After being elected general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam at the 11th Party Congress in 2011, Trong made significant contributions to Vietnam's international diplomacy, undertaking numerous overseas trips and welcoming foreign leaders in Vietnam.
In the photo above, Trong and Hu Jintao, Chinese general secretary and president, review a guard of honor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 11, 2011, during the former’s official visit to China.
Hu said Trong's visit was important in enhancing understanding and cooperation between the two countries. Trong deeply appreciated China's role in promoting peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
The two sides issued a Joint Statement and Agreement on Guiding Principles for Solving Maritime Issues, playing an important role in improving Vietnam-China relations and addressing disputes through negotiations and dialogue.
Trong made an official visit to the U.S. in July 2015, and held talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on July 7.
The Joint Statement on the Vision for Vietnam-U.S. Relations was issued after the meeting, which was considered a "historic visit" by the general secretary in his position as the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Trong and Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping took a walk at the Ho Chi Minh Stilt House in Hanoi on Nov. 13, 2017, when Xi made an official visit to Vietnam.
This was Xi's first overseas visit after the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China and his second visit to Vietnam as general secretary and president of China. The two sides issued a joint statement, emphasizing that they would always view and develop Vietnam-China relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, firmly implementing a friendly policy towards each other.
In January 2017 Trong made an official visit to China and held talks with Xi, and they emphasized that the two countries would promptly exchange and resolve issues arising in bilateral relations, promote cooperation in various fields and maintain a friendly and healthy development momentum in ties.
Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy
Trong made an official visit to France in March 2018 and held talks with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen economic cooperation to make it commensurate with the good political relations between their countries and significantly increase trade.
Trong held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who was in Hanoi for the U.S.-North Korea Summit in February 2019.
Trump said Vietnam "is a prime example of what can happen" if North Korea denuclearizes and achieves peace with the U.S. He also mentioned the U.S.-Vietnam economic relationship, expressing "great pride" in Vietnam's achievements.
The two leaders agreed to continue supporting Vietnam-U.S. cooperation to address the consequences of their war and promote economic-trade-investment relations on a mutually beneficial basis.
The two countries signed several economic cooperation agreements worth over US$21 billion.
Trong talks with President Vladimir Putin during an official visit to the Russian Federation from Sept. 5-8, 2018, at the invitation of Putin.
This was the first official visit to Russia by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong after the 12th Party Congress and also the first visit by Vietnam's highest leader to Russia after President Putin's re-election in March 2018 and the completion of the new leadership apparatus.
The visit aimed to strengthen political trust, enhance strategic ties, improve cooperation efficiency, and affirm Vietnam's consistent policy of considering Russia as a top priority partner in its foreign policy. It also aimed to promote the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to become deeper, more substantive, and effective.
Both sides agreed to create the most favorable conditions for oil and gas enterprises from both countries to effectively implement existing projects while expanding new investment projects. Vietnam and Russia would continue to cooperate closely and effectively in the field of defense and security, reflecting the trust between the two countries and fitting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Trong and Laos General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith before they held talks at the Party Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi on June 2023.
It was Sisoulith’s first overseas visit as general secretary and president of Laos for the 2021-2026 term. Trong said the visit was a significant milestone taking place immediately after the success of both countries’ party congresses and National Assembly elections.
He said Sisoulith’s choice of Vietnam as the first country to visit demonstrated Laos' special regard for comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.
In September 2023 Trong welcomed Cambodian People's Party Chairman Hun Sen at the Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos High-Level Meeting in Hanoi.
Trong and President Joe Biden greet each other at the Presidential Palace in September 2023 during the U.S. leader’s state visit to Vietnam.
The two leaders announced the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the U.S. for peace, cooperation and sustainable development.
The two sides agreed that the most important elements for the development of bilateral relations were fully respecting the basic principles guiding them, including respecting the United Nations Charter, international law and each other's political systems, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
It was an opportunity for the two countries to promote relations in areas such as investment, innovation, chip technology, and green transformation. Many billion-dollar investment and cooperation deals and initiatives were signed between Vietnamese and American businesses during the visit to realize and promote the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Trong welcomed Xi to Vietnam in December 2023. The two sides issued a joint statement, outlining six major directions for cooperation in future to continue deepening and elevating their Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Partnership and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future.
During the Chinese leader's visit, the two sides also signed 36 cooperation agreements in various spheres.
Trong held talks with Putin during the Russian leader's state visit to Vietnam on June 19-20, 2024.
He assured his guest that Vietnam consistently implemented the defense policy of "four no's," (not joining military alliances, not associating with one country to fight another, not allow foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory to oppose other countries, and not use force or threaten to use force in international relations), pursued an independent, self-reliant foreign policy of diversification and multilateralization, including strengthening strong relations with neighboring countries and deepening bilateral cooperation with partners.
Putin emphasized that developing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam was a priority in Russia's policy in the Asia-Pacific region, and believed his visit would create new momentum in bilateral relations.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong passed away at 1:38 p.m. on Friday, due to old age and illness at the age of 80.
The Politburo decided on July 18 to confer the Gold Star Medal, Vietnam's highest honor, on Trong.
The award "is a recognition by the Party, State and people for the great and outstanding contributions made by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation," it said.
