Currently, delegations continue to pay their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Video: People waiting to pay respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Video: Memorial Ceremony for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at Nguyen Gia Thieu High School, Hanoi

* The Japanese delegation, led by former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Mr. Suga attended as a special envoy of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Mr. Suga Yoshihide currently serves as an advisor to the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance. In October 2020, he visited Vietnam on his first overseas trip after assuming office as Prime Minister of Japan. During this visit, he met with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

In his condolence message, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio expressed that his exchanges of opinions with the General Secretary during their meetings have become unforgettable memories.

Prime Minister Kishida expressed his deepest gratitude for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's significant contributions to promoting the Vietnam-Japan relationship.

"Recalling the great leadership of Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong in fostering close cooperative relations between Japan and Vietnam across many extensive fields as a comprehensive strategic partner, I express my deepest sorrow and pray for his soul to rest in peace," the condolence message stated.

* The New Zealand delegation, led by special envoy and former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don McKinnon, paid their respects.

Before the trip to Vietnam, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters emphasized that sending a representative to attend the funeral demonstrates the New Zealand Government's recognition of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's significant contributions to New Zealand-Vietnam relations.

Mr. Peters affirmed that Mr. Don McKinnon's attendance at General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's funeral reflects the deep respect that New Zealand has for the people and Government of Vietnam.

9:30 am: The Cambodian delegation, led by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and President of the Senate, paid their respects.

The Cambodian leader expressed his condolences and sympathy to the General Secretary's wife and family.

Hun Sen is one of the foreign leaders who met with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong numerous times.

9:20 am (July 24 - New York time): United Nations leaders and ambassadors from various countries paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN in New York, USA.

9:20 am: In Lai Da village, the delegation from the Dong Anh District Party Committee, Dong Anh District People's Council, Dong Anh District People's Committee, and Dong Anh District Fatherland Front Committee, led by District Party Secretary Le Trung Kien, paid their respects.

9h15: The delegation from the Central Committee for Health Care and Protection of Central Officials and the Health Care Councils for Officials, led by Tran Huy Dung, Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Health Care and Protection of Central Officials, paid their respects.

The delegation from 108 Military Central Hospital paid their respects.

8h50: Delegations continue to pay their respects

The delegation from the Central Committee for External Relations, led by Party Central Committee Secretary and Head of the Central Committee for External Relations Le Hoai Trung, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, led by Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc, paid their respects.

The delegation from the General Secretary's Office, led by Dao Duc Toan, Assistant to the General Secretary in charge of the office, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Party Affairs Committee of the Supreme People's Court, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Mass Mobilization Committee, led by Pham Tat Thang, Standing Deputy Head of the Central Mass Mobilization Committee, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Economic Commission, led by Nguyen Duy Hung, Deputy Head in charge of the Central Economic Commission, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Minister Bui Thanh Son, paid their respects.

8h46: The European Union (EU) delegation, led by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell, paid their respects.

The EU delegation in Vietnam posted a condolence message from EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier regarding the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

According to Ambassador Guerrier, during his tenure, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong played a crucial role in strengthening Vietnam's international position and fostering meaningful partnerships with the international community, including the European Union, through the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), the Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and several bilateral agreements signed between Europe and Vietnam under his oversight.

Thanks to these agreements, EU-Vietnam cooperation has flourished in various fields, including trade, sustainable development, peace and security, climate change mitigation, and energy transition.

8h25: Delegations from various Party Committees paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Organization Committee, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Head of the Central Organization Committee Le Minh Hung, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Inspection Committee, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Chairman of the Central Inspection Committee Tran Cam Tu, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Internal Affairs Committee, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee Phan Dinh Trac, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Propaganda and Training Committee, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Head of the Central Propaganda and Training Committee Nguyen Trong Nghia, paid their respects.

The delegation from the Central Theoretical Council and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, led by Politburo Member, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, and Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang, paid their respects.

8h23: The delegation of students from Class 8 (1963-1967) of the Literature Department, Hanoi University, paid their respects. The Literature Department at Hanoi University was where General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong studied and trained during his youth.

8h16: The delegation from the Hanoi Party Committee, Hanoi People's Council, Hanoi People's Committee, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, led by Politburo Member and Hanoi Party Secretary Bui Thi Minh Hoai, paid their respects.

