TBT visitation ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City: people stayed up from 1:00 a.m., traveling from afar, sharing their hearts

The ceremony to visit General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong started at 7:00 a.m., but around 5:30 a.m., the area outside the Reunification Hall was crowded with people and visiting groups from the provinces of Lam Dong, Kien Giang, and Dong Nai. Waiting in line for the Visitation Ceremony.

Ms. Le Thi Kim Lien, from Lam Dong, took a bus from 1:00 a.m. on July 25 to arrive at Thong Nhat Hall at 6:00 a.m. in time to pay her respects. Although there is a place in Lam Dong to visit the General Secretary, she wanted to go to the Reunification Hall (Ho Chi Minh City) to express her condolences for a talented leader who was close to the people. Emotionally looking at the flag hanging at half-staff at the Reunification Hall, Ms. Lien said that when she heard the news of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's death, she was very shocked. At that time, she and the 60 people present burst into tears.

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, also arrived early to check the situation before the General Secretary's visit took place.

Ms. Lien said that although Lam Dong province also held a memorial service for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, she still wanted to go directly to the Reunification Hall, where the nation's glorious history is recorded, and is also one of the two where the National Funeral Ceremony is held, to light incense sticks to say goodbye to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

"Our people love and respect General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - a person who has made great contributions to building the Party and building a strong country, so that our people can be prosperous and happy," said Ms. Lien. emotion.

To ensure security and order at the Visitation Ceremony of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, functional forces were on duty, coordinating and ensuring smooth traffic from all roads toward Thong Nhat Hall. In addition, agencies, offices, public places and people's houses also hang flags at half-mast to commemorate General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Present at dawn at the gate of Thong Nhat Hall, Mr. Huynh Van Ba, a follower of the Cao Dai Church in Tien Giang province, followed the delegation of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to pay his respects to the General Secretary. Mr. Ba said that from the day he heard the news of the General Secretary's death, dignitaries and followers all mourned and felt sad.

"Uncle Trong is a leader who, since running the country, has paid great attention to religious believers and people's social life. He works very conscientiously and meticulously, all for the country and the people." "I was very moved by the advice to bury him in his hometown for fear of affecting the people. At the end of his life, he still worried about the people," Mr. Ba confided.

At exactly 7 o'clock, at the Thong Nhat Hall, the ceremony to visit General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong began. Comrade Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, along with other leaders and former leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, burned incense to pay their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Writing in the condolence book, Deputy Consul General of France in Ho Chi Minh City Grégory Robert wrote: "The French Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City as well as the French Ambassador to Vietnam send their condolences and remembrances to the country's great public servant. Vietnam. Through the responsibilities he has undertaken, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has led Vietnam to achieve outstanding socio-economic development and efforts to protect the country's sovereignty The French Embassy also welcomed the General Secretary's contribution to strengthening the relationship between France and Vietnam. As the person who built the strategic partnership signed between the two countries in 2013, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always paid attention. We will never forget him."

Regarding the consulates, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns wrote: "We send our deepest condolences to the family of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the people of Vietnam. We are saddened by the loss." General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's passing and remember his contributions to strengthening the US-Vietnam relationship. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's vision and leadership have helped strengthen relations between the two countries closer".

Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Agustaviano Sofjan, wrote: "On behalf of the Republic of Indonesia, I send my deep condolences for the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has Laying a solid foundation for Vietnam and Indonesia relations with wisdom, leadership and vision. We share and unite with the entire Vietnamese people about the great loss in this sad time ".