Nguyen Phu Trong, the General Secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party and the nation’s preeminent leader, passed away at the age of 80. According to an official statement, Trong, who had been at the helm of the party since 2011, succumbed to complications related to old age and a severe illness at a military hospital in Hanoi.
The news of Nguyen Phu Trong’s death emerged just one day after the party announced his decision to hand over leadership responsibilities to To Lam, the country’s president and former public security minister, who had long been a contender for the top position.
Previously, the party had revealed that Trong would focus on his health, acknowledging for the first time the ongoing speculation about his deteriorating condition. The party has yet to disclose details about his illness and plans to issue a national statement regarding funeral arrangements soon.
Trong was the first party general secretary to die in office since Le Duan in 1986 and made history by serving three consecutive terms following the economic liberalizations in 1986.
Following the announcement of his death, global leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, offered their condolences, acknowledging Trong’s significant contributions to international relations. Biden praised him as a “champion of the deep ties” between the US and Vietnam, while Putin described him as a “true friend” of Russia.
Vietnam’s Communist regime has faced considerable turbulence recently, undergoing a significant overhaul that includes a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign affecting ministers, business leaders, and two presidents.
On the Thursday before announcing his death, Vietnam’s politburo called on the nation to maintain complete confidence in the party’s leadership and state management. In May, the nation’s parliament appointed Lam as president following the resignation of his predecessor amid the anti-corruption drive. Analysts have suggested that Lam leveraged his position to target political rivals under the guise of anti-corruption efforts.
Rights groups noted Trong’s tenure for increasing authoritarian tendencies. However, it also featured a significant anti-corruption drive that permeated the party, military, police, and business sectors, resulting in over 3,500 indictments since 2021. This campaign also led to the imprisonment of high-profile figures, including a former health minister and two former mayors of Hanoi.
Despite these efforts, the campaign has slowed transactions within the business sector and state apparatus, as many officials fear becoming targets of the ongoing crackdown. Nevertheless, Trong is likely to be remembered as a leader who strived to be close to the people, attentive to their concerns, and committed to reforming the party and the state.
