VietNamNet presents the article "Memorable Encounters with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong," penned by journalist Quoc Phong, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien newspaper. This article was published in VietNamNet on February 9, 2024.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong studied in the Faculty of Literature at Hanoi University. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1967 and was assigned to work as a sub-editor for the "Hoc Tap" magazine (now the Communist Review). In August 1991, he became the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.

Nguyen Hung Vi, a former student from the 18th class (1973-1977) of the Faculty of Literature, was a classmate of mine in university. Recently, he recounted his days as a lecturer in Folk Literature while also serving as the assistant in charge of student affairs. During this time, he interacted with journalist Nguyen Phu Trong, who was then the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review. He shared:

“I used to take Mr. Trong to our faculty for two years, 1990 and 1991. At that time, I didn't have a motorbike, so I cycled to work every day. The Faculty of Literature taught a journalism course called 'Journalism Skills.' This course was previously taught by veteran journalist Quang Dam, a former editorial board member of the Nhan Dan newspaper. When Mr. Quang Dam went to Ho Chi Minh City to visit relatives and friends, there was no one to teach the course.

Associate Professor Bui Duy Tan once told me, “Mr. Phu Trong, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review, wrote a book called "Journalism Skills." You should meet him and invite him to teach.”

I met Mr. Trong, and he said, “Returning to serve our faculty would be a great honor; I’m ready!”

He even invited me to have lunch with him and his wife, so I could get to the university on time without worrying about cooking. He knew my wife worked and couldn’t come home for lunch, and our three-year-old son was in daycare, so lunchtime was often a challenge.”

I asked, “Did the faculty pay Mr. Trong well for his teaching hours?”

Hung Vi reminisced:

“Whether he was paid or not, I don’t know. Probably not. Payment for teaching hours was usually calculated at the end of the academic year or even the following year. At that time, delays in salary were common. When we invited Mr. Nguyen Xuan Kinh to teach Folk Literature, there was no money either. It wasn’t until 1995 that extra teaching hours were properly compensated.”

Each week, I cycled to pick up Mr. Trong for his lectures. The class was on the fourth floor of the Union Building, overlooking the Thang Long Tobacco Factory. The afternoon class started at 12:30pm, so I had to leave for Nguyen Thuong Hien Street by 11am. Occasionally, I’d have lunch with Mr. Trong and his wife – Mrs. Man - before taking him to the university.

The first time I hadn’t eaten, he said, ‘Have lunch with us, and we’ll go to the university together.’ I subtly asked him about transportation for the long term, and he said, ‘Teaching this class is a personal commitment. Personal matters shouldn’t involve government vehicles.’ (At this time, as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, he had access to a government car.)

For the two-year journalism course, with 70 sessions per year, I took Mr. Trong by bicycle twice a week, each session lasting three periods. Even in 1991, he continued teaching.

During this period, each teaching session comprised five periods, split into three and two. The two-period segment was usually reserved for core subjects taught by faculty, while the three-period segment was often for guest lecturers, allowing them to finish quickly and justify the time spent traveling.

Later, when he became the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong maintained his humble habits. When attending university reunions, he never used government cars. Instead, he used motorbike taxis arranged by his security personnel.

Journalist Vu Lan, a fellow student, recalled: “Once, through his assistant Nguyen Huy Dong, I informed him that Mr. Nguyen Tien Hai, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review and a close friend of Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong, was ill. Upon returning from a business trip in the South, Mr. Trong visited Mr. Hai in the hospital, arriving on a motorbike taxi arranged by his security team. During Tet, he always visited Mr. Hai by motorbike taxi.”

These simple yet meaningful stories from my classmates about journalist Nguyen Phu Trong reflect his clear distinction between public and private matters and his principled nature, qualities that later defined him as the General Secretary of the Party.

Quang Phong