Former President Tran Duc Luong

Mr. Luong said former Party leader Le Kha Khieu's term of office coincided with active negotiation on land border demarcation between Vietnam and China. Former Party General Secretary Phieu and former President Tran Duc Luong made thorough preparation for the signing of a land border agreement with China in late 1999. Former President Luong recalls: “The border was demarcated during the French and Qing regimes and was vague and prone to disputes. The Vietnamese Party and State aim to develop a border of peace and stability through negotiation. Mr Phieu and I as Party and State leaders paid due attention to the negotiation process. Thanks to the signing of the agreement, the border has been calm.”

During former Party General Secretary Phieu’s term of office, former US President Bill Clinton was the first US President to visit Vietnam in 2000 following the bilateral relations normalization in 1995. This paved the way for the signing of a bilateral trade agreement with the US in July 2000. Former President Luong said: “I consulted Party General Secretary Phieu on my greeting speech to welcome US President Bill Clinton. Party General Secretary Phieu agreed and emphasized on the importance of setting aside the past and looking forward to the future while respecting national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity for mutual interests. This has brought about major benefits in national development.”

Former Party General Secretary Phieu made major contribution to national construction and defense and Vietnam’s foreign relations.