Nguyễn Phú Trọng was the president of Vietnam from 2018 to 2021 and the long-serving general secretary of the country’s ruling Communist Party.
- Died: July 19, 2024 (Who else died on July 19?)
- Details of death: Died after a period of illness at the age of 80.
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Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s legacy
Trọng began working with the Communist Party of Vietnam in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until 2011 that he became a national political figure. That was when he was elected general secretary of the party, the nation’s highest office.
Among Trọng’s accomplishments was a strengthening of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the United States. In 2015, he became the first Vietnamese party leader to visit America, meeting with Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, as well as then-Vice President Joe Biden, to discuss such issues as human rights and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Elected to a second term as general secretary in 2016, Trọng embarked on an anti-corruption campaign that came to define his political legacy. During this term, he was elected president of Vietnam, making him one of only three Vietnamese party leaders to also hold that office. As president, he opened Vietnam’s economy and forged trade deals with other countries. He was elected to a third term as general secretary in 2021, serving until his death.
Tributes to Nguyễn Phú Trọng
Full obituary: BBC
