Xi mourns passing of top Vietnamese leader

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, visited the Vietnamese embassy in Beijing on Saturday to mourn the passing of Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

In the hall of condolence at the embassy, wreaths sent by Xi and other members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau were laid in front of a portrait of Trong.

Xi walked to the portrait, paused to observe a moment of silence, then bowed three times before the portrait and wrote a message with his signature in the book of condolences.

Praising Trong as a staunch Marxist and a great leader of the CPV and the Vietnamese people, Xi said that Trong had devoted himself entirely to the CPV and the country, to the Vietnamese people and to the cause of socialism in Vietnam, and had been deeply respected and admired by the party, military and people of Vietnam.

Xi recalled that over the past decade, he and Trong had maintained close contact and developed a deep camaraderie, and that last year, they jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, a milestone in bilateral ties.

"The passing of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has deprived us of a promoter of China-Vietnam relations and a companion for the cause of socialism, and we are deeply saddened," Xi said.

Trong's outstanding contribution to the relations between the two parties and the two countries, and to the cause of the global socialist movement will always be remembered, he said.

Xi emphasized that the CPC and the Chinese government firmly support the CPV in uniting and leading the Vietnamese people to take a path of socialism that suits Vietnam's national conditions.

It is believed that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee, the Vietnamese people will surely be able to turn grief into strength and continue to make greater achievements in the cause of reform, opening-up and socialist construction, Xi said.

He said he firmly believes that China and Vietnam will continue to work together to make profound and solid progress in building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai said the fact that General Secretary Xi personally came to express condolences and the CPC Central Committee sent a message of condolence to the CPV Central Committee without delay has reflected the great importance that the CPC and the Chinese government attach to the relations between the two parties and countries, as well as the special feelings General Secretary Xi has for Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Vietnamese side is deeply moved and deeply grateful, Mai said.

Noting that Trong had attached great importance to the relationship with China and made tremendous efforts and contributions to the development of Vietnam-China friendship, Mai said the Vietnamese side will carry on the legacy of Trong.

The ambassador added that Vietnam will implement well the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, adhere to the strategic choice and top priority for Vietnam's foreign policy of developing friendly cooperation with China, and push forward the building of a community with a shared future with strategic significance between Vietnam and China.

Trong passed away on Friday at the age of 80 due to age-related illness. He had been general secretary of the CPV Central Committee since 2011.

Vietnam will hold a state funeral for Trong on Thursday and Friday, Vietnam News Agency quoted a special communique as saying.

China Daily - Xinhua