Leaders, people bid last farewell to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

Since the early morning of July 25, large numbers of leaders and people from all walks of life have paid their last respects to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City, and in his hometown in Dong Hoi commune of Hanoi’s Dong Anh district, showing their great grief over the passing of the Party leader.

With his boundless sadness, Politburo member and State President To Lam wrote on the book of condolences at the respect-paying ceremony at the National Funeral Hall that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a beloved person of the Vietnamese nation, a particularly excellent leader, a staunch communist, and a bright example who had tirelessly studied and followed President Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style, a greatly prestigious figure of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people, and also a great friend of the people around the world.

“Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong devoted his whole life to the nation, the Party, and the people. He also made many enormous contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, the international communist movement, and the maintenance of peace, stability, and development in the region and the world,” President Lam wrote.

The State leader pledged that the next generations will follow the General Secretary’s example, do their best to serve the Fatherland and the people, stay united and unanimous, and strive to realise the goal of building a peaceful, independent, united, democratic, prosperous, civilised, and happy Vietnam as the late leader wished during his life.

“The name, career, personality and great contributions of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong are deeply engraved in the hearts of the people and forever enshrined in the glorious history of the civilised and heroic Vietnamese nation,” the President underlined.

Bidding his last farewell to the Party General Secretary, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recalled the great contributions and life-long sacrifices by the Party chief to the revolutionary cause of the people and the nation as well as the cause of Fatherland construction and defence in the new era.

“We promise to follow the Secretary General’s example, stay united and unanimous, and join hands together with the high determination and great efforts to overcome all difficulties and challenges and strive with all our might to protect and make the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland strong and prosperous, and make the Vietnamese people happier and more well-off,” PM Chinh wrote.

Deeply touched, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man wrote that Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was an excellent leader with great reputation of the Party and the State, a staunch and exemplary communist who devoted his whole life to the Party, nation and people. He exerted great efforts to renovate the organisation and enhance the operational efficiency of the National Assembly, giving important orientations for the legislature to meet the political requirements and tasks of the country as well as the expectations and trust of voters and people, Man wrote, stressing that the leader’s passing is a great loss to the Party, State and people of Vietnam, leaving behind the boundless grief for his comrades, compatriots, family and international friends.

“We will continue following the revolutionary path chosen by the Party, Uncle Ho, older generations and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong,” Man wrote in the condolence book.

Representing the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena, Luong Cuong, Politburo member and Standing Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and deputy head of the committee, wrote that under the close, drastic, systematic, persistent, continuous, no-exception, strict but humane leadership and direction of the General Secretary, who is also head of the steering committee, the anti-corruption work has seen great progress with important and comprehensive achievements, creating positive and spill-over effects in the society, becoming “a movement and an irreversible trend,” receiving support and high evaluation from officials, Party members and people and recognition from international friends.

The Party leader's thought, morality, demeanour and lifestyle will always be a "guiding star" and an example for the entire Party, entire army, and entire people to study and follow, resolutely and persistently preventing and repelling corruption and negative phenomena, and building an increasingly pure and strong Party and State, Cuong wrote.

On the condolence book, Do Van Chien, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, wrote that mourning Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the VFF Central Committee delegation respectfully offered incense in solemn farewell to the beloved General Secretary - a steadfast Communist soldier, an outstanding disciple of late President Ho Chi Minh, a talented and exceptional leader, a sharp thinker, and a great culture figure.

Although he passed away, his name, his career, his compassionate heart, his dedication and love for the people will forever endure. “We will always remember the profound guidance of Comrade General Secretary: ‘Danh du moi la dieu thieng lieng cao quy nhat’ (Honour is the most sacred), ‘Lay yeu dan lam dong luc thuc hien su nghiep xay dung va bao ve To quoc’ (Taking love for the people as the driving force to realise the Fatherland building and safeguarding cause), ‘Phai xay dung, cung co, tang cuong suc manh cua khoi dai doan ket toan dan toc’ (We must build, consolidate, and enhance the strength of the great national unity bloc).

