Trần Đức Lương serves as the State President of Việt Nam from 1997 to 2006. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Nghiệp

HÀ NỘI — The funeral of former State President Trần Đức Lương will be held as a national mourning, according to a special communiqué issued on Thursday.

He will lie in state at the National Funeral Hall (No 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội). The visitation will take place from 7am on May 24 until 7am on May 25.

The funeral service will begin at 7am on May 25 at the same funeral hall. The burial will take place at 3pm the same day at the cemetery in his hometown in Phổ Khánh Commune, Đức Phổ Town, Quảng Ngãi Province.

The visitation and memorial services will be held simultaneously at Thống Nhất Hall in HCM City, and at Hall T50 of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial Military Command (No 142 Lê Trung Đình Street, Quảng Ngãi City).

The visitation and funeral services will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV) and Voice of Vietnam (VOV). 

During the two-day mourning for the former State President, all Government offices, public institutions, and places of business will fly flags at half-mast. All entertainment activities will be temporarily suspended.

The special communiqué from the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee, the National Assembly, the State President, the Government and the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee reads:

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front and late President Lương's family inform with profound grief:

Comrade Trần Đức Lương, former Politburo member, former President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, former Chairman of the Council for National Defence and Security, born on May 5, 1937; Native place: Phổ Khánh Commune, Đức Phổ District (now Đức Phổ Township), Quảng Ngãi Province; Residence: No 298, Vạn Phúc Street, Liễu Giai Ward, Ba Đình District, Hà Nội.

He joined revolution activities in February 1955 and was admitted to the Communist Party of Việt Nam on December 19, 1959.

He is a member of the Party Central Committee of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th tenures; Politburo member of the 8th, and 9th tenures; permanent member of the Political Bureau of the 8th tenure; Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers from February 1987 to September 1992; Deputy Prime Minister from October 1992 to August 1997; President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, Chairman of the Council for National Defence and Security of the 10th and 11th terms; National Assembly deputy of the 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th tenures.

After a period of illness, despite the wholehearted treatment and care by the Party, State, leading medical experts and his family, he passed away at 22:51 on May 20, 2025 due to old age and severe illness at the age of 88 at his residence in Hà Nội.

Throughout his over 50 years of revolutionary activities, he had made great and exceptionally outstanding contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation.

He was conferred by the Party and State with the Gold Star Order, the 65-year Party membership badge and many other noble orders, medals, awards and titles.

His passing is a great loss to our Party, State and people, and his family. In memory of former State President Trần Đức Lương, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, and the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front decide to hold the funeral of comrade Trần Đức Lương with the national mourning etiquette. — VNA/VNS