Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong was admitted to the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hanoi due to an unspecified illness.Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the architect of the Southeast Asian country’s anti-corruption drive, has been suffering from an unspecified illness, four diplomatic sources have told Reuters.
In the first official comments on the 75-year-old Vietnamese leader’s health since his last public appearance 11 days ago, foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on Thursday that Trong’s health had been affected by a “heavy workload” and “changeable weather conditions.”Hang did not say how serious Trong’s condition was, but added that he would “resume his normal duties soon”, without elaborating.
The health of Vietnam’s leadership is by law considered a state secret and, before Thursday’s foreign ministry statement, state media had not reported on Trong’s health. Trong has presided over a widespread crackdown on corruption in Vietnam that has seen several high-ranking ministers and politicians, including one Politburo member, handed prison terms on charges ranging from embezzlement to economic mismanagement.The crackdown, which is viewed by critics as being politically motivated, has also led to the arrest of several high-ranking police officers and prominent businessmen.
USA Agent Orange?