US Secretary of State Blinken arrives in Hanoi to pay tribute to late Party chief

A U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in Hanoi on late Saturday to pay tribute to Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

On Saturday evening, at the residence of the Party chief on Thien Quang street, Blinken, along with a US delegation sent by President Biden, offered incense and expressed condolences to General Secretary Trong's spouse Ngo Thi Man and his family.

Blinken conveyed President Joe Biden's condolences to Man and the family on the passing of General Secretary Trong, emphasising that the leaders and officials of the U.S. government, as well as President Biden himself, always regarded General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as a friend and trusted partner.

Under Trong's vision and leadership, the friendship and relations between the two countries were nurtured and developed robustly, reaching the highest level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership today, the U.S Secretary of State noted.

Highlighting Party leader Trong as a model for reconciliation between the two countries and a builder of bridges between their peoples, Blinken affirmed that President Biden, the U.S. government, and the American people would always remember and honour his legacy with fond memories of his significant contributions to the historical cooperation between the two nations.

On behalf of the family, Man expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the kind sentiments from the U.S., President Biden, and Secretary Blinken towards the General Secretary.

She shared that during his lifetime, Trong was dedicated to fostering the Vietnam-U.S. relationship. He and President Biden issued a joint declaration upgrading Vietnam-US relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2023.

Man said she believes that both sides will continue to effectively implement the Vietnam-US Joint Declaration of September 2023 to further enhance and deepen the cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of their peoples.

On this occasion, Man extended her sincere thanks and best wishes for health to President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and their families.

Earlier on Saturday (Vietnam time), the White House announced that a US delegation led by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken would arrive in Hanoi to pay tribute to the late Vietnamese leader.

Blinken would be accompanied by US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink.

From July 24 to 26, the Vietnamese Embassy in the US welcomed over 100 delegations who came to pay respects and wrote in the condolence book for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

These delegations included representatives of diplomatic corps, international organizations, business associations, major groups, and the overseas Vietnamese community.

Notable attendees included US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who came on behalf of US President Joe Biden, and Assistant Secretary of State Kritenbrink.

On this occasion, the U.S. media widely covered the General Secretary's career, his "bamboo diplomacy" thought, and his contributions to bilateral ties.