Eulogy delivered at memorial service for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong
Comrade To Lam, Politburo member and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, delivered an eulogy at the memorial service for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on July 26.
Following is the translation of the eulogy.
Dear compatriots, comrades, soldiers, and international friends!
Dear the family of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong!
Today, with compassion and boundless grief, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, along with compatriots, soldiers at home, our people abroad, international friends and the bereaved family solemnly hold the memorial service for and send comrade Nguyen Phu Trong – an exceptionally excellent leader, a bright example of studying and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality, and lifestyle, a staunch and prestigious communist of our Party, State, and people, and an embodiment of full quality, talent, mettle and intellect of generations of Vietnamese leaders in the renewal period – to his eternal resting place.
His passing is a huge and irreparable loss to our Party, nation, and people. Our country has lost a talented leader; the world communist and progressive movements have lost a sharp theorist; international friends have lost a sincere friend and a close comrade; and his family, clan, and Dong Hoi homeland have lost an eminent son.
Throughout his nearly 60 years of diverse, unwavering revolutionary work, Professor, Doctor, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, with his wide and keen intellect, has left a valuable system of ideology and theory on Vietnam’s revolutionary path in the new era for the entire Party, army, and people. Persisting and creatively applying Marxism-Leninism, and Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, with the goal of national independence and socialism, ideologist Nguyen Phu Trong, a theory flag of our Party, has clarified the theory of socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam, the role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the socialist-oriented market economy… His invaluable legacy has consolidated the strong trust on the path towards socialism, significantly contributing to the development of the world communist movement, and developing Marxism-Leninism, and Ho Chi Minh’s ideology in the present era.
With his strategic vision on the current world situation, unceasing efforts to contribute to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world, he opened up a new chapter in the relations between our country and international partners, boosted the friendship between Vietnam and other countries, intensified Vietnam’s contributions with various commitments and practical acts, and closely combined the strength of the nation and that of the era, strongly bringing the country forward.
Strongly inspiring and leading the entire Party, people, and army with his wisdom, noble spirit of humanity compassion, strong will and determination, and dignity and honour of a communist combatant who wholly dedicated to the Fatherland and people, and the motto that “honour is the top among the sacred and noble”, staunch leader Nguyen Phu Trong unceasingly worked to build a purer and stronger Party to lead our country and nation to successfully implement the renewal policy.
Throughout his life of revolutionary activities, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong put Party and political system building and rectification at an especially important place. Creatively applying Ho Chi Minh’s ideology on Party building, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong clarified the nature of the Party and the building of the ruling Party through the realities of renewal in Vietnam. On that basis, he and the Party Central Committee worked out plans, made decisions, and led the successful implementation of the strategic guidelines on Party building and rectification; resolutely and persistently fought individualism, degradation of ideology, morality, and lifestyle, and corruption and other negative phenomena in the Party. This is an arduous fight against “internal enemy” to make the Party purer and stronger, and affirm the pioneering role, mettle, and intellect, so that the Party is truly of morality and civilisation.
Under his leadership, for the first time, our Party has issued a thematic resolution on building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, and for the people. In his capacity as the State President, and National Assembly Chairman, he was always preoccupied with building the legislative body into the real organ of the highest power of the people, which is really democratic and represents the people’s legal and legitimate rights and interests; perfecting a harmonious, unified, open, transparent, and feasible legal system, creating a firm legal corridor for proactive, intensive, extensive, and comprehensive international integration, and the strong national development.
Grasping Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, and deeply aware of the important position and role of culture that “culture is the soul of the nation”, “so long as culture remains, so will our nation”, great culturist Nguyen Phu Trong made great devotion and especially important contributions to building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity, making it truly a spiritual foundation of the society, an intrinsic strength, and important momentum for national development. Under his leadership, after more than 70 years, our Party has held a national conference on culture, a milestone linking the ideology and actions of the entire Party, people and army, strongly promoting the role of culture in fulfilling the aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation.
