Dinh Toan Thang awarded French Legion of Honour

Legion of Honour diplomatic relations Vietnam-France relations Dinh Toan Thang Commander grade

Former Vietnamese Ambassador to France, Dinh Toan Thang, has been awarded the French National Order of the Legion of Honour at the rank of Commander. The ceremony was held in Hanoi on August 26, organized by the French Embassy in Vietnam.

On behalf of the President of the French Republic, French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet presented the distinction. Brochet described Dinh Toan Thang as a “special case” due to his extensive 30-year diplomatic career involving four separate terms at the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris, progressing from attaché to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

The award recognizes Dinh Toan Thang’s significant contributions to strengthening bilateral ties and promoting high-level political exchanges. Key milestones during his tenure (2021–2025) included managing health solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitating official visits, such as that of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in 2021 and President To Lam in October 2024, which contributed to upgrading the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.