A humble leader in the hearts of the people.

“General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is an honest, intelligent, and exemplary leader, loved and respected by the people. In the General Secretary, the image and character of a Vietnamese person—confident yet humble, strong yet gentle, decisive yet tolerant—are vividly and simply embodied.” This is the heartfelt sentiment that cadres, Party members, and the people of Thanh Hoa province have for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, as they shared with us.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visits and speaks with the people of Muong Chanh commune (Muong Lat district). Photo courtesy of Minh Hieu.

For 14 years as General Secretary, over 2 years as President, and over 5 years as Chairman of the National Assembly , Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, together with the Central Committee of the Party and the Government, has led the entire Party, people, and army to achieve many outstanding accomplishments, further enhancing the potential, position, and international prestige of the country. Yet, the General Secretary always maintains a simple, calm, and extremely humble demeanor. “Not only is he an outstanding, intelligent, and talented leader, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is also a model of a simple, approachable, and friendly leadership style. It is this warmth and approachability that makes me feel no distance whenever I meet the General Secretary,” shared Comrade Dinh Tien Phong, former Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, former Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, and Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Veterans Association.

Having met and worked with the General Secretary many times while he was still in office, Comrade Dinh Tien Phong said: “Amidst the busy work of the country, the General Secretary still paid special attention to Thanh Hoa province. Since holding the position of Chairman of the National Assembly and later General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has visited the Party Committee, government, and people of Thanh Hoa many times. The last time was exactly 10 years ago, when I was the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Delegation of National Assembly Deputies. With his foresight and understanding of the strategic position of this land of “spiritual and talented people,” the General Secretary suggested and guided many major issues when working with key officials of the province. The General Secretary pointed out that, in order to develop quickly and strongly, Thanh Hoa must find a direction for industrial development, making industry the driving force of the economy. In particular, to help the mountainous districts catch up with the lowlands, attention must be paid to investing in the development of the western region of Thanh Hoa. Regarding rural areas, the General Secretary The Party Secretary emphasized that people should not only live off rice but also prioritize the development of crops that are strengths of each region to create high-value export products. With the clear guidance and direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, successive generations of Thanh Hoa provincial leaders have reformed their thinking, acted decisively, and taken advantage of the attention of Party and State leaders and the assistance of central ministries and agencies to build increasingly strong economic potential. Accordingly, in economic development, Thanh Hoa prioritizes the development of dynamic industrial zones, creating an important foundation for industry to "take off" in the following years and "break through" in recent years. For the western region, Thanh Hoa has issued many programs and projects, while effectively integrating some central government policies to stimulate socio-economic development, enabling the western districts of Thanh Hoa to "break through" and move forward.

Continuing the narrative about General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Comrade Dinh Tien Phong added: “During his meetings with key officials of Thanh Hoa province, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always emphasized: Cadres, Party members, and the people of Thanh Hoa must unite, unite within the Party, unite among the people, because unity is strength to help each other develop together; without unity, nothing can be achieved.” In response to the General Secretary's guidance and attention, the Party Committee, government, and people of Thanh Hoa have worked together to overcome many difficulties and challenges, achieving many proud accomplishments. In recent years, the province's economy has consistently maintained a fairly high and comprehensive growth rate, its competitiveness has improved, and it consistently ranks among the top in the country. Looking back a decade ago – in 2014 when the General Secretary visited and worked in our province – Thanh Hoa was still a poor region with little outstanding development. However, 10 years later, Thanh Hoa has every right to be proud of becoming a shining example nationwide in terms of socio-economic development, with many important indicators setting unprecedented impressive figures.