With a profound and sharp political viewpoint, he elevated the strategic mindset, creating a new development for the national defence, security, and external affairs of Vietnam. That is the thought on protecting the Fatherland early and from afar, safeguarding the country before dangers occur; always paying attention to the building of the people-based position and the building of the lean, strong, truly clean and powerful revolutionary armed forces of the people; and that the army and public security forces must stay as united and close-knit as “two wings of a bird” and “the sword and the shield” to exert joint efforts and unanimity to surmount every difficulty, hardship, and sacrifice to maintain peace and stability for national development. Bringing into play the pioneering role of the comprehensive diplomacy, forming and leading the efficient implementation of the new-era art of diplomacy deeply imbued with the characteristics of the “Vietnamese bamboo” based on the characteristics of the Vietnamese personality, which are “utilising the invariables in response to variables”, “friendliness”, and “using kindness instead of violence”. Under his leadership, Vietnam has become a trustworthy partner and an active and responsible member in the international stage, and unceasingly carried out intensive, extensive and comprehensive integration into the international politics, the world economy, and the humankind’s civilisation.
Running through Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong’s thought is the people, the humans, and the wholehearted and all-out service to the people, the development of the new socialist people, and the unceasing consolidation of solidarity and unity, firstly those in the Party, the great national solidarity, and the pure international solidarity. He was always determined to build and organise the successful implementation of every guideline and policy that matches the people’s aspirations; and stayed persistent in the stance, viewpoint, and practice of “taking the people as the root” and that “the people are the key players and the centre of the cause of renewal”. The genuine, wholehearted, and righteous communist always kept in mind and demanded the entire Party and the entire political system to “show the highest sense of responsibility towards the people, care for the people’s material and spiritual lives”, and that “keeping close connection with the people is the rule of existence, development and operation of the Party, and the decisive factor constituting the strength of the Party”.
Throughout his entire life, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong relentlessly devoted himself to the revolutionary cause of our Party and nation with a steel-like spirit and will, did not backtrack in the face of obstacles and difficulties; dedicated all of his sense of responsibility and revolutionary enthusiasm, worked till his last breath, and made wholehearted and all-out dedications to the Party, the country, and the people, demonstrating a great figure living his life to the fullest for the country, the Party, and the people. He is truly an outstanding and brilliant example of the pure revolutionary mettle and ethics, “public-spiritedness and selflessness”, a simple, upright, and sincere lifestyle, a democratic, dedicated, scientific, close to reality, and drastic working style which contains consistency between words and actions, along with the respect for and love of people, and the extreme closeness to the people. He was truly the nucleus that mobilised the solidarity, unity, and wisdom of the entire Party, people, and army, received the respect, trust, and pride from cadres, Party members and the people, and was also appreciated and highly valued by international friends.
We deeply respect, honour, and appreciate the extremely enormous contributions and dedications by Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong to the cause of national construction and development and the safeguarding of the Vietnamese Fatherland in the renewal period. In recognition of his particularly remarkable contributions and dedications, the Party and State have respectfully conferred on him the Gold Star Order, the highest honour; but above all, he forever belongs to the Fatherland and the people.
Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong!
Today, we are here, together with compatriots and soldiers nationwide, overseas compatriots, and international friends, with great grief to see you off to the place of eternity, to the pride-worthy history of the Vietnamese nation of time-honoured culture and heroism. You have passed away but your name and career, contributions and dedications, and talent and righteousness will remain bright forever in the glorious history of our Party and our nation, in the gratitude of our cadres, Party members and people, and in the sentiment of international friends.
Bidding farewell to you, a leader who held the essence of the Party’s dignity and characteristics and an embodiment of peace, unity and progress; the entire Party, people, and army pledge to unanimously realise your wishes, keep in mind the recommendation that “as a human, be a communist”, exert utmost efforts to serve the Fatherland and the people, stay persistent in the path chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho and preceding generations, including you; while staying united and unanimous and making joint efforts to take advantage opportunities, weather challenges, build our Party and political system truly clean and comprehensively strong and secure a prosperous and happy life for our people, helping build a progressive, civilised and ethical world. The legacy left by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will last forever in the history of Vietnam and be inherited and further brought into play in the cause of renewal, thereby successfully realising the goal of building a peaceful, independent, united, democratic, prosperous, powerful, civilised, and happy Vietnam that you wished and strived for throughout your whole life.
With endless grief, we sincerely offer the deepest condolences to the family of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong on this irreparable pain and loss.
May we bow in deep respect to bid farewell to venerable General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong – our exceptionally excellent leader./.
