Former Minister Vo Hong Phuc, after nearly a decade of retirement, was inspired to write his memoir – published by the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House in June 2023 – recounting his years as a politician, with many interesting details.
Vo Hong Phuc wrote: “Old age often brings back memories. I remember cycling to the homes of my aunts and uncles scattered throughout Hanoi to invite them to ancestral commemorations and family gatherings. I remember the loudspeaker from over 60 years ago that woke 17-year-old boys up for exercise at 5 a.m., and I still feel a sense of dread. I also think about the talk of smart cities, smart urban areas, and the 4.0 era. It's like I'm in a dream / Please let me enjoy the dream of old age.” Many of the stories he recounted were new to me, including his interactions with foreign politicians and his parliamentary activities. A panel discussion about his memoirs took place in Hanoi, with quite interesting exchanges about his life as a politician.
Vo Hong Phuc was born in Tung Anh village (Dong Thai), Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province, a land of outstanding people and rich history. It is also the birthplace of Party General Secretary Tran Phu; the ancestral home of Phan Dinh Phung, the two patriots Phan Anh and Phan My, and Hoang Cao Khai… People from Dong Thai migrated north to establish Thai Ha village (Dong Thai in Hanoi), next to Dong Da Hill – the burial ground of the Qing Dynasty invaders. Vo Hong Phuc was intelligent from a young age. After elementary school, he followed his father to Hanoi, becoming an outstanding high school student, excelling in natural sciences , and fluent in classical Chinese poetry; he graduated with honors from Hanoi University of Technology.
In his memoir, Võ Hồng Phúc expressed his thoughts through "bold speech" and "improvised remarks": "Bold speech" means daring to speak, speaking boldly, speaking truthfully, accurately, and responsibly – leaving the listener utterly astonished (!). Only those with intelligence, understanding, and knowledge can "boldly speak." "Improvised remarks" means speaking without a script, not rambling on endlessly, "chewing" on a prepared note. At the congress forum, officials A and B are invited to speak, and they solemnly ascend the podium, respectfully reading from a prepared script in their briefcases. When it's Võ Hồng Phúc's turn, with his hands in his pockets, he "improvises" concisely and succinctly in one go, with clear reasoning and practical evidence. Upon finishing, the congress erupts in thunderous applause. In the National Assembly (Võ Hồng Phúc served as a National Assembly delegate for 10 years), he has spoken dozens of times without ever reading from a prepared text.
The former minister and politician recounted many hilarious and absurd stories (humorous but true) about officials who read documents prepared by their secretaries as if they were slaves to the text, understanding nothing about it, making spelling mistakes, and confusing the time, place, and events.
Mr. Watanabe Michio was a high-ranking Japanese politician who played a key role in fostering friendly relations and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan. He had a close relationship with Vo Hong Phuc. They were close friends because they shared two similar traits: "bold speech" and "improvised speaking." Once, when Watanabe Michio visited Hanoi, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Do Muoi (later the General Secretary of the Party) received the distinguished Japanese guest, and Vo Hong Phuc and the Minister of Foreign Affairs were also present. Vo Hong Phuc's memoirs recount: "It was indeed a meeting of two people with a knack for 'bold speech' and 'improvised speaking.' They spoke openly, comfortably, and thoroughly on all aspects of economics, history, culture, and society; after the meeting, work related to bilateral relations proceeded smoothly…"
An interesting anecdote about "bold speech" and "speaking without thinking," drawn from the memoirs of Vo Hong Phuc, according to experts Pham Chi Lan, Ho Quang Minh; Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Trong Dieu; former Deputy Minister Truong Van Doan; and linguist Nguyen Duc Dung: "Without skill, knowledge, understanding, profound knowledge, life experience, and responsibility, one cannot 'boldly speak' or 'speak without thinking'."
Ut Mui Ne absolutely does not intend to offer one-sided praise; Vo Hong Phuc is a perfect person. What needs to be said is that for officials and politicians, knowing how to speak boldly, speak extemporaneously, and possessing in-depth knowledge of their work is essential. Officials and politicians require self-learning, self-improvement, and continuous accumulation and refinement of knowledge to master their own work. In the era of the knowledge economy, digital economy, and digital society, "bold speech" (having strong opinions) and "extemporary speaking" are truly welcome and encouraged…
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