PANO - A mission from the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, led by Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence paid tribute to late General Hoang Van Thai, former member of the Party Central Committee, first Chief of the General Staff and ex-Deputy Defence Minister on April 25th at his tomb in Mai Dich Cemetery in Hanoi.

Delegates laying wreath to pay homage to late General Hoang Van Thai

Representatives from departments, army units and the late general’s family also joined the mission as part of activities to mark his 100th birthday.

General Hoang Van Thai, an exemplary and excellent student of President Ho Chi Minh, devoted all his life to the Party’s ideal and the country’s independence and made considerable contributions to the development of the VPA.

On behalf of the mission, Sen. Lt. Gen. Ty expressed his deep respect and gratitude to the first Chief of the General Staff and stressed that the late general has dedicated his whole life to the national resistance war against foreign invaders, contributing to firmly protecting the Socialist Fatherland and building an increasingly strong army.

* The same day, another mission, headed by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Cung, Deputy Defence Minister visited Mr. Phan Van Khai, former Prime Minister (PM) and offered incense to commemorate late PM Pham Hung.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Cung inquired after former PM Phan Van Khai (2nd from the left)

On behalf of the ministry, General Cung thoughtfully inquired after and briefed the former PM on the army's remarkable achievements in building the whole people's defence posture and the revolutionary, regular, elite and increasingly modern army as well as the preparations for upcoming national liberation anniversary. The general wished the former PM and his family to have good health and continue contributing to the Party and people's revolutionary cause in the new context.

General Cung offering incense to late PM Pham Hung.

General Cung also offered incense to the late PM Pham Hung, and held that the whole army would continue following his noble virtue and moral example in the national construction and defence cause.

Translated by Trung Thanh