Having previously worked at the Provincial Police Department, Mr. Nguyen Huu Lo, Secretary of the Party Cell of Phu Tho 1 residential area, Phu Son ward (Thanh Hoa City), shared: “It can be said that one of the great successes that has left a strong mark in the three recent National Party Congresses is the achievement in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena, which the General Secretary ignited, passed on, and kept alive for the entire political system to participate. Never before has this difficult, complex, and sensitive task brought such joy to the people.” Mr. Nguyen Huu Lo believes that the General Secretary's easily understood, memorable, and easy-to-implement yet profound and insightful statements have become a powerful “message,” a “command” that contributes to pushing back the “war” against corruption and negative phenomena, further strengthening the people's trust in the Party. "Once the furnace is hot, even fresh wood will burn" or "Those who lose heart should step aside and let others do the job" clearly demonstrate the resolute and uncompromising spirit of the General Secretary. The fight against corruption has no forbidden zones, but it's not just about disciplining officials; rather, "disciplining a few to save many." Disciplining officials must be combined with building a strong team of officials, with building being the primary focus, creating an environment that encourages officials to work. This is also one of the aspects that reflects the strict yet humane viewpoint of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visits Sang village, Quang Chieu commune (Muong Lat district) in 2011. Photo courtesy of Minh Hieu.

Sustainable development requires a balance and harmony between economy and culture. If the economy is the material foundation, then culture is the spiritual foundation for all development. Economic growth will create a solid foundation for the continued progress of socio-cultural fields. "Imbued with the thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh and deeply aware of the important position and role of culture – 'Culture is the soul of the nation,' 'As long as culture exists, the nation exists' – General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, an outstanding leader on the cultural front of the Party, has devoted much effort to building an advanced culture, rich in national identity, truly the spiritual foundation of society, an intrinsic strength, and an important driving force for national development," emphasized lecturer Le Dinh Hai from Thanh Hoa University of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Under the leadership of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, the documents of the 13th Party Congress comprehensively and profoundly addressed the field of culture. In particular, the Party's National Cultural Conference, held more than 75 years ago, marks a milestone in uniting the thoughts and actions of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army, strongly promoting the role of culture in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland, and realizing the aspiration for a prosperous and happy country.

“Simply saying ‘respect’ is certainly not enough for every young Party member, Youth Union member, and youth to fully express their feelings for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong,” shared Le Ngoc Anh, Secretary of the Thanh Hoa City Youth Union. As a young City Youth Union Secretary, Le Ngoc Anh vividly remembers the General Secretary's advice to young people on the “5 pioneering principles” in his speech at the 12th National Congress of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, term 2022-2027. The first “pioneering principle” that the General Secretary emphasized to Vietnamese youth is “pioneering in cultivating revolutionary ethics.” Revolutionary ethics is one of the phrases the General Secretary frequently used when discussing Party building and rectification, and he himself is a shining example for cadres, Party members, and Vietnamese youth to follow. “Although I haven't had the opportunity to meet the General Secretary in person, the image of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is very close to me. The more respect and remembrance of the advice that the General Secretary has given to the younger generation, the more we must strive and make greater efforts in our studies and work to demonstrate the pioneering spirit that the General Secretary has entrusted to the young generation of the whole country,” emphasized Le Ngoc Anh, Secretary of the Thanh Hoa City Youth Union.

“In every position he has held, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has always upheld and refined the four virtues of ‘diligence, frugality, integrity, and righteousness’ that President Ho Chi Minh taught during his lifetime. We, the people, always hold General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in high regard and affection – a man who consistently matches his words and actions, uses the people as his yardstick and standard, strives for the people’s interests, is always close to the people, and possesses an incredibly compassionate heart. The General Secretary has earned the complete ‘trust’ of the people and lives in the ‘hearts of the people’ of our town.” This is the sentiment of Ms. Tong Thi Co, as well as many other residents of But Son town (Hoang Hoa district), when speaking about the highest leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Respect, admiration, sorrow, affection... these are the sincere feelings that every citizen of Thanh Hoa province has for the General Secretary. A great heart has stopped beating; a talented, humble, and honest man has passed away. It is a painful loss, but also a source of immense pride. Although General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is no longer with us, his life of service and dedication to the revolutionary cause of the Party, along with the affection and concern he showed for Thanh Hoa, will forever be a pillar of support and a great source of inspiration for the Party Committee, government, and people of Thanh Hoa to continuously strive forward, determined to build Thanh Hoa into a new growth pole, forming a quadrilateral of development in the North of the country alongside Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh, contributing to the successful achievement of the goals set forth by the 13th National Party Congress.

To Phuong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tong-bi-thu-nguyen-phu-trong-nha-lanh-dao-binh-di-trong-long-dan-220142.htm