The head of the Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), Nguyen Phu Trong, died on Jul. 19 "after a period of illness", the Vietnam government announced on the same day. He was 80.

Trong had served as the party chief since 2011. Under his rule, Vietnam's economy grew steadily, with its 2024 growth rate being the highest among the Asean countries so far.

Trong is also one of the few individuals, including Ho Chi Minh, to have held both titles of party general secretary and president.

This made him the head of both the party and state.

Bamboo diplomacy

While Vietnam fought the U.S. in a brutal war in the 1960s and early 1970s, Trong presided over warming ties with the Western superpower.

The Washington Post noted Trong's penchant for "bamboo diplomacy", bending this way and that as Vietnam navigated relations with its former enemy the U.S., and its neighbour and former enemy China.

Trong's relations with foreign leaders demonstrate that careful consideration.

Trong visited the U.S. in 2015, the only VCP general-secretary to have done so, meeting with President Barack Obama.

In 2022, he visited Beijing at the invitation of China's President Xi Jinping.

In 2023, he hosted President Joe Biden in Hanoi, as well as Xi in December of that year.

In 2024, he welcomed Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Changing leaders

However, Trong faced challenges closer to home.

The Vietnam government's anti-corruption drive led to the resignation of one president, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in 2023.

His successor, Vo Van Thuong, himself suddenly stepped down in March this year, supposedly due to a corruption scandal in his home province.

Vo's successor, the current president To Lam, was previously announced to be taking over Trong's duties as general secretary on Jul. 18, a day before his death.

It is unclear if Lam will remain in both his roles.

Top image via www.gov.cn