Revolutionary, reform architect, Party leader Do Muoi dies aged 101

The former Party General Secretary passed away at 11:12 p.m. Monday at the 108 Military Hospital in Hanoi, after battling ill health for a long time, receiving care from doctors in and outside Vietnam, said the National Commission of Health Services for Officials.

Born Nguyen Duy Cong in Hanoi, Do Muoi was a member of Vietnam's Communist Party for 78 years. He became an active revolutionary at an early age, joining the French Popular Front at 19. In 1939, he joined the Communist Party of Indochina, marking his first step on the political scene.

In 1941, at age 24, he was arrested by the French colonialists and sentenced to 10 years at the then infamous Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi. He broke out of jail four years later and continued active participation in revolutionary campaigns. He joined the Party unit of Ha Dong, now a district of Hanoi, led its grand coup against the colonial government and became its Party leader from August 1945.

Former General Secretary Do Muoi (L) is seen in a file photo with Vo Van Kiet, who served as Vietnam's Prime Minister between 1991 and 1997.

During the war against the French colonialists, Do Muoi took different positions across the northern region. He was the Party Secretary of Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces, and Party leader of multiple revolutionary units in the area.

In 1955, he was the Party leader and chairman of the port city of Hai Phong. That March, he was elected to be an alternate member of the second Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. A year later, he took the position of the Deputy Minister of Trade and became Minister in 1958. He also became a delegate of Vietnam's legislative National Assembly.

In September 1960, he was elected to be a member of the Party's Central Committee at the National Congress. From 1969 to 1971, he was the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Economic Office of the Prime Minister. He continued to serve as Deputy Prime Minister from 1976 to 1981.

In 1979, he was elected to be an alternate member of the Politburo, the Party's decision-making body, and in 1986, became its official member.

Do Muoi became the Party General Secretary of Vietnam in 1991 and held his position until 1997.

He was at the helm in the most decisive phase of Doi moi, the economic reform process that was launched in 1986 and gathered steam under his stewardship in the early 90s.

In December 1997, he became an advisor for the Party's Central Committee, and continued his role until 2001.