Vietnam and the US normalised relations in 1995. The thaw has been greatly attributed to the contributions of Vietnamese diplomats, including the First Vietnamese Ambassador to the US, Former Foreign Deputy Minister Le Van Bang. We’ll meet him in the following report and hear his memories of his term in the US.
Born into a farming family in Ninh Binh province, Ambassador Le Van Bang often truanted and went fishing for a living. After years working as a diplomat, fishing remained his favourite hobby.
Ambassador Le Van Bang, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said: "Fishing and diplomacy share a thing in common- that is the need of patience. Sometimes you have to wait half an hour to catch a fish. And in diplomacy, we act in a soft manner to ensure peace."
Le Van Bang was involved in the diplomatic moves to normalise relations with the US in the post-1973 period. But it is not until 20 years later that the two countries finally saw the ice thaw in their relationship.
"That was February 1995 when I was in New York. The US Department of State announced they had good news. On February 3, I got home and saw US President Bill Clinton on TV. He announced the US would lift the embargo on Vietnam. When I heard the news, I burst into tears.", he added
Delegated as Vietnam's first ambassador to the United States, Bang was an influential player helping the two former enemies normalised ties. For him, there were countless difficulties on the way.
Ambassador Le Van Bang, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs said: At that time, there were people who protested against the Vietnamese Embassy’s presence in Washington. On August 5, the Vietnamese Embassy in the US opened in Washington. We had to prepare carefully for the event, and eventually the Vietnamese flag was proudly perched from the office.
With his desire to end what he described as ‘war syndrome’, Le Van Bang toured over 40 US states over nine years. During his journey, Le Van Bang delivered a message of peace, ignoring the opposition and threats made to his life.
And now, 20 years have passed and Vietnam-US relations have developed to become a comprehensive partnership. This has been partially thanks to the great contribution made by Bang’s generation, who acted as the bridge connecting Vietnam with the world.
