Vietnamese Party and State leaders have sent condolences to the government and people of China on the death of former President of China Jiang Zemin, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. 

Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on Friday sent condolence messages to Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Li Zhanshu, and Jiang’s family, the ministry said in a statement.

Jiang, who was also former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary, died from leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai on Wednesday, at 96, the Xinhua news agency reported. 

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders affirmed that Jiang was an outstanding leader of the Chinese Communist Party and State, who has made great contributions to the revolutionary cause and construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

He also made significant contributions to the normalization and promotion of the development of Vietnam-China relations.

The Vietnamese Communist Party, State and people always appreciate and remember the great contributions of Jiang Zemin to the ties between the two Parties and countries, the messages read. 

The Vietnamese leaders sent wreaths to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi in commemoration of his death, and a high-ranking delegation led by President Phuc visited the embassy and wrote in the condolence book.

The same day, head of the Vietnamese Communist Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son also sent condolences to head of China’s Central Committee's International Liaison Department Liu Jianchao and Politburo member, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Jiang Zemin served as Chinese Communist Party General Secretary for 13 years (1989-2002) and as President of China for 10 years (1993-2003).

He also served as chairman of the Central Military Commission in the 1989-2004 period.

In November 1994, Jiang visited Vietnam and nearly three years later, Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Do Muoi visited China, fostering the friendly relationship between the two nations.

Within 10 years after the normalization of bilateral relations, the two countries signed six joint statements to expand and consolidate the bilateral ties.

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