A delegation of Party and State leaders and former leaders pay tribute to late PM Khải in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng |
HCM CITY — Former Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải’s State funeral began this morning at Thống Nhất (Reunification) Palace in HCM City.
A delegation of the National Assembly led by Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân pays tribute to the late Government leader. — VNA/VNS Photo |
The funeral will be followed by a memorial service at the palace at 7.30am on March 22. The burial ceremony is scheduled at 11am the same day in his hometown in Tân Thông Hội Commune in HCM City’s Cu Chi District.
Party Secretary General Nguyễn Phú Trọng offers his condolences to the family of the late Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải. — VNA/VNS Photo |
The tribute-paying and memorial ceremonies also take place at the International Convention Centre on Lê Hồng Phong Street in Ba Đình District, Hà Nội, at the same time as those in HCM City.
Earlier on Monday, thousands of people from HCM City and nearby provinces gathered at his home in Tân Thông Hội Commune to pay tribute and bid farewell.
Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc pays homage to late Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Khải was known as an active and decisive leader in institutional development, with an innovative spirit to promote the capacity of all economic sectors, especially private ones, together with opening the door to the world to integrate globally. During his tenure, Việt Nam issued the Law on Enterprises, abolished hundreds of sub-licences and joined several rounds of tough talks on Việt Nam’s accession to the World Trade Organisation, among others.
President Trần Đại Quang offers incense at the funeral in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Khải served as Prime Minister from September 1997 to June 2006.
Delegations line up to pay tribute to late Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải. — VNA/VNS Photo |
He was a National Assembly deputy during his 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th tenures and a Politburo member in his 7th, 8th and 9th tenures.
He was conferred the Gold Star Order and the 55-year party membership badge. — VNS