Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Chí Vịnh. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Chí Vịnh, former deputy minister of national defence, passed away on Thursday morning after a serious illness.

Vịnh was born on May 15, 1959 in Hà Nội. However, his official background documents say he was born in 1957 as he declared himself two years older to enlist in the army.

From Quảng Điền District, central Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, he is the son of late General Nguyễn Chí Thanh, director of the General Political Department of the Việt Nam People's Army.

During his 12 years working as Deputy Minister of National Defence, Vịnh made many contributions to promoting the development of Việt Nam’s defence diplomacy, for example, in sending forces to participate in UN peacekeeping missions, and organising a series of ASEAN defence and military conferences.

He once said the most successful foreign policy formula is when both sides win.

“If you only think about your own interests, you will fail. But if you do not protect your interests, it will be harmful to the country,” he said.

He was granted a lot of medals and awards from the Party and State.

He was also awarded Cambodia's first-class Fatherland Defence Medal, Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation, and Order of Antonio Maceo of the Republic of Cuba.

In May 2023, he received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government for his contributions to the two countries' defence cooperation.

After taking on many defence intelligence positions, in November 1999, then-Colonel Vịnh was appointed deputy director general of the Department of Military Intelligence under the Ministry of National Defence.

In June 2000, he was appointed the department’s director General.

He was promoted to the rank of Major General in February 2002 and Lieutenant General in December 2004.

In March 2009, he took on the position of Deputy Minister of National Defence and General Director of the Department of Military Intelligence.

In October 2009, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis in law.

Since the end of 2009, he resigned from being General Director of the Department of Military Intelligence and only carried out the tasks of Deputy Minister of National Defence in charge of foreign affairs.

At the 11th National Party Congress in January 2011, as Deputy Minister of National Defence, he was elected to the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

The 11th Party Congress is also the first to issue a document consisting of external defence relation strategies.

In October 2013, Vịnh was recognised as a professor in military science by the State Council for Professorships.

In December 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Lieutenant General.

In January 2016, at the 12th National Party Congress, he was re-elected as a member of the 12th Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

In April 2016, he was appointed by the Politburo to join the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission.

On February 20, 2017, the Prime Minister reappointed Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Chí Vịnh as Deputy Minister of National Defence.

He retired in December 2021. — VNS