Vietnamese defence minister to return home

Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh is healthy and scheduled to return home, said Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan on July 20.

Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh is healthy and scheduled to return home, said Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan on July 20. 

Minister of National Defence General Phung Quang Thanh

Tuan refuted the rumour that the defence minister had died on July 19. 

The minister, who is also Deputy Secretary of the Party Central Committee’s Military Commission, previously suffered wounds during the war. 

In late June, the board for protection and care of health of central-level officials performed an endoscopy on the minister but found no unusual signs, said Professor Pham Gia Khai, a member of the board. 

When the minister had a working visit in France, the board provided additional health information and worked with French doctors to reach a correct diagnosis and specific treatment plan, he added.