His Excellency Le Cong Phung

Vietnam Ambassador to U.S. Delivers Lecture

Posted on November 6, 2009 - Permalink
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His Excellency Le Cong Phung, the Vietnam ambassador to the U.S., was on campus Monday discussing the growing diplomatic ties between his country and the U.S. and how both countries are benefiting.

The ambassador's talk, "Vietnam - U.S. Relations and Vietnamese Education," was delivered to more than 50 faculty, staff and students in the Dunn Conference Suite. In it, he discussed the past animosity between the U.S. and Vietnam - illuminated by the Vietnam War - and how the two countries have recently worked together to overcome their differences.

"We suffered great misunderstandings," he said, "but we decided to get over the past and look at the present and into the future. We were once enemies but are now allies."

Ambassador Cong Phung said the two countries began developing a strong relationship in 1995, when former President Bill Clinton announced the formal normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Diplomatic ties between the two countries have been growing since, and the ambassador discussed some of the benefits, such as increased trade between the two countries and greater stability in Vietnam.

The event was sponsored by The Division of External Affairs. (Story and photo by Rob Matheson, Institutional Communications)