South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (second from left, sitting) visits the family of General Võ Nguyên Giáp. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa visited the family of General Võ Nguyên Giáp at No. 30, Hoàng Diệu street, Hà Nội, as part of his state visit to Việt Nam, on Friday morning.

President Ramaphosa offered incense and respectfully expressed his deep gratitude to General Võ Nguyên Giáp, former Politburo member, former Secretary of the Central Military Commission, former Minister of National Defence, and former Commander-in-Chief of the Việt Nam People’s Army.

The South African leader then wrote an entry in the family’s guest book, and received a commemorative photograph of General Võ Nguyên Giáp from his son, Võ Hồng Nam.

The life and career of the general were closely associated with the development of the Vietnamese revolution and the nation’s glorious, heroic historical milestones. For more than 30 years as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Secretary of the Central Military Commission, his name was inseparably linked with the great victories of Việt Nam’s two long and arduous resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, as well as with the cause of national construction and defence.

Ramaphosa's October 23-24 visit, the first by a South African President to Việt Nam in 18 years, marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship, following his historic phone call with Vietnamese Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on April 22. This event reflects the special importance both countries attach to their bilateral ties, as well as their determination to elevate the relations. — VNA/VNS