Tokyo, Nov. 9 -- President Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic approach in 1946 combined steadfastness in defending national independence with flexibility in pursuing peace, giving Vietnam valuable time to consolidate its forces and prepare for the resistance war against French colonialism, said Prof. Furuta Motoo, former Rector of the Vietnam-Japan University and an expert on Vietnamese history.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Japan, Furuta said this approach was evident during the leader's visit to France in 1946.

As President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), Ho Chi Minh pursued efforts to ease tensions through both official and informal channels. In addition to official di...