Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng meets with representatives of the OV community in Laos in 2019. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

VIENTIANE — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s devotions and contributions to Việt Nam have engineered the nation’s development, making the overseas Vietnamese (OVs), including those in Laos, glow with immense pride in the respected leader.

With her boundless grief at the passing away of the Party chief, Principal of the Nguyễn Du Lao – Vietnamese bilingual school Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hương affirmed he was a vivid example of studying and following of President Hồ Chí Minh’s teachings.

Party General Secretary Trọng’s pioneering and resolve to fight corruption and negative phenomena made significant contributions to bolstering the socio-economy, stabilising the political situation, fortifying defence, security and foreign affairs, and consolidating the people’s confidence in the Party and State, she said, highlighting the teachers and students of the school will follow the eminent leader’s example.

Reminiscing the time when she had the honour to meet Party General Secretary Trọng during his trip to Laos, Hương stressed that the images of a kind and warm leader with silver hair, generous eyes and a friendly smile left a lasting impression on her.

She held that he always attached much importance to and gave a top priority to the time-tested traditional friendship and special ties between Việt Nam and Laos, which had been nurtured by generations of leaders of both sides.

Under the vision of Party chief Trọng, the two countries had stood shoulder by shoulder to develop the relations to a new high, she added.

Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane Lê Văn Mùi, meanwhile, expressed his outpouring of grief over the passing of the Party leader, who gave him sincere words of advice including those on how to make the Việt Nam-Laos relations closer and closer.

Party General Secretary Trọng had been a towering figure in the community, he said, adding many OVs in Vientiane went to the pagodas to pray for the leader.

Showing his depth of emotion when receiving the bad news, Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese Business Association in Laos Hoàng Văn Quân said that Party leader Trong’s leadership helped Việt Nam weather headwinds while creating a facelift for the nation, with improved lives seen in both rural and urban areas.

Quân said the humble Party chief with valuable lessons impressed him a lot.

Another OV in Laos, Nguyễn Thị Thu Huyền, affirmed that Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng left a special imprint in the nation’s fortune, adding he is a great father that the OVs always trust in and feel proud of.

As the head of the Central Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena, the Party leader, with his political resolve, drastically, harmoniously and comprehensively drove the anti-graft campaign.

Many ideas, viewpoints, guiding principles, and action principles in fighting corruption and negative phenomena initiated and directed by the General Secretary have proven effective, affirmed in reality, and brought about valuable lessons in both theory and practice, she observed.

Over the past time, Vietnamese high-ranking leaders visiting Laos have taken time to meet with the Vietnamese community here to get a better insight into their desire and propose the host nation create more favourable conditions for them,according to Huyền, expressing her gratitude towards the Party, State, especially Party General Secretary Trọng, who she described as a father of her homeland. — VNS