Personal Information

Foreign Minister 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 has extensive experience in international relations research, foreign policy planning, international economics, and international negotiations.

He is married and has one daughter.

Education

Graduated from Vietnam Diplomatic University (now Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam) in 1984.

Earned a Master's degree in International Relations from Columbia University, USA in 1993.

Fluent in English and Japanese.

Diplomatic Career

He began working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in September 1987 as a research officer at the Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From June 1993 to March 1996, he was appointed Head of the Euro-American Research Department and Chief of Office at the Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From March 1996 to February 2000, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After completing his term at the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore as Minister-Counsellor (March 2000 - July 2003), he returned to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was appointed Deputy Director and then Director of the Foreign Policy Department (August 2003 - September 2008).

From September 2008 to November 2009, he served as Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Foreign Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the period from September 2008 to June 2012, he was also the Chief Negotiator for Vietnam on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (PCA).

In November 2009, he was appointed Deputy Minister and from July 2016, he served as Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

At the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party (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, he was re-elected to the Party Central Committee. On April 8, 2021, the National Assembly approved his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Awards and Honors

During his diplomatic career, he has received many prestigious awards, particularly the Second Class Labor Medal (in 2018 and 2016); Third Class Labor Medal (in 2011) and numerous certificates of merit from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his special achievements and contributions to foreign affairs in general and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in particular.