Party General Secretary and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng and his spouse release carps, a traditional practice ahead of a Lunar New Year, at the 2019 Homeland Spring programme, which gathered overseas Vietnamese, at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. VNA photo

HÀ NỘI – Many overseas Vietnamese (OVs) have grieved for the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, who was an excellent leader of the Party, State, and people of Việt Nam and devoted himself to working for the people’s sake.

Mai Thảo, Chairman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in Cuba, told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that Vietnamese people in Cuba are deeply saddened by the news of the leader’s death, which is a great loss to the Party, State, and people of Việt Nam.

He described General Secretary Trọng as an eminent cadre who dedicated his entire life to the revolution and people and always worked with a strong revolutionary spirit to serve the Party and join hands with people to develop Việt Nam into an increasingly beautiful nation as President Hồ Chí Minh wished.

The Party chief had special sentiment towards Cuba and used to visit the Caribbean nation many times while serving in different positions, Thảo continued, noting that he used to meet the General Secretary several times and still remembers the leader’s request that political ties are the No. 1 priority of the Việt Nam - Cuba relations, but economic links have yet to match that, so it is necessary to bring bilateral economic partnerships on par with the political ties.

Highlighting the leader’s substantial contributions, Nguyễn Hồng Sơn, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Japan, said while acting as Secretary of Hà Nội Party Committee, Trọng greatly helped with the development of the capital city. The policies on urban development, cultural heritage preservation, and infrastructure improvement he initiated helped create a modern and civilised Hà Nội that still maintains its traditional beauty.

Japanese friends, on many occasions, were surprised with Hà Nội’s development and perceived that this result was largely attributed to the local leadership, Sơn said.

As the National Assembly Chairman, Trọng made a number of important decisions helping build and perfect the legal system, boost administrative reform, and enhance the parliament’s supervisory role. His clear-sighted and strong leadership made considerable strides in improving the legislative body’s efficiency and contributed to the building of a law-governed, democratic, and civilised state.

Meanwhile, as Party General Secretary, he continued showing his leadership talent and devotion to the country, Sơn added.

Sơn voiced his belief that OVs will further trust and support the homeland thanks to the leaders working for the people’s sake like the General Secretary. In particular, the anti-corruption campaign, launched by the Party leader, has reinforced trust among the Vietnamese community in Japan.

Impressed by the General Secretary’s high sense of responsibility and care for every aspect, from economy, society to people’s life, Lê Trung Thành, a PhD postgraduate in Beijing (China), described Trọng as a talented leader who always paid attention to people’s life.

Thành also expressed his admiration for the Party chief’s determination in the corruption fight, adding that the leader led and took many strong measures to clean the state apparatus, enhance transparency, and promote social equality, which subsequently reinforced people’s trust in the Party and State.

He shared that Trọng not only stood out in terms of politics but also made large contributions to education, cultural and social affairs. He always exerted all-out efforts for national development and people’s happiness and put the Fatherland’s interests above all.

The diversity and comprehensiveness in his leadership style helped generate various achievements for the nation and raise Việt Nam’s stature and prestige in the international arena. In Thành’s eyes, the leader’s simplicity, accessibility, and willingness to listen to people’s opinions made him like a gentle and beloved uncle, the postgraduate said.

Expressing the sadness about Trong’s passing, Ninh Viết Thông, a Vietnamese in Thailand, said he could feel the leader’s warm and sincere sentiment towards OVs when the General Secretary visited Thailand or the time Thông returned to the homeland and had a chance to meet the Party chief, who always promoted the Party and State’s policy of considering OVs as an integral part of Việt Nam.

Nguyễn Văn Hòa, another expatriate in Thailand, said the OV community are always grateful to the General Secretary, who pushed Việt Nam on the path of development and reform to become a rich and strong country and be known widely at international forums.

For her part, Phan Bích Thiện, member of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Chairwoman of the Fund for Hungary - Việt Nam Relations, President of the Vietnamese Women Forum in Europe, and Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in Hungary, said the passing of General Secretary Trọng was a great loss, praising the deceased as a bright example of dignity, a dedicated and visionary leader working for the people’s sake, a citizen devoting himself to the nation, and also a humanistic person.

She said the leader always paid attention to the intensification of the great national solidarity. To OVs, he became a symbol of their trust in the Party, Government, and homeland.

Recalling the General Secretary’s meeting with OV representatives in Hungary during his visit to the European nation in 2018, Thiện said the leader enquired after each person. Though the meeting was initially scheduled to not last for long, he still allowed the event to be extended so that he could listen to all opinions and aspirations of OVs. This was a vivid demonstration of a leader always open to people’s feelings and working for the people’s sake. VNA/VNS