Vietnam Communist Party Leader’s Death Will Not Lead to Succession Issues, Policy Changes
On July 19th, Vietnamese state media announced the death of Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The Expert Council for the Health Protection of Central-Level Officials issued an announcement that said Trong was under the intensive care of "leading medical experts and doctors, and was with his family." News media outlets said that the Party Chief passed away "due to age-related illness at the Central Military Hospital 108 in Hanoi." On July 20th, the VCP's Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front's Central Committee issued a joint communiqué that Trong will lay in state at the National Funeral Hall, where a "respect-paying ceremony" will be held on July 25th at 7 a.m. local time. Trong's memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. local time, with the burial ceremony taking place at 3 p.m. local time at the Mai Dich Ceremony located in Hanoi on July 26th.