The eventful childhood of the new Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

His father was relocated to North Vietnam, and his mother was killed by the enemy when he was only 12 years old. Nguyen Xuan Phuc grew up with his older sister under the care of their neighbors.

Visiting the hometown of the new Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and listening to the story of his "turbulent childhood" helps us understand something about this seemingly down-to-earth leader.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc is from Que Phu commune, Que Son district, Quang Nam province. As a child, he lived with his mother and siblings and attended the village school in his hometown.

In the memories of his former classmates, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc was an intelligent, kind, amiable person who got along well with everyone.

Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoang shared his memories with Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Recounting his childhood friend, Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoang (born in 1953, Huong Que Tay village, Que Phu commune, Que Son district, Quang Nam province) said that he was a classmate of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc in the first and second grades at the village school.

During the years 1965-1966, Mr. Hoang and Mr. Phuc participated in the Young Pioneers team in their hometown.

According to Mr. Hoang's recollection, when he was a child, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a rather special situation. From a young age, he had to live away from his father (his father was relocated to the North in 1954), and at home he only had his mother and other siblings.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc is the youngest child, so people often call him Bay (in Quang Nam province, the eldest is called the second child, not the first).

In 1965, after an enemy offensive aimed at retaking the liberated zone, Mr. Phuc's older sister, Nguyen Thi Phung, joined the guerrilla forces and was killed in action at Hon Cat Mountain.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc's mother was later murdered by the enemy in 1966 when they discovered she had established a base to shelter revolutionary cadres operating underground; Nguyen Xuan Phuc was only 12 years old at the time.

After his mother passed away, Nguyen Xuan Phuc lived with his sister and was cared for and supported by his neighbors until he relocated to the North around 1967-1968.

The memorial plaque for the heroic martyrs in Que Phu commune bears the names of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc's mother and sister.

Sharing his thoughts about Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoang said: “When we were children, studying together and participating in the Young Pioneers' movement, I saw Mr. Phuc as intelligent, kind, and sociable. In general, he was a wonderful person.”

Even later, when he became a high-ranking official of the Party and State, upon returning to his hometown, Mr. Phuc still demonstrated that he was a kind and compassionate person. This earned him great admiration and affection from the local people.”

Mr. Hoang remembers most vividly the occasion of April 30, 2011, when Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, having just been elected Deputy Prime Minister, returned to his hometown to offer incense to the heroic martyrs and participate in a meeting with fellow resistance fighters in the locality.

Upon returning to his hometown, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc encountered a funeral and took a gift to offer condolences to the deceased before going to light incense at the memorial monument for fallen soldiers.

At a meeting with local resistance fighters, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc reminded them: "It's a joy to meet you all, but please don't sing, lest it disrupt the funeral."

"Comrade Phuc's actions have earned my and the people's great admiration. Despite being a high-ranking leader and having lived far from his hometown for a long time, he has not forgotten the bonds of community and neighborly love."

Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoang poses for a commemorative photo with Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a meeting.

"Later, even though he relocated to the North very early, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc still frequently visited his hometown whenever he had the opportunity. The people of Que Phu commune in particular, and Quang Nam province in general, always remember him as a simple and down-to-earth leader, a humble relative of the people of Quang Nam," Mr. Vo Ngoc Hoang expressed.

According to VTC News