The statement was written by late Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, former Deputy Defense Minister, in the third part of General Secretary’s book titled “Some issues about the military policy, national defense strategy during the cause of building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam in the new period.”
Mentioning the due attention and close direction of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, in the third part of the book, Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh wrote about a period from November 22, 2012, when he had a meeting with the General Secretary and asked for his opinion on the urgent need to create an official document of the Party and State on the military and defense strategy, to the adoption of Resolution No.24-KL/TW dated April 16, 2018 of the Politburo on Vietnam's defense strategy. The General Secretary raised several questions reflecting his deep understanding about Vietnam's defense, suggesting issues and directions for the building of Vietnam's Defense Strategy.
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Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong checks combat readiness training on November 19, 2017. |
Gen. Vinh expressed his delight at the speech of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivered at the 28th Diplomatic Conference opened in Hanoi on December 16, 2013. In the speech, the Party chief stated that the most important task was to protect the country’s peace, which means it is necessary to continue to conduct research and build strategies on national defense and military. Protecting the Fatherland is equal to protecting peace. The country must be protected early and from afar by peaceful means and the Vietnam People's Army is the core force in carrying out this mission.
As the Resolution No.24 was adopted, Vietnam's Defense Strategy is a key part, concretizing the Fatherland protection strategy in the new situation, with the aim of firmly protecting national independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; protecting national interests both inside and outside the territory; protecting the country's sustainable peace; protecting the Party, State and people; actively participating in activities to ensure peace and stability in the region and the world; and maintaining political stability and a peaceful environment for the country’s construction and development.
During the cause of national building and growth, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong played an important role in planning strategies on national defense, socio-economic development and diplomacy, etc. to build capability and power to protect peace and the Fatherland early and from afar. The comrade also left a profound mark in raising the Party and State’s prestige and international position; consolidating and enhancing relations with traditional friends and major countries.
In his capacity as the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong made many important visits to foreign countries in the world and welcomed many foreign leaders.
In October, 2011, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong paid the first official visit to China as the chief of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The visit aimed to accelerate cooperation in many fields and discuss remaining issues in the two countries' relationship. On the occasion, both sides issued a Joint Statement and Agreement on Guiding Principles for Solving Maritime Issues, playing an important role in boosting Vietnam-China relations and addressing disputes through negotiations and dialogue.
On December 2023, General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping made a state visit to Vietnam. The two sides issued a joint statement, outlining six major directions for future cooperation to continue deepening and elevating their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future.
Last June, Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. During the talks, the Vietnamese Party chief assured his guest that Vietnam consistently implemented the defense policy of "four no's” and pursued an independent, self-reliant foreign policy of diversification and multilateralization, including strengthening relations with neighboring countries and deepening bilateral cooperation with partners. On July 19, learning about the passing of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, President Putin sent a letter of condolences, saying Russia would remember General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as “a true friend who made great personal contribution to the establishment and development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Moscow and Hanoi.”
Earlier, in July 2015, the Party chief made a historical visit to the U.S. The outcome of the visit was mentioned in the statement by U.S. President Joe Biden after learning about comrade Nguyen Phu Trong’s death. He wrote, “General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a strong supporter of the deep ties between the U.S. and Vietnam. Under his leadership, the friendship and partnership of the two countries were cultivated and developed. His historic visit to the White House in 2015 was a milestone in our bilateral relations. Thanks to his vision, during my 2023 state visit to Hanoi, Vietnam and the U.S. became “comprehensive strategic partners,” the highest level of partnership in the Vietnamese system. The people of Vietnam and the U.S., together with people across the Indo-Pacific region, currently enjoy greater security and opportunity because of the friendship between our two countries. That is thanks to him.”
Under the leadership of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, amid the complicated situations in the region and the world, Vietnam made right policy decisions and proactive and breakthrough steps to protect the interests of the nation and maintain a peaceful and stable environment, as well as constantly raise the country’s potential, position and international reputation.
Translated by Quynh Oanh