Vietnam’s highest leadership has decided to hold the funeral of Tran Dai Quang, who passed away on September 21 at the age of 61, with the national mourning etiquette starting September 26.
  According to a special communiqué announced on September 23 by the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, President Quang’s passing away is a great loss to the Party, state and people. Throughout his time of work, he has made many contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation.

After a period of illness, despite the utmost efforts by the Party, state, medical group and his family, President Quang passed away at 10:05am on September 21, 2018, of the heavy illness at Central Military Hospital 108, the special communiqué read.

Nguyen Quoc Trieu, head of the commission in charge of healthcare of high-ranking officials, was quoted by VnExpress as saying that President Quang’s death was caused by an incurable “serious illness”. The illness was detected in July 2017 and Quang had to go to Japan six times for treatment.

That treatment process explained his absence from several important occasions, including a ceremony to commemorate the end of the Vietnam War. President Quang last appeared publicly when hosting receptions for foreign guests on September 19, two days before his decease.  

Before his decease, Mr. Quang was Minister of Public Security from 2011 before becoming President of the State from April 2016. As President, he was Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council, member of the Standing Board of the Central Military Party Committee – which absolutely lead the Vietnam People’s Army, member of the Standing Board of the Central Public Security Party Committee, and Head of the Central Judicial Reform Steering Committee.

The funeral of President Quang will be held at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Hanoi. The respect-paying ceremony will start at 7am on September and the memorial service will be held at 7:30am on September 27 at the same venue.

The burial ceremony will take place from 3:30pm on the same day at the Cemetery of Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province where he was born.

Condolences over the passing of President Quang have come from leaders all over the world, from Cambodia, China, Cuba, to Japan, Laos, Russia, Thailand, the UK, the US, and the Vatican, among others.  

In a related development, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh now holds the authority of President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam until the National Assembly elects the new president, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, said in an announcement on September 23.