Vietnam condoles death of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue sent condolence messages Friday to their Chinese counterparts and Jiang’s family, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders noted that Jiang had made contributions to the revolutionary cause and building of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and facilitated normalization of ties and promotion of Vietnam – China relations.

The Party, Government, National Assembly, Vietnam Fatherland Front and individual leaders also sent wreaths to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi.

A delegation led by President Phuc and PM Chinh visited the Chinese embassy in Hanoi and wrote in the condolence book.

Jiang died from leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai on Wednesday, the Xinhua news agency reported. He was 96.

Jiang served as the Chinese Communist Party’s General Secretary from 1989 to 2002.

Under his leadership, China experienced a period of rapid, sustained development with a series of reforms.

By the time he retired in 2003, China was already a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), won the right to host the 2008 Olympics and was on its way to becoming an economic superpower.