Xi Jinping Mourns the Passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong

At around 4 p.m. on July 20, 2024, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping went to the Embassy of Viet Nam in China to mourn the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.

Xi Jinping came to the condolence hall of the Embassy where a portrait of Nguyen Phu Trong was displayed. Placed in front of the portrait were wreaths sent by Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, as well as the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Central Military Commission, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC and Beijing Municipal Government, and relevant people's organizations.

Xi Jinping walked to Nguyen Phu Trong's portrait, paused to pay silent tribute before bowing three times to the portrait, and wrote a message with his signature on the condolence book.

Praising Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong as a staunch Marxist and a great leader of the CPV and the Vietnamese people, Xi Jinping noted  that Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong had devoted his entire life to the CPV and his country, to the Vietnamese people and to the cause of socialism in Viet Nam, and had been deeply respected and admired by the party, the military and people of Viet Nam. Xi Jinping recalled that over the past decade and more, he and Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong had maintained close contact and developed profound camaraderie, and that last year they jointly announced the building of a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, which was a milestone event. He said, "The passing of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has deprived us of a promoter of China-Viet Nam relations and a fellow companion for the cause of socialism, and we are deeply saddened." Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's outstanding contributions to the relations between the two parties and two countries and to the cause of the global socialist movement will always be remembered.

Xi Jinping stressed that the CPC and the Chinese government firmly support the CPV in uniting and leading the Vietnamese people to follow a socialist path that suits Viet Nam's national conditions. He expressed his confidence 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 new and greater achievements in the cause of reform, opening up and socialism development. Xi Jinping expressed his firm belief that China and Viet Nam will continue to work together to make profound and solid progress in building a China-Viet Nam community with a shared future.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai said that the fact that General Secretary Xi Jinping came to express condolences and the CPC Central Committee sent a prompt message of condolence to the CPV Central Committee has reflected the great importance the CPC and the Chinese government attach to the relations between the two parties and two countries, as well as General Secretary Xi Jinping's special feelings toward Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. The Vietnamese side is deeply moved by this and is very grateful. Noting that Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong had attached great importance to the relationship with China and made tremendous efforts and contributions in promoting the development of Viet Nam-China friendship during his lifetime, Pham Sao Mai said the Vietnamese side will carry on Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's aspirations and implement the important common understandings reached between the top leaders of the two parties and countries, stay committed to developing friendly cooperation with China as a strategic choice and top priority of Viet Nam's foreign policy, and continuously push forward the building of a Viet Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi, among others, were present to express condolences.