A unique aspect of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s career and life is his remarkable tenure in leadership positions, having been elected to key roles six times.

He was twice elected Chairman of the National Assembly, once as President, and thrice as Party General Secretary.

In each of his six inaugural speeches, regardless of the position, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong consistently displayed humility, sincerity, and the noble qualities of a true communist.

Fighting corruption and upholding integrity

Particularly notable was his relentless commitment to fighting corruption and building a clean, strong Party. His life’s mission echoed the words of poet To Huu: "One last breath, one more fight." Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong used these lines to express his commitment to the Party and the people.

Eighteen years ago, on June 26, 2006, upon being elected Chairman of the 11th National Assembly, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong shared at Ba Dinh Hall: “This is a great honor and a heavy responsibility for me.”

Taking on this new role while serving as Hanoi Party Secretary, he acknowledged the forthcoming challenges. “I recognize my limitations in both knowledge and experience. Therefore, I hope for the active support of the National Assembly members, the close cooperation of the Standing Committee, the regular collaboration with relevant agencies and organizations, and the support of voters and people nationwide,” he said.

During his second term as Chairman of the National Assembly (12th session) on July 23, 2007, Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized his commitment to combating corruption and enhancing the legislative and supervisory capabilities of the National Assembly.

On January 19, 2011, he was elected Party General Secretary for the 2011-2015 term. In a candid conversation with the press after his inauguration, he admitted: “Honestly, I’m still getting used to being called General Secretary. It feels strange.”

He added: “I never aimed to make a mark for myself or show off. As a Party member and official, my duty is to earnestly implement the Party’s resolutions. Doing that well is enough.”

Upon his re-election as General Secretary (12th session) on January 28, 2016, he expressed surprise and concern: “I’m surprised, moved, and worried because the upcoming tasks are heavy and the responsibilities immense.”

Elected President for the 2016-2020 term on October 23, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong shared his mixed feelings: “Some may wonder about my state of mind. I’m both happy and worried. Happy because of the trust and love of the National Assembly and the people, but worried about fulfilling my responsibilities. These are my true feelings, similar to how I felt over 12 years ago when the National Assembly elected me as Chairman of the 11th National Assembly”.

Expressing his mixed feelings of both joy and anxiety, similar to when he first assumed the position of Chairman of the National Assembly on June 26, 2006, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong recalled: “I spontaneously recited two lines from The Tale of Kieu: 'Thinking of my thin fate like a dragonfly's wings / Who knows if the blue sky can round things out?' And now, my feelings are quite similar, perhaps even more anxious.”

Re-elected for the third time as General Secretary on February 1, 2021, he reiterated that “great honor comes with great responsibility.”

"The higher the honor, the greater the responsibility, especially given that the tasks in the documents presented at the 13th Party Congress offer many advantages and opportunities but also numerous difficulties and challenges, including unforeseen ones."

Answering the media afterwards about anti-corruption, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed: Our actions are not to punish or hold grudges against anyone but are entirely humanitarian and humane.

"Cutting off a worm-eaten branch to save the whole tree. Punishing a few individuals to deter, educate, and prevent others from committing violations. The main focus is on warning and prevention, not on heavy punishment; that is true severity," General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong reiterated Uncle Ho's words.

According to the General Secretary, combating corruption requires courage and bravery.

"Everyone likes wealth and money, but I have said many times that honor is the most sacred and noble thing," General Secretary emphasized.

Even green wood will burn once the furnace heats up

When people think of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, they will undoubtedly remember his famous saying: "Once the furnace heats up, even green wood must burn. Dry wood, and moderately dry wood will burn first, and once the entire furnace is hot, all agencies will join in, no one stands outside."

This statement was made by the General Secretary at the 12th session of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption on July 31, 2017. It has been reiterated multiple times in his subsequent speeches and has become a guiding principle throughout his career in combating corruption and negative phenomena, as well as in building and rectifying the Party.

During meetings with voters, he often stressed that anti-corruption efforts must be enshrined in law. “Power must be confined within a legal framework to prevent corruption,” he stated.

Regarding concerns that anti-corruption efforts might dampen enthusiasm and make people reluctant to take action, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong firmly stated that such thinking is incorrect.

At a Party Central Committee meeting on April 10, 2018, he asserted: “Those who feel obstructed or disheartened should step aside for others to take over.” This determination was evident in his commitment to cleansing the apparatus, as he often reminded his colleagues of the enduring value of a good reputation over material wealth and power.

Expressing his determination to purify the apparatus, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, in his speech at the meeting of the Central Public Security Party Committee on November 28, 2018, advised: "A good name lasts forever; do not crave titles, positions, material wealth, or money, especially when you have power in your hands, as many will flatter and many will pander..."

