VOA慢速英语--越南总统陈德良去世,享年61岁

Vietnamese President Dies at 61

People across Vietnam are remembering President Tran Dai Quang.

Vietnamese state media reported that Quang died Friday after a serious illness. He was 61 years old.

Vietnam Television said he died in a military hospital in Hanoi. It added that Vietnamese and international doctors had worked to bring him back to health.

Quang had been sick for months, said former health minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu. He told the Reuters news agency that Quang went to Japan six times for treatment.

One of the president’s last public appearances was last week, during a visit to Hanoi by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Quang appeared unwell and had difficulty taking steps.

Quang was from a small farming community 115 kilometers south of Hanoi. Before he became president in April 2016, Quang had been minister of public security.

The United States ambassador¹ to Vietnam praised Quang for his efforts to improve ties between the two countries. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink noted² U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to Hanoi in November. He added that the trip “helped advance the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership³ to new heights.”

Human Rights Watch had critical comments of the Vietnamese leader. The group’s Phil Robertson said that Quang would be remembered for a “crackdown on human rights and putting more political prisoners behind bars in Vietnam than any time in recent memory.”

Vietnam is officially led by four “pillars:” its president, its prime minister, the chief of the Communist Party and the national assembly chair.

Vietnam’s constitution says the vice⁴ president is to perform the duties of the president in the event that the president is unable to work.

A Vietnamese lawyer told Reuters that current Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh will serve as president until the National Assembly elects a new one.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

pillar - n. a basic fact, idea, or principle of something

advance - v. to move (someone or something) forward

crackdown - n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed : an increased effort to enforce a law or rule

illness - n. a condition of being unhealthy in your body or mind

behind bars - expression. in prison

1 ambassador   

n.大使，特使，（派驻国际组织的）代表

参考例句：

• He took up office as an ambassador for ten years continuously.他连任十年大使。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。