Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong held key positions in our Party and State for many years; notably, he was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) for nearly three terms (2011 - 2024). His life could be described by his absolute loyalty to the country and Party as well as his unswerving piety to the people. As an outstanding theorist, he dedicated his whole effort and knowledge to our revolutionary cause. Together with the entire Party, he led our country to seize opportunities, overcome challenges, and move forward to significant victories in the cause of Doi Moi (renovation), for the sake of national independence and socialism.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong addressing the Conference to review Central Theoretical Council’s 2016 - 2021 tenure (photo: tapchicongsan.org.vn)

The qualities of a steadfast leader and outstanding theorist in comrade Nguyen Phu Trong are manifested via several main points as follows.

Remaining steadfastness in the communist ideal and the goal of socialism. It is the goal of national independence and socialism; in other words, it is the building of a society with wealthy people, strong nation, democracy, equality, and civilisation. That is also a thorough grasp of Ho Chi Minh’s standpoint which was stipulated in the President’s Testament: “My ultimate wish is that our entire Party and people, closely joining their efforts, will build a peaceful, reunified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam, and make a worthy contribution to the world revolution”. That ideal and goal are demonstrated in the design of Vietnam’s social model when we accomplish the transitional period towards socialism, which was mentioned in the Platform of 1991 (supplemented and developed in 2011): (1). Having wealthy people, strong nation, democracy, equality, civilisation; (2). The people are owners; (3). Possessing a highly developed economy on the basis of a modern productive force and suitable and progressive production relations; (4). Enjoying an advanced culture imbued with national identity; (5). The people are entitled to well-being, freedom, and happiness and are given opportunities for their comprehensive development; (6). Ethnic groups in the Vietnamese community are equal, united, respectful, and supportive of each other to grow together; (7). Having a rule-of-law socialist state of the people, by the people, and for the people under the leadership of the CPV; (8). Maintaining friendship and cooperation with all countries in the world. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong adhered to and creatively, effectively applied those objectives to our revolutionary realities, thereby deserving to be a typical communist in the cause of Doi Moi.

Given no socialist system on a global scale, amid a crisis in the international communist and labour movements, the steadfastness in those above-mentioned goals proved the political zeal and clear-sighted leadership of our CPV headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. When it comes to political theory here, it means Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought as the ideological foundation and the lodestar for the actions of the CPV. In the dialect of our country’s current life, when it comes to theory, it includes all realities and vice versa. Researching into reputable leaders’ life worldwide, we realise that their success embodies all those facts. Being systematically trained in the schools of an independent Vietnam and the Soviet Union, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong had a deep knowledge of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. Those theoretical issues were applied and creatively developed in practice by comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. From this key start, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong made progress in his way of thinking on socialism building in Vietnam; in detail, together with the CPV, he worked on the path towards socialism and formed basic theoretical issues regarding Doi Moi. During that time, the CPV led the country to continue to step up a transformation from the old mechanism, which had been designed to adapt itself to wartime conditions, into a new mechanism - the socialist-oriented market mechanism. Marxist-Leninist theories and Ho Chi Minh Thought have yet to refer to this specific issue. Nevertheless, our Party showed its courage and creativity when adopting Doi Moi to meet the requirements of practice. That application and creative development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought were spectacular. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong was not the initiator, but he was the most enthusiastic supporter of this trend. Although hostile forces have been distorting the phrase “socialist-oriented” of this mechanism, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong remained steadfastness in this theoretical ideology in accordance with Vietnam’s practical conditions.

As a brilliant theorist, “chief architect” and steadfast leader in the building of Vietnam’s society in the cause of Doi Moi, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong set out the most overarching objectives of national development (which were mainly manifested in the 13^th National Party Congress), namely “enhancing the building and rectification of a strong, pure Party and political system; stimulating the desire for national development, promoting the strength of national great unity combined with the strength of the times; continuing to comprehensively, synchronously step up the cause of Doi Moi; building and firmly protecting the Fatherland, maintaining peace and stability; and striving to become a developed socialist country by the middle of the 21^st century”. Grounded on those objectives, the 13^th National Congress continued to advocate: “guaranteeing the highest level of national interests on the basis of the fundamentals of United Nations Charter, international law, equality, and cooperation; continuing to facilitate rapid, sustainable national development; closely combining and synchronously carrying out tasks with socio-economic development as the centre, Party building as the key, cultural development as the spiritual foundation, and defence and security assurance as the crucial, regular task”.

Alongside the Party Central Committee, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong took the lead in applying theoretical issues on socialism in the period of Doi Moi: continuing and enhancing the operation of the socialist-oriented market mechanism. The transformation from the subsidy mechanism into the socialist-oriented market mechanism could be seen as a revolution in theoretical thinking and practical action. The 6^th National Party Congress (late 1986) had opened up a general orientation for thinking, particularly for economic thinking, marking a very significant milestone in the Vietnamese revolution, officially ushering our nation into a new period of comprehensive renovation; due to the situation at that time, we could not mention the transformation into the market mechanism. During comrade Nguyen Phu Trong’s terms as the General Secretary, the market mechanism was more robustly applied; however, the most important thing is the phrase “socialist-oriented” which has always been put at the forefront of hostile forces’ sabotage strategy. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong always remained steadfastness in that theoretical ideology, and realities have proved its correctness as a great theoretical value within the theoretical treasure of Marxism-Leninism.

