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Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son was born in 1962; his hometown is Hanoi. He has worked in the diplomatic service for over 30 years in various positions and possesses extensive experience in international relations research, foreign policy planning, international economics, and international negotiations.
He is married with one daughter.
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Graduated from the Vietnam University of Foreign Affairs (now the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam) in 1984.
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Obtained a Master's degree in International Relations from Columbia University, USA, in 1993.
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Fluent in English and Japanese.
He joined the diplomatic service and served in the Vietnam People's Army from February 1985 to April 1987. He was recruited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1987 and assigned to the Institute for International Relations (now the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam) from September 1987.
From January 1993 to March 1996, he held positions including Head of the Europe-America Research Division and Chief of Office at the Institute for International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From March 1996 to February 2000, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Institute for International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After completing his assignment at the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore as Minister Counselor (March 2000 – July 2003), he returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was appointed Deputy Director-General, then Director-General, of the Foreign Policy Department (August 2003 – September 2008).
From September 2008 to November 2009, he served as Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Director-General of the Foreign Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the period from September 2008 to June 2012, he was also Vietnam's Chief Negotiator for the Vietnam-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).
In November 2009, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and from July 2016, served as Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (January 2016), he was elected to the Party Central Committee. In June 2016, he was elected as a Member of the 14th National Assembly.
In February 2021, at the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee. On April 8, 2021, the National Assembly approved his appointment to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On July 28, 2021, at the first session of the 15th National Assembly, his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs was approved by the National Assembly.
On August 26, 2024, at the 8th Extraordinary Session of the 15th National Assembly, the National Assembly approved the Prime Minister's proposal for his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
During his career in the diplomatic service, he has received numerous prestigious awards, notably the First-Class Labor Order in 2011, the Second-Class Labor Order (in 2018 and 2016), the Third-Class Labor Order (in 2011), and many Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his outstanding achievements and special contributions to the foreign affairs sector in general and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular.