Many foreign leaders, officials and international friends have shared in the grief of the Vietnamese people over the passing of President Tran Dai Quang, and expressed their respect for the Vietnamese leader.  

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen bowed before President Tran Dai Quang's coffin.

During the State funeral for President Tran Dai Quang on September 26, more than 1,000 domestic and international delegations paid tribute to the President in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and his home province of Ninh Binh. Among them there were representatives from many foreign parties, States and Governments, along with ambassadors, charge d’affaires and representatives of international organisations in Vietnam. 

Politburo member and Vice President of Laos Phankham Viphavanh led a high-level delegation from Laos to the funeral, while the Cambodian delegation was led by Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen. The Chinese delegation was headed by Politburo member and member of the Politburo Standing Committee of China Zhao Leji, the Cuban delegation was led by Politburo member and Vice President of the Council of Minister and the Council of State Roberto Morales Ojeda, and the Russian delegation was led by Deputy Chairwoman of the State Duma of Russia Epifanova Olga Nikolaevna. 

Chairman of the Council of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich wrote in the funeral guest book that President Quang will be in the heart of Belarusian people forever. He acknowledged the great contribution that the President had made to developing the bilateral cooperation between Belarus and Vietnam. 

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra stressed that President Quang had strongly backed multilateralism, and worked to enhance Vietnam’s role in peacekeeping operations and the UN 2030 Agenda. 

Writing in the book of condolences, Chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Vietnam Michael Croft said President Quang had persistently backed the popularisation of Vietnamese culture to the world. 

Under his leadership and support, the ties between UNESCO and Vietnam have borne fruits, he wrote. 

Affirming the President as a great friend of the US, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J.Kritenbrink said his reception for President Donald Trump during the latter’s State visit to Vietnam in November 2017 had helped elevate the US-Vietnam comprehensive partnership to a new height. 

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish also wrote in the funeral book that the President’s death is a huge loss to not only Vietnamese Government and people but also Indian Government and people. 

The President’s contributions to consolidating the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership will be remembered forever, he said. 

Earlier, after learning about the Vietnamese leader’s passing on September 21, leaders of many countries and organisations cabled messages of sympathy to the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people as well as the President’s family. 

Many messages emphasised the role of President Quang in Vietnam’s external affairs, helping advance the country’s position and prestige in the international arena. 

In the condolence letter, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, National Assembly, Government, the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee praised President Quang for his contributions to Vietnam’s national construction, defence and development, especially to ensuring security and social order and safety. 

Comrade Tran Dai Quang is a leader who had significantly contributed to developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos over the past time, the letter read. 

Not only the Vietnamese Party, State and people lose a beloved leader but the Party, State and people of Laos also lose a close friend, they said. 

President of Cuba’s Council of State and Council of Ministers Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez wrote in his letter of condolence to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc that the passing of President Tran Dai Quang is a great loss to not only Vietnam but also the Cuban Government and people.

The Vietnamese President is a “big friend” of Cuba who had helped to boost the two countries’ time-honoured relations, he affirmed.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping extended condolences to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He wrote: “Comrade Tran Dai Quang was an outstanding leader of the Party and State of Vietnam, who had made great contributions to the development, renovation and opening-up of Vietnam”.

As a comrade and close friend of the Chinese people, Quang committed himself to inheriting and carrying forward the China-Vietnam traditional friendship and actively promoted the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, Xi noted.

Recalling President Quang’s contributions to the Russia-Vietnam relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote in his letter of condolences that President Tran Dai Quang, as the head of State as well as in many other positions, had won the respect of the Vietnamese people and trust of international friends. 

President Tran Dai Quang had fulfilled his task of strengthening national security and protecting the interests of Vietnam around the globe, he added.

The Russian leader praised the contributions made by the Vietnamese President to strengthening the Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and Russia, as well as the bilateral cooperation for mutual benefits in many areas.

In his letter of condolences, Indonesian President Joko Widodo also extended his deepest condolences to the Vietnamese Government and people over the death of President Quang.

He affirmed that Indonesia always shares and stays side by side with the Vietnamese people in the difficult time.

Meanwhile, Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah recalled his memories with the late President during his visit to Vietnam to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2017 in Da Nang last November and the Vietnamese leader’s State visit to Brunei in 2016.

He expressed his belief that President Quang’s contributions will be always remembered by the Vietnamese people.

In their letters of condolences to Vietnamese leaders, Singaporean leaders all praised President Tran Dai Quang’s contributions to Vietnam’s national development and to increasing its position in the region and the world.

They affirmed that the President is a close friend of Singapore who had great contributions to deepening the Singapore-Vietnam Strategic Partnership.

In his message, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said President Quang greatly contributed to building close cooperation in various spheres of the Japan-Vietnam strategic partnership. 

President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in also condoled with the Vietnamese Party, State and people, and the family of President Quang. He spoke highly of the President’s great contributions to developing the bilateral ties.

He vowed to do his utmost to further deepen the RoK-Vietnam Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

Lao and Cuba announced two days of national mourning for the Vietnamese leader, while Thailand ordered that flags be flown at half-mast during three days to commemorate the Vietnamese President.-VNA