The Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee have issued a special communiqué, announcing that former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu passed away at 2:52 on 7 August, and his funeral will be held as a national mourning.

Former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu (Photo: VNA)

Comrade Le Kha Phieu was born on 27 December, 1931 in Dong Khe commune, Dong Son district, the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, and resided at 7/36/C1 Ly Nam De, Cua Dong ward, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi.

He started participating in revolutionary activities in 1947, and joined the Communist Party of Vietnam on June 19, 1949. He was member of the Party Central Committee of the 7^th and 8^th tenures, member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat of the 7^th tenure, Politburo member of the 7th and 8th tenures, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from December 1997 to April 2001; and Deputy to the National Assembly of the 9^th and 10^th tenures.

After a period of illness, despite the wholehearted care by the Party, State, medical group and his family, he passed away at 2:52 on 7 August, 2020, of serious illness and old age at his home.

Over more than 70 years of his revolutionary activities, comrade Le Kha Phieu made great contributions to the glorious revolution cause of the Party and the nation. He was awarded with the Golden Star, an insignia of 70-year Party membership, and many other noble Vietnamese and international orders and medals.

His passing away is a great loss to the Vietnamese Party, State and people.

In memory of comrade Le Kha Phieu, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front decided to hold the funeral of comrade Le Kha Phieu with the national mourning etiquette.

Following is the biography of comrade Le Kha Phieu, former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.

Comrade Le Kha Phieu was born on 27 December, 1931 in Dong Khe commune, Dong Son district, the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, and resided at 7/36/C1 Ly Nam De, Cua Dong ward, Hoan Kiem district, Ha Noi.

He joined the revolution in 1947, and became a Party member on 19 June, 1949.

From 1947 to 1949, he worked as a teacher in his home commune. After he was admitted to the Communist Party of Viet Nam in 1949, he was in charge of the communication work and served as office chief of the communal Party Committee.

He joined the army in May 1950.

In July 1967, he fought in the Tri Thien battlefield.

From October 1971 to February 1974, he was deputy political chairman of the Tri Thien Military Zone.

In March 1974, he was Political Chairman of the Tri Thien Military Zone (later the Army Corps 2), and member of the Party Committee of Army Corps 2.

In February 1978, he was Political Chairman and then Deputy Political Commissar cum Political Chairman of Military Zone 9.

In March 1983, he was Political Chairman of the Military Zone 9.

In April 1984, he was the Political Chairman of Command 719, and was promoted to the rank of Major General.

In 1986, he served as Deputy Commander of Politics cum Political Chairman of Command 719, and then member and then Deputy Secretary of the Civil Affairs Committee of Command 719.

In June 1988, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

In August 1988, he was Deputy Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People’s Army (in charge of organisation, personnel and security).

At the seventh National Party Congress in June 1991, he was elected to the Party Central Committee, and assigned as Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Viet Nam People’s Army, and member of the Standing Board of the Central Military Party Committee (now Central Military Commission).

At the third meeting of the Party Central Committee, 7^th tenure, he was elected to the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat.

In June 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Lieutenant General.

At a mid-term national meeting of the 7th Party Central Committee in January 1994, he was elected to the Politburo.

At the 8^th National Party Congress in June 1996, he was re-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee and then elected to the Politburo and appointed to join the Politburo’s Standing Board.

At the fourth plenum of the 8th Party Central Committee in December 1997, he was elected as General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Military Commission.

He was member of the Party Central Committee of the 7^th and 8^th tenures; member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat of the 7^th tenure; member of the Poliburo of the 7^th and 8^th tenures; General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from December 1997 to April 2001; and Deputy to the National Assembly of the 9^th and 10^th tenures.

In October 2006, he retired.

In recognition of his significant contributions to the glorious revolution cause of the Party and the nation, he was awarded with the Golden Star Order; an insignia of 70-year Party membership; and many other noble Vietnamese and international orders and medals.

A 33-member funeral board for comrade Le Kha Phieu has been set up, including Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong, head of the board; Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc; and Politburo member and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; and other Politburo members and Party Central Committee members.

The funeral of comrade Le Kha Phieu will be organised with the national mourning etiquette.

He will be laid in state at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi.

The respect-paying ceremony will be held from 8am on 14 August to 12am on 15 August at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi.

The memorial service will be held at 0:30pm on 15 August at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Ha Noi. The burial ceremony will take place at 2pm on the same day at the Mai Dich Cemetery in the capital city.

At the same time, the respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for comrade Le Kha Phieu will also be held at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City and the 25B Hall on Quang Trung street, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa province.

The Viet Nam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV) will broadcast live the ceremonies in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Thanh Hoa.

During the two-day national mourning on 14-15 August, national flags will be flown at half-mast at offices and public places, and recreational and entertainment activities will be stopped.

Source: VNA