The determination to fight corruption "without any forbidden zones, without any exceptions, regardless of who they are" has always been a consistent message reiterated by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in his speeches and writings.

At the National Conference to summarize the anti-corruption work for the period 2013-2020, held on December 12, 2020, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong reiterated the message: "Disciplining a few to save the many, and we must continue to act decisively and strongly in the coming time, as Uncle Ho taught: Cut off a few worm-eaten branches to save the whole tree."

Along with these strong messages are the decisive actions of the entire political system. This has created a breakthrough in the Party's inspection and discipline work in particular, and in anti-corruption efforts in general.

Introducing and electing truly worthy officials

This spirit has continued to be upheld and strongly promoted by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, reaching new heights in the 13th term.

One of the key tasks of this term, as outlined in the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, is "Continuing to strengthen the fight against bureaucracy, corruption, wastefulness, negativity, 'group interests,' and manifestations of 'self-evolution' and 'self-transformation' within the Party."

Under the leadership of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Politburo has issued new regulations on the functions, tasks, powers, working regime, and working relations of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and Anti-Negativity. These regulations have expanded and enhanced the functions and tasks of the Steering Committee to include both anti-corruption and anti-negativity efforts.

The focus is on combating the degradation of political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle among cadres and Party members, considering this the root of all problems.

Additionally, Provincial Steering Committees for Anti-Corruption and Anti-Negativity have been established in all 63 provinces and centrally-run cities. After more than a year of their establishment, this model has shown initial good results, gradually overcoming the previous "hot on top, cold below" situation.

As a result, the detection and handling of corruption have been methodically, uniformly, decisively, and effectively directed and implemented, creating breakthroughs in the fight against corruption and negativity.

Alongside anti-corruption efforts, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has always emphasized Party building and rectification, leaving many significant marks by harmoniously and skillfully combining "building" and "combating," with a particular focus on personnel work.

The General Secretary has always emphasized that personnel work is not only a key aspect of Party building but also a crucial link in the entire operation of the Party and a decisive factor in the success of the revolution.

Therefore, "we must have discerning eyes," "don't mistake a chicken for a quail," "don't think red means ripe," "don't be deceived by outward appearances hiding inner flaws," and "avoid the situation where crabs rely on their claws and fish rely on their fins."

Especially, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has always emphasized that in selecting cadres, we must resolutely not allow politically opportunistic individuals, skilled at maneuvering but lacking in talent and virtue, like 'eels' and 'mudfish,' to enter the ranks.

In more than half of the current term, the Party has decisively prevented, pushed back, and strictly handled cadres and Party members who are degraded in political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle, displaying signs of 'self-evolution' and 'self-transformation,' regardless of who they are; there are no forbidden zones, no exceptions.

Allowing resignations, dismissals, and replacements of disciplined, incompetent, and discredited cadres demonstrates both strictness and humanity, gradually making 'promotion, demotion, entry, and exit' a normal practice in personnel work.

In his closing speech at the mid-term Party Central Committee meeting in May 2023, the General Secretary reminded each Politburo member and Secretariat to highly uphold the spirit of setting an example, regularly cultivate and improve revolutionary ethics.

'Absolutely avoid the situation: your feet are still muddy, but you carry a torch to light others' feet!' the General Secretary advised.

The General Secretary demanded better personnel work to select and appoint truly virtuous, talented, honest, and dedicated individuals who genuinely work for the country and the people to leadership positions in the state apparatus.

Resolutely fight to eliminate from the ranks those who fall into corruption and degradation; oppose all manifestations of seeking positions and power, parochialism, and favoritism in recruiting unqualified relatives and close associates.

In his closing speech at the 9th Party Central Committee meeting in May 2024, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that the preparation of personnel and the election of Party committees must be conducted in accordance with the Party's charter, rules, and regulations.

The General Secretary particularly requested a thorough review to select, nominate, and elect truly deserving comrades who meet the standards and requirements for the tasks in the new situation. He highlighted the importance of identifying and introducing promising new factors, ensuring a proportion of young cadres, female cadres, and ethnic minority cadres.

Until ten days before his passing, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong remained deeply concerned with political affairs. In his role as Secretary of the Central Military Commission, he sent a speech to the Central Military Commission's conference summarizing military, defense, and Party-building work for the first six months of the year on July 8, 2024.

Earlier, on July 4, the General Secretary also sent a speech to the mid-year summary conference of the Central Public Security Party Committee.

Every word and action of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong until his last breath demonstrated his dedication to the revolutionary cause of the Party and our nation, living his life entirely for the country and the people.

Thu Hang