Regarding his status, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong is only the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), not the head of state. The head of state of Vietnam, nominally President Vo Van Thuong. Meanwhile, the US President is the head of state. It should have been Mr. Vo Van Thuong who invited the US President to visit. But this time, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong was the one who invited President Joe Biden to visit Vietnam.
The head of state in Vietnam is only ceremonial, and has no real power. However, in official international ceremonies, the CPV also needs to respect the President. The reception for US President Joe Biden at 4:30 p.m. on September 10, at the Presidential Palace, was hosted by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, not President Vo Van Thuong. Thus, Mr. Trong pushed Vo Van Thuong aside when welcoming the US President this time. Mr. Thuong is the President and head of state, but Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong views him as a “caged bird or ornamental fish.”
Welcoming the US President at the right place, but not the right person. Knowing that the person with real power of the Communist government is the General Secretary, not the President, the American side also knows that. However, the ritual must still comply with what the law stipulates. According to Article 86 of the 2013 Constitution, it is clearly stated that “The President is the Head of State, representing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in domestic and foreign affairs.” In addition, Article 3 of Decree No. 18/2022/ND-CP, on foreign affairs ceremonies, also stipulates, “The Head of State of the visiting country is a guest of the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.” Yet, Mr. Trong trampled on the law, ousted the President and played the main role in the welcoming ceremony for the US President.
With a General Secretary who relies on great authority, no one dares to do anything, but tramples on the law, how can this country have national discipline? Before welcoming the US President, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong welcomed Mr. Xi Jinping’s “envoy.” The party chief respects only Xi’s people but not Vietnam’s law.
Mr. Tran Dai Quang, former President, one of the three rebels, lost his life. Perhaps, the person sitting in the current President’s chair does not dare to ask for much, even though he clearly knows that he is being pushed aside by the Party boss during the welcoming ceremony for the US President.
It was not until the next day, September 11, that Mr. Vo Van Thuong “was” allowed to host the State banquet for US President Joe Biden. The organization of the banquet is not a major national affair, it is a matter of national importance. A major national event is the signing to upgrade the relationship between the two countries. In this case, Mr. Thuong was left out, even though Mr. Thuong is young and his health ensures good health for the welcoming ceremony. This is a shame that is hard to swallow for a President who is nominally the head of state, but is considered nothing by the head of the Party.
While welcoming US President Joe Biden at the Presidential Palace, Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong was unsteady on his feet and had to have a tall bodyguard always close to his armpit, ready to reach out and grab his shoulder when he was about to fall. Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong’s health is currently very weak, partly because of the after-effects of his mysterious illness in Kien Giang four years ago, and partly because he is too old, currently 79 years old. Comparing the two people at the welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace shows that Mr. Trong is much weaker than the US President, even though the US President is 2 years older than him. Old and weak but still clinging to his chair, still abusing his power unlimitedly. The entire Communist Party of Vietnam is bowing to an old man from near and far.
The power of the current position of General Secretary will serve as a precedent, after Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong, there will be more men who abuse power. With the current power, whoever inherits the chair Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong left behind will also inherit his unmatched power. In the current Vietnamese Communist regime, the power of the four pillars is concentrated on one pillar.
Anh Vu – Thoibao.de
