced. Today, Vietnam stands as a dynamic, fast-developing nation with an increasingly important regional role.”