8h10: The delegation from the Central Public Security Party Committee and the Ministry of Public Security, led by Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Secretary of the Central Public Security Party Committee and Minister of Public Security, paid their respects.

Delegations from Algeria, Vanuatu, and Switzerland paid their respects in succession.

8h05: The delegation from the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, led by General Phan Van Giang, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defense, paid their respects.

8h00: The delegation from the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption and Negative Phenomena, led by Politburo Member and Permanent Member of the Party Secretariat Luong Cuong, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee, paid their respects.

7h57: The Indian delegation, led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

7h55: The Australian delegation, led by Senate President Sue Lines, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

7h49: The South Korean delegation, led by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, paid their respects.

7h48: The Indonesian delegation, led by Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, paid their respects.

7h43: The Cuban delegation, led by Cuban National Assembly Chairman Esteban Lazo Hernandez, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.  

7:40 AM: People line up to pay their respects in Dong Hoi, Dong Anh District, Hanoi, the hometown of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

7h38: The delegation from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, led by Politburo Member, Party Central Committee Secretary, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien, paid their respects.

7h33: The National Assembly delegation, led by Politburo Member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, paid their respects to the General Secretary. The delegation included former National Assembly Chairmen Nguyen Sinh Hung, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Vuong Dinh Hue; Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly, members of the National Assembly Standing Committee, National Assembly deputies; leaders and former leaders of the National Assembly and the Office of the National Assembly.

7h28: The Presidential delegation, led by Politburo Member and President To Lam, paid their respects. The delegation included former Presidents Truong Tan Sang, Nguyen Minh Triet, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vo Van Thuong; Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, and former Vice Presidents. Additionally, there were leaders and former leaders of the Office of the President.

7h24: The Government delegation, led by Politburo Member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The delegation included former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy Prime Ministers, members of the Government, and former Government leaders.

7h15: The delegation from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, led by President To Lam, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The delegation included Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man; former General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; former Presidents Truong Tan Sang, Nguyen Minh Triet, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vo Van Thuong; former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; former National Assembly Chairpersons Nguyen Sinh Hung, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Vuong Dinh Hue, along with many other current and former leaders of the Party and State.

After slowly walking around the coffin of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President To Lam and the members of the delegation approached his wife, Ngo Thi Man, and the family, offering their condolences and sharing in their loss.

7h10: The delegation of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, HCMC People's Council, HCMC People's Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, along with retired Party and State leaders and former city leaders, led by Nguyen Van Nen, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, paid their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

7h00: Colonel Nguyen Trung Tam, Political Commissar of the Military Ceremonial Unit, announced the commencement of the state funeral. He respectfully invited the leaders, former leaders of the Party and State, and the family to take their places to begin the memorial service.

Politburo Member and Permanent Member of the Party Secretariat Luong Cuong, Head of the Funeral Organizing Committee, read the special announcement for the state funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

At the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, before 7:00 AM, the delegations were solemn and orderly as arranged by the funeral organizing committee.

HCM City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Nen led the delegation of current and former Ho Chi Minh City leaders in lighting incense to pay their respects to the General Secretary.

The funeral organizing committee has announced that wreaths have been prepared for the delegations paying their respects to the General Secretary. Delegations are requested to print black ribbons to attach to the wreaths. The family of the General Secretary kindly requests no monetary donations, flowers, fruits, or ceremonial offerings from organizations and individuals.

At exactly 6:00 AM at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, the flag-lowering ceremony began. The national flag was tied with a black cloth band and flown at two-thirds the height of the flagpole. The national mourning flag ceremony is the practice of flying the national flag at a lower position than usual to show respect and sorrow for those who have made significant contributions to the country.

The flag-lowering ceremony was also conducted at various agencies and offices nationwide, as well as at Vietnam's representative offices abroad, on July 25 and 26.

Video: Flag-lowering ceremony at Ba Dinh Square on the morning of July 25

5:30 AM: On the streets leading to the National Funeral Hall at 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi, funeral service personnel, including security guards, police, and traffic officers, are present to carry out their duties and ensure order for the memorial service.

More than an hour before the memorial service, the streets around the funeral hall were barricaded, and vehicle traffic was prohibited. Security forces were deployed in multiple layers, maintaining vigilance both inside and outside the funeral hall.

VietNamNet