Dr. Sandra Scagliotti, a researcher on Vietnam and Honorary Consul of Vietnam in the Piedmont and Liguria regions of Italy, and Hélène Luc, Honorary French Senator and Honorary President of the France - Vietnam Friendship Association (AAFV) are two women who are living in two different countries but sharing the same love for Vietnam and respect for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Dr. Scagliotti, who used to translate some books by President Ho Chi Minh into the Italian language, described Party General Secretary Trong as a leader with particularly outstanding contributions to the cause of national construction and development, caring for the people and, building and rectifying the Party and fighting corruption in Vietnam.

She recalled unforgettable memories of meeting General Secretary Trong in 2013, when the Vietnamese leader paid an official visit to Italy and met then Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Presidential Palace in Rome.

As one of the chief editors of the Anteo Edizioni Publishing House, Dr. Scagliotti published the Italian version of the Vietnamese Party chief’s book titled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam” in the publishing house’s Banyan publication in May 2024.

The book not only summarises the Doi moi (Renewal) policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam, but also provides a valuable lesson for political parties around the world, the scholar commented.

She held that with his solid theoretical knowledge in the field of dialectical materialism associated with the most recent political-anthropological research, General Secretary Trong paid great attention to the continuous development of culture and the issue of how to combine the country's culture and identity with socio-economic development.

According to the Party chief, a socialist society has basic sustainable values in which development must truly serve the people and economic development goes hand in hand with progress and social justice. It is a united and supportive society where mutual aid is a daily order.

Dr. Scagliotti affirmed that the experience in the successful revolutionary struggle of the Vietnamese people and the 40-year Doi moi has contributed to affirming and enhancing the position, prestige and power of Vietnam at many forums and multilateral mechanisms.

Highlighting the contributions of the Party leader to building theories about the renewal path, the concept of socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam, the scholar underlined that General Secretary Trong helped promote foreign affairs and international cooperation from the perspective of multilateralism.

Meanwhile, Hélène Luc, who met Party General Secretary Trong in 2013 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam, told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s correspondents in Paris that the image of a leader who highly valued relationships among people is always deeply imprinted in her mind.

Recalling her memories of her meetings with the Vietnamese Party chief, Hélène Luc said she still keeps the impression, emotion and honour when she was invited by the General Secretary to participate in an exchange with the AAFV on the occasion of his visit to France in 2018.

The Honorary French Senator stressed that the passing of the Party chief is Vietnam’s loss of a prestigious leader who left a very deep and lasting mark in the country's national history.

Receiving intensive training in many fields such as economics – politics and humanities, General Secretary Trong was a talented leader, she said, underscoring that what's special about him is his ability to persuade and guide communist party leaders of other countries.

Since he was elected as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2011, General Secretary Trong had continuously made efforts to carry out the cause of Doi Moi and strengthen relations between Vietnam and many countries.

He worked to provide favourable conditions for foreign firms in Vietnam to develop, and encouraged foreign investment in Vietnam, which contributed to bringing great achievements to Vietnam, turning the country into one of the prosperous and fast-growing nations in Southeast Asia, said Hélène Luc.

Regarding international relations, the French politician said that Trong followed the example of President Ho Chi Minh in establishing relations with as many countries as possible and prioritising diplomatic measures to settle disputes peacefully, thus preventing or putting an end to conflicts.

Commenting on the Party chief’s contributions to the Vietnam-France relations, Hélène Luc said that like his predecessors, General Secretary Trong always valued and wished to develop cooperation with France in all fields of economy, science, and culture, and believed that the two sides can do more.

General Secretary Trong will forever live in the history of Vietnam as a shining example for the youth, she added./.