Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party Central Committee, passed away at 1:38 p.m. on Friday at the age of 80 due to old age and severe illness.
The Professional Council for Health Protection of Central Officials announced that he died at the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi after a period of illness, despite receiving care and treatment from the Party, the state, doctors, leading health experts, and his family. The Party Central Committee, National Assembly, president, government, and Fatherland Front Central Committee will issue a special announcement regarding the organization of a state funeral for Nguyen Phu Trong.
Nguyen Phu Trong was a prominent Vietnamese politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam from 2011 until his death in 2024. Born on April 14, 1944, in Hanoi, he was a Marxist-Leninist ideologue with a degree in philosophy, joining the Communist Party at 22.
Throughout his tenure, Trong was known for his vigorous “blazing furnace” anti-corruption campaign, targeting both business and political elites, resulting in the disciplining of thousands of party officials, including high-ranking leaders. He also significantly contributed to Vietnam’s economic growth, with the country’s GDP per capita more than doubling during his leadership.
Trong played a crucial role in shaping Vietnam’s foreign policy through “bamboo diplomacy,” emphasizing flexibility in international relations. He balanced traditional ties with China while strengthening relationships with the United States and other Western countries.
Despite his accomplishments, Trong’s health had been a concern in recent years, with several extended absences from public life. His death marks the end of a significant political era in Vietnam.
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Source: Vietnam Insider