HÀ NỘI – The State funeral began at 7am on Saturday at the National Funeral Hall, No.5 Trần Thánh Tông, Hà Nội, for former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Đỗ Mười, who passed away on October 1. 
The funeral is held by the Party Central Committee, State President, National Assembly, Government and Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee. 
Former General Secretary Đỗ Mười is laid in state at the National Funeral Hall. 
Crowds of people gathered since early morning, queuing up to pay tribute to the late leader. 
A delegation of the Party Central Committee led by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng paid respect to the former Party chief and offered condolences to his family. 
Writing in the funeral guest book, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng expressed his grief over the death of the outstanding and prestigious leader of the Party, State and people. He praised Đỗ Mười as a steadfast communist party member who devoted his entire life to the ideal of national independence, socialism and people’s happiness. He acknowledged the great merits and contributions made by the former Party chief to the cause of national liberation and reunification, Đổi Mới (Renewal) and national construction and defence. 
Delegations led by Acting President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân and President of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn paid last respects to the former Party General Secretary.
Among those coming to offer condolences were former Party General Secretaries Lê Khả Phiêu and Nông Đức Mạnh; former Presidents Trần Đức Lương, Nguyễn Minh Triết and Trương Tấn Sang; former Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng; former National Assembly Chairmen Nguyễn Văn An and Nguyễn Sinh Hùng; among others. 
A respect-paying ceremony is also being held at Thống Nhất Hall in HCM City. A delegation of the city’s Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Việt Nam Fatherland Front, led by Politburo member and Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Thiện Nhân paid tribute to the former Party chief.

Former General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Đỗ Mười was born on February 2, 1917, in Đông Mỹ Commune, Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội. He passed away in Hà Nội this week at the age of 101 due to serious illness. He served as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee from June 1991 to December 1997, and was presented with an insignia of 80-year Party membership.
 
Vietnam declares two days of national mourning for him on October 6 and 7. – VNS