Theories about the CPV’s leadership and ruling role and the building of the political system were a valuable legacy in the cause of Doi Moi left by the steadfast leader and outstanding theorist of the Vietnamese revolution - comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. Currently in Vietnam, the CPV is the sole party leading and ruling the political system and the entire society. It explains a principle that Vietnam does not allow political pluralism, civil society or separation of powers. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong and the Party Central Committee both theoretically and practically proved that democracy of a society is independent of the number of political parties, but it is dependent on the nature of the ruling party and the quality of the political system. Theories about the CPV’s leadership and ruling role in the cause of Doi Moi have revealed that the CPV must regularly renew and rectify itself, consider Party building and rectification as a key task, and effectively carry out this task in terms of politics, ideology, morality, organisation, and personnel. In light of the 13^th National Party Congress, it is necessary to synchronously, effectively implement tasks and measures, namely enhancing Party building in terms of politics; attaching importance to building the Party in terms of ideology; focusing on building the Party in terms of morality; strengthening Party building in terms of organisation. Moreover, it is essential to renew and complete the apparatus, improve the efficiency of the political system, raise the quality of grass-roots party organisations and a contingent of party members, enhance Party building in terms of personnel, particularly at strategic level, better the efficiency and effectiveness of inspection, supervision, and party discipline work, cement the close-knit bond between the Party and the people, rely on the people to build the Party, remain resolute and persistent in the fight against corruption and wastefulness, and renew the CPV’s leadership method in the new condition. In fact, those are theoretical issues on the CPV’s leadership and ruling role when we build and implement the mechanism of “Party’s leadership, State’s management, and People’s mastery”.

The CPV exercises its leadership and ruling role in the context of a socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people, for the people, and a strong system of Fatherland fronts and political - social organisations; that could be considered as a theoretical contribution of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. Our one-party regime still guarantees and promotes democracy as the entire society takes care of Party building and rectification, remains united behind the Party, and pins its absolute faith in the CPV’s sound leadership. While ensuring and promoting its social management role, the State institutionalises the CPV’s viewpoints, political platforms, and guidelines; the CPV exercises its leadership over the State, but not responsible for performing the latter’s functions and tasks. In a direct way or via their own political - social organisations, the people take part in Party building and rectification by giving their feedback and opinions on the Party’s guidelines, well executing the Party’s guidelines, inspecting and supervising activities of party organisations and party members, etc.

As the Secretary of the Central Military Commission, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong paid special attention to theories about building national defence and security and firmly protecting the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. Those theories include: promoting the country’s synergy combined with the strength of the times to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; maintaining peace, political stability, national security, and human security; building an orderly, disciplined society; formulating strategies to prevent the risk of war and conflict “from early and afar”; developing defence and security potential, building and bringing into full play the posture of people’s hearts and minds in national defence and security; closely, effectively combining socio-economic, cultural development and diplomacy with defence and security and vice versa; and building revolutionary, regular, elite, gradually modern People’s Army and People’s Public Security with a number of services, corps, and forces moving straight to modernity.

Socialism building in our country must be in parallel with the fight against the drag force on national development. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong thoroughly grasped Ho Chi Minh Thought when seeing socialism building as an “immense struggle” against old, depraved things to create new, fresh ones. When comrade Nguyen Phu Trong served as the General Secretary of the CPV, theoretical issues on corruption and negative practice prevention and control within the Party in particular, within the entire political system and society in general were formed. It is the fight for ensuring the purity of organisations and cadres within the political system. What if corruption and negative practices still exist within the Party and political system? The answer is: there will be no socialist society in Vietnam. Hence, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, for many times, stated that corruption and negative practices are posing threats to the CPV and the socialist regime. For the sake of the country’s sustainable development under the goal of national independence and socialism, it is vital to relentlessly fight against corruption and negative practices, particularly within the CPV and the political system as a whole. It is crucial to resolutely handle violations of the Party’s discipline and the State’s law, without any restricted area or exception.

According to President Ho Chi Minh, “Theory is to bring the facts in history, experience, and struggles to examine and compare them very carefully and clearly, turn them into conclusions, and then bring them back to practice. That is true logic. Theory is like the lodestar giving directions to our practical jobs. Without theory, we are confused like walking while closing our eyes”. The President believed: “Theory must be tested by practice. Practice must follow theory. Theory is like an arrow (or a bullet), while practice is like the target. An arrow without being shot or target is like we have no arrow”. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong clearly understood that viewpoint of President Ho Chi Minh; our General Secretary worked on issues raised by the country’s realities under the guiding theoretical foundation, on a daily, hourly basis, particularly in states of emergency. Those theoretical and practical issues are like “two in one” or “one in two”, which could not completely dissected in comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. In other words, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong was an expert in combining the “grey colour” of theory with the “green vitality” of practice. We all believe that the shining example set by comrade Nguyen Phu Trong as a steadfast leader and outstanding theorist in socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam, especially in the cause of Doi Moi will be a source of inspiration for the country’s sustainable development in the upcoming time.

Prof. MACH QUANG THANG, PhD