1974, Degree in Diplomacy, Univ. of Foreign Affairs (now Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam), Hanoi; studied linguistics and English literature, Jawaharlal Nehru Univ., New Delhi. 1975, began career in Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1993, appointed Deputy Director-General for International Organizations. 1995, appointed Ambassador - Permanent Representative to the UN Office and other international organizations, Geneva. 1997, appointed as Ambassador - Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN at Headquarters. Dec. 1999 - Dec. 2002, Deputy Director-General, then Acting Director-General, International Organizations, Foreign Affairs Ministry. Dec. 2002 - Jan. 2004, Acting Director-General, then Director-General, Multilateral Economic Cooperation, Foreign Affairs Ministry. 2004-11, Vietnam's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the UN. Aug. 2007 - Dec. 2008, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs. Dec. 2008 - June 2011, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. Since 2013, Secretary-General, ASEAN.