A box of clean soil and the ‘trust capital’ binding Vietnam and the US
The article details the diplomatic contributions of the late Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh in strengthening Vietnam-US relations. His work focused on addressing war legacies, such as Agent Orange remediation, which served as a foundation for broader bilateral cooperation.
Why it matters
It illustrates how humanitarian and environmental cooperation can act as a catalyst for deeper strategic and diplomatic ties between former adversaries.
In the foreword to An Unavoidable Mission, a book by Senior Lieutenant General, Professor Nguyen Chi Vinh published by the People’s Army Publishing House in July 2026, General Trinh Van Quyet, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilization, wrote:
“Over many years of service, particularly during his tenure as Deputy Minister of National Defence from 2009 to 2021, Senior Lieutenant General, Professor Nguyen Chi Vinh, former member of the Party Central Committee and former member of the Central Military Commission’s Standing Committee, made outstanding contributions to defence diplomacy, particularly cooperation between Vietnam and the United States in addressing the consequences of war.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in