EU Vice President to attend funeral of Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong

According to the announcement of the Delegation of the EU to Viet Nam, Borrell will hold his high-level mission to Ha Noi from July 29-31.

Earlier, EU Ambassador to Viet Nam Julien Guerrier expressed his heartfelt condolences to the leadership and the people of Viet Nam on the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

"His commitment and dedication to the nation have left an indelible mark on Viet Nam's history and development. During his lifetime, Viet Nam developed from a war torn country to a prosperous middle-income nation with impressive economic growth rates and promising potential," noted Julien Guerrier.

During his tenure, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong played a pivotal role in strengthening Viet Nam's position on the global stage and fostering meaningful partnerships with the international community, including the European Union, with a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, a Free Trade Agreement and a number of bilateral agreements having been forged between the European Union and Viet Nam under his watch.

Thanks to these agreements, EU-Viet Nam cooperation has flourished across numerous areas, including trade, sustainable development, peace and security, climate change and energy transition.

"As we reflect on the legacy of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, we extend our best wishes for the future to the leadership and people of Viet Nam in this time of mourning. We look forward to working closely with the Party, State, and National Assembly leadership to continue deepening our relationship. We remain committed to further strengthening our ties and working hand in hand to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead," he shared.

"Our thoughts are with the General Secretary's wife Ngo Thi Man and family. May his contribution to Viet Nam's strategic autonomy and prosperity continue to inspire future generations," the Ambassador wrote.

As of Wednesday, General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisulith, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and New Zealand's former Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Don McKinnon have confirmed to attend the funeral of the Party chief.

Suga Yoshihide and Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as Special Envoys of the Japanese and Kiwi Governments.

Laos and Cuba have decided to hold national mourning in commemoration of the Vietnamese Party leader.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong passed away on July 19 afternoon at the age of 80.

A state funeral for Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong will be held on July 25-26.

The Party chief's coffin will be kept at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi.

The respect-paying ceremony will take place from 7am to 10pm on July 25, and from 7am to 1pm on July 26, at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi.

The memorial service will be held at 1pm on July 26 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi.

The burial ceremony will take place from 3pm on the same day at Mai Dich Cemetery, Ha Noi.

At the same time, the respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong will also be held at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City and at his native land in Dong Hoi commune, Dong Anh district, Ha Noi.

The Vietnam Television and Radio the Voice of Viet Nam will broadcast live the ceremonies in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

During the two-day national mourning on July 25-26, national flags will be flown at half-mast at State offices and public places, and recreational and entertainment activities suspended./.