The State funeral for the former Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Trương Vĩnh Trọng was held on Sunday at the National Funeral Home in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — A State-level funeral was held for Trương Vĩnh Trọng, former Politburo member, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Internal Affairs, in Hà Nội and the southern province of Bến Tre on Sunday.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyễn Phú Trọng sent a wreath in commemoration of the deceased, who passed away on Friday at the age of 79.

At the great hall of Bến Tre People’s Committee, a delegation of the Party Central Committee led by Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc came to pay their last respects to Trương Vĩnh Trọng and offer condolences to his family.

It was followed by a Government delegation, also led by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, a National Assembly delegation led by Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, a Presidential delegation led by Vice President Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh, and a delegation of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee led by Politburo member and President of the Front Central Committee Trần Thanh Mẫn.

A delegation of the Party Central Committee’s Organisation Commission led by Politburo member and Commission Chairman Phạm Minh Chính, and another from the Internal Affairs Commission headed by Politburo member and Commission Chairman Phan Đình Trạc, also came to pay homage to the late leader.

The funeral was also attended by a delegation from the HCM City Party Committee led by Politburo member and Secretary of the committee Nguyễn Văn Nên, along with officials of Bến Tre Province led by Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council Phan Văn Mãi.

In attendance at the ceremony held at the National Funeral Hall in Hà Nội were former State President Trần Đức Lương and former Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Quốc Vượng.

Politburo member and Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission Trương Thị Mai; Politburo member, Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Theoretical Council and Director of the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyễn Xuân Thắng; and Politburo member and Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee Vương Đình Huệ also came to pay homage to the late official.

A delegation from the Lao Embassy in Vietnam led by Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang also took part in the ceremony, as did many delegations of central agencies and localities.

Writing in the book of condolences, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc expressed his deep sorrow at the passing away of the former Deputy Prime Minister, who was also known as Hai Nghĩa.

He highlighted Trọng’s life and revolutionary career as well as devotion to the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation, while conveying deep sympathy to the late official’s family.

The funeral lasted until 7pm Sunday in Bến Tre Province. A memorial service was expected to begin from 9am on Monday, and the burial ceremony at 11am at the province’s martyrs’ cemetery.

Trương Vĩnh Trọng passed away at 3:25am on Friday due to serious illness and old age.

The late official was born on November 11, 1942, in Bình Hòa Commune of Giồng Trôm District, the Mekong Delta province of Bến Tre. He resided in Lương Quới Commune, also in Giồng Trôm District.

He joined the revolution in January 1960 and became a member of the Party on October 25, 1964.

He was an alternate member of the 6th-tenure Party Central Committee; a member of the Party Central Committee in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th tenures; Secretary of the Party Central Committee in the 9th and 10th tenures; a Politburo member in the 10th tenure; and a deputy of the 8th and 11th National Assembly.

He was also former Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Internal Affairs Commission and former Deputy Prime Minister.

Throughout more than 60 years of revolutionary activities, he made great contributions to the Party and nation’s revolutionary cause.

He was conferred with the Hồ Chí Minh Order, the 55-year Party membership badge, as well as many other noble orders and medals. — VNA/VNS