Moscow (VNA) ꦫ– Leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) Gennady Zyuganov, who was a classmate of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during the time he studied in the Soviet Union, shared memories of his great friend and respectfully referred to the Vietnamese Party leader as a 'true Marxist," and a worthy successor of President Ho Chi Minh.

In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Russia on July 23, Zyuganov expressed deep condolences over the great loss of the Party and the people of Vietnam, saying that comrade Trong was a talented, knowledgeable, hard-working, sincere, and deserving communist leader. Zyuganov and General Secretary Trong studied together as graduate students at the Academy of Social Sciences of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In his memory, the Vietnamese Party leader was a composed and amiable person who spoke Russian very well and also a good volleyball player. Even now, Zyuganov still remembers the image of a young Nguyen Phu Trong, actively raising his opinions at conferences and meetings with students and graduate students at one of Russia's oldest and most prestigious schools. The KPRF leader described his former classmate as a 'strict, principled, and highly consistent leader”, an outstanding political activist and leader, a true Marxist, and a theorist well-versed in practical matters when he became a Party and State activist. According to Zyuganov, General Secretary Trong successfully inherited the legacy of President Ho Chi Minh, turning Vietnam into a modern, country with strong development, which achieved a “rare' high economic growth, and was one of the few economies that has stood firm through the recent global crisis. Under the leadership of Trong, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has led the country to achieve significant socio-economic accomplishments. Vietnam has become a model of sustainable development in difficult and complex conditions, relying on its internal strength and superior national qualities which are also the working style of the Communist Party of Vietnam: a love for labour, respect for the past, collectivism, and putting people at centre, he said. The KPRF leader underlined the solidarity and determination of leaders and people of Vietnam in implementing economic development programmes, international integration, maintaining and developing international relations, and cooperating with traditional partners, including Russia. The “Bamboo diplomacy” policy initiated by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a success because, first and foremost, it involves an understanding of global processes and an awareness of the position and role of each people, he said. Zyuganov recalled his visits to Vietnam, including the occasion that he accompanied President Vladimir Putin on his visit last June, saying that the meeting between the Russian leader and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong took place in a sincere and warm atmosphere, and the mutual trust between the highest leaders of the two countries is the key factor to ensure the successful implementation of the signed agreements. He said the awarding of the Lenin Prize – the noblest prize of the KPRF and the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union to General Secretary Trong on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lenin in 2021 demonstrated the appreciation and recognition of the outstanding contributions of the Vietnamese Party chief to striving for justice, humanity, and social progress, for the cause of building socialism and research to enrich the theory and practice for the development of Marxism-Leninism; and his tireless efforts to strengthening the Vietnam-Russia friendship. According to the KPRF leader, the achievements that Vietnam made under the leadership of the CPV and General Secretary Trong show one thing, that the Party has trained deserving and talented individuals for the country’s key positions. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong left a valuable legacy in his theoretical works, writings, and creative ideas for future generations, Zyuganov said, stressing that this is a solid foundation for a talented, courageous, and labour-loving nation like Vietnam./.