State funeral for President Tran Dai Quang begins

The funeral is held by the Party Central Committee, National Assembly, State President, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee.

President Tran Dai Quang is laid in state at the National Funeral Hall.

The respect-paying ceremony started at 7am. Since early in the morning, delegations from the Party, State, National Assembly, Government, Vietnam Fatherland Front, the armed forces, and crowds of officials, Party members and people of all strata in the capital city and many other cities and provinces nationwide gathered at the National Funeral Hall to pay tribute to the President, who devoted his entire life to the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation.

Family members of President Tran Dai Quang led by his wife Nguyen Thi Hien were the first to offer incense and flowers to their beloved.

Then, the delegation from the Party Central Committee led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong paid homage to the President.

Writing in the funeral guest book, the Party leader noted that President Tran Dai Quang has made great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, especially the people's police force, as well as to national construction and defence.

His passing is a great loss to the Party, State and people of Vietnam, he wrote.

The respect-paying ceremony continued with the Government delegation led by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the National Assembly delegation headed by Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the State President delegation led by Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee delegation led by Vice President and General Secretary Hau A Lenh.

At the same time, respect paying ceremonies are also taking place at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City, and in Village 13, Quang Thien commune, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, the home province of the President.

(Source: NDO)