Global politicians’ impressions of Party General Secretary

Expressing his grief at the Vietnamese leader’s passing, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that General Secretary Trong’s death leaves a huge void.

The Malaysian leader said that General Secretary Trong's vision of maintaining strategic autonomy and promoting good governance in the nation deeply resonated with himself personally when he met the leader in his official visit to Vietnam in July, 2023.

The Vietnamese Party leader's foresight on the relationship between the nation and Malaysia will remain for a long time, he said, stressing that General Secretary Trong's legacy will inspire future generations both in Vietnam and across all of Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, in his letter of condolence to President To Lam, Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam emphasised that the Party General Secretary’s dedication to the fight against corruption is a decisive factor in his own leadership role. The leader holds a steadfast belief in Vietnam's potential and has therefore worked tirelessly to ensure that the Party and Government of Vietnam are in the best position to realise it, wrote the Singaporean President.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong added that throughout a career spanning decades, including 13 years as the General Secretary of the CPV, his leadership greatly contributed to promoting rapid economic growth in the nation and improving local people's living conditions.

In a recent media interview in New Delhi, Satyendra Pradhan, former Deputy National Security Advisor of India, described General Secretary Trong as a witty and experienced political leader, as well as a strategic theorist. He was also a benevolent leader who cared about the welfare of his people, said Pradhan, adding that the General Secretary's contributions to redefining the relationship between ideology, economic issues, foreign policy, people's welfare, and the activities of the CPV are remarkable, including an anti-corruption campaign implemented with significant results.

Pradhan outlined that General Secretary Trong made significant theoretical contributions to the Party by introducing much-needed reforms. Decision 244-QD/TW was a step to eliminate the monopoly of veteran members of the Politburo in nominating new members, he noted, stating that he made an important move to democratise the system without diluting its ideological foundation.

Another remarkable contribution made by the Party leader was in the field of economics, Pradhan said. General Secretary Trong once said that the market economy itself cannot destroy socialism. But to build socialism successfully, it is necessary to develop the market economy fully and properly, noted the former Indian official.

The former Party leader presented a model that other countries should follow, which is granting certain freedom to market development, with this in turn leading to the establishment of a socialist-oriented market economy, said Pradhan. He noted that since 2016, the Vietnamese economy has improved significantly, with a stable annual growth rate at about 7%. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate still hit 3%. This can be viewed as a true miracle, he commented.

Pradhan asserted that his leadership played a key role in determining approaches to international and regional issues, adding his assessments of the current international environment are realistic and his proposals are based on realism, demonstrated through the term of "bamboo diplomacy".

Although the country has been taking a flexible and soft diplomacy stance to be suitable to all sides in a multipolar world, the policy is still closely tied to those of broader national interests towards the causes of peace and economic growth of the country and region. Vietnamese foreign policy aims to maintain independence to protect the interest of the nation and people, thereby making the best use of available opportunities and diplomacy to promote the interests of its own citizens, Pradhan stated.

He commented that Vietnamese “bamboo diplomacy” has brought about many benefits. Today it boasts good relations with all other countries, while gradually making moves towards peace in the region, he said, adding that the nation’s role in ASEAN and at the UN Security Council has significantly enhanced its stature.

In the recent past, Vietnam welcomed three important leaders in the world, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and United States President Joe Biden. This reflects the success of the geopolitical policy which has also helped to deepen Vietnam’s relationships with other countries, thereby improving people-to-people ties and human development in general, stated the former Indian official.

From Havana, Hero of the Republic of Cuba and President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Fernando González Llort affirmed that General Secretary Trong was a leader of great theoretical and practical significance who made huge contributions to the global revolutionary cause with a political ideology along the path towards socialism.

He underlined that as a staunch communist the Party leader had worked tirelessly to strengthen the traditional relationship between the peoples of Cuba and Vietnam. He was always by Cuba's side during the most difficult times and spared no efforts to support the people of this brotherly island nation in all political and economic situations, he said.

The Cuban hero affirmed that in the hearts of the Cuban people, the image of General Secretary Trong is always bold with simplicity, humility, a noble personality, and wise leadership ability, who was capable of steering the boat of the CPV through obstacles on its way to consolidating socialism and fighting for national development and modernisation.

He stated that the Party General Secretary was an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh, who always upheld President Ho Chi Minh’s ideological guidelines as well as his wishes for the future through training and educating new generations, indicating the qualities of world-class politicians.