The VFF pledges to unite, together with the entire Party, people, and army, to strive to build a prosperous and happy country as the General Secretary always desired during his lifetime, Chien wrote.

On the funeral guest book, General Phan Van Giang, member of the Politburo, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, wrote the Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry deeply mourn Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission - an exceptionally outstanding leader, a steadfast communist, and an intellect who devoted his entire life to the nation.

He was an exemplary role model, with significant contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. He always paid attention to the development of the armed forces in general and the Vietnam People's Army in particular. He led and directed the successful implementation of the Fatherland safeguarding strategy in a new situation, along with the Party's policies and the State’s legal frameworks in the military and defence sectors, thereby contributing to firmly protecting the Fatherland early and from afar through peaceful means.

The officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army and the militia and self-defence forces across the country forever cherish the significant contributions of the General Secretary, Secretary of the Central Military Commission; and pledge absolute loyalty to the Party and the people, and, together with the entire Party and people, achieve victory in the Fatherland building and safeguarding cause to be worthy of the trust, love, and expectations of the late leader, the Party, the State, and the people, Giang added.

On behalf of the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and VFF Committee of Hanoi, Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Politburo member, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, wrote on the book of condolences that the General Secretary's passing is an irreplaceable loss, leaving boundless grief for the Party, authorities, people, armed forces of Hanoi capital city, and the entire nation.

The Party, authorities, people, and armed forces of Hanoi will transform this sorrow into action, and unite wholeheartedly with the entire Party, people, and army, to steadfastly advance on the revolutionary path; and remain committed to the Party's ideals and goals, as well as those of President Ho Chi Minh, predecessors, and the General Secretary to build a strong, democratic, prosperous, civilised, and happy Vietnam, and a civilised and modern Hanoi capital city to fulfil the lifelong aspirations of the deceased, Hoai wrote.

Writing in the condolence book, member of the CPV Central Committee, Secretary of the Central Public Security Party Committee and Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. Luong Tam Quang expressed the outpouring of grief of the Central Public Security Party Committee, the Ministry of Public Security and all officers, soldiers and employees of the public security force over the passing of the General Secretary – an excellent leader who devoted his whole life and sacrificed for the Party’s ideal targets and the people’s happiness, and made great contributions to the Party's and people’s revolutionary cause.

The Party chief, he penned, is a shining example of great personality and witted mind, and a symbol of sincerity, closeness and simplicity, who has been respected by not only the Vietnamese people but also international friends, adding that the images of the genuine and steadfast communist with wholehearted service to the nation and people will forever in the mind of the people and the public security force. Quang added that the public security force promises to devote its efforts and brainpower to the cause of national construction and development, develop itself into a strong, elite and modern one, and follow the late Party chief’s teaching that “honour is the most sacred and noble thing”.

At the same time, a respect-paying ceremony was solemnly held at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City, with touching messages written in the condolence book in tribute to the late leader.

On behalf of the municipal Party Committee, People’s Council, People's Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Politburo member and Secretary of the city's Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen wrote that the demise of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a great loss of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, and an irreparable one for his family and relatives.

The local administration and people will remember the images of the simple, humble and talented leader with extraordinary energy and great personality, and an outstanding example in following Uncle Ho’s thought, morality and lifestyle, he noted, adding the city pledges to study and follow the predecessors’ examples, carry on the noble tradition, stay united, make further efforts and strive to build a thriving Ho Chi Minh City as he wished, and join hands with the whole nation to develop and protect the Fatherland.

In Lai Da village in Dong Hoi commune of Dong Anh district, the hometown of General Secretary Trong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Hanoi Nguyen Duc Tien wrote in the condolence book that the young generations are committed to studying and devoting their efforts in accordance with the late leader’s teaching which is to follow the Party and nation’s revolutionary path.

On behalf of the armed forces of Dong Hoi commune, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ngoc Khoat, in depth of emotions, wrote that the Party chief, with great devotion to the nation, sets a bright example for the armed forces and people of Dong Hoi commune./.