Hanoi (VNA) – Before the start of the state funeral for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at 7am on July 25, large numbers of people flocked to the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City, and his hometown in Dong Hoi commune of Hanoi’s Dong Anh district to pay homage to the beloved leader, an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh.

At the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, people from all walks of life, many of whom travelled a long way from different localities, shared the same grief for the passing of the Party leader.

Holding in her hand a portrait of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Dao Thi Ngoc Lan, a war veteran from Vong Xuyen commune of Hanoi’s Phuc Tho district, said that she has been present at the hall at 4am to pay last respect to the Party chief, who she described as a leader with absolute loyalty to the Fatherland and the people.

“Since having heard about his passing, I cry every day. Not a day goes by that I don't think about the General Secretary. I hope that all officials and Party members will continue to follow President Ho Chi Minh's moral example and learn the virtues of General Secretary Trong,” she said.

Hoang Van Toan, a 54-year-old resident from Bac Ninh province, said that he and his wife came to the hall at 5am. He said that in recent days when stories, images and sayings of the Party leader have been highlighted in the media, social networks and office places, it feels like a family member has passed away.

“He is an honest, exemplary leader with a simple lifestyle, mettle and wisdom. Many Vietnamese people respect and love him," Toan said.

Meanwhile, Do Le Thuy Hang and her sister travelled from Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong to Hanoi with a desire to “see uncle Trong for the last time”. “Uncle Nguyen Phu Trong is an example for our generation to follow,” she said.

Le Van Dong, an over 70-year-old war veteran from central Thanh Hoa province, who departed for Hanoi at 2am, underlined that throughout the Party leader’s working process, he has paid great attention and special sentiments to Thanh Hoa, adding that local people love and respect the General Secretary very much.

Watching the funeral broadcast live on the TV, Colonel Nguyen Thai Hoa, with a 55-year Party membership, referred to the Party chief as a great culturalist who devoted his whole life to the country and the people until the last minute of his life.

Particularly, the fight against corruption and negative phenomena led by the General Secretary has "ignited a big fire" to "burn" the "worms" who violate the Party's disciplines and the State's laws and show degradation of morality and ideology.

Hoa expressed his strong belief that the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Party Central Committee will turn pain into more positive, drastic and effective actions.

Tran Tuan Khanh, Secretary of the Party cell and head of Residential Area No. 9 of Pham Dinh Ho ward in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung district, said that one of the outstanding legacy left by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is the bamboo diplomacy school. “The General Secretary is an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh,” Khanh stated proudly.

In Ho Chi Minh City, on July 25 morning, crowds of people from various units, agencies and organisations in the city and other localities in the southern region lined up outside the Thong Nhat Hall in District 1 to wait for their turns to pay their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Waking up at 3am to catch a coach from the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre to Ho Chi Minh City, 76-year-old Ha Van Beo didn't feel weary. He eagerly awaited his turn to pay homage to the beloved leader. Unable to hide his sorrow, Beo shared that although he never met the General Secretary, through the actions taken by the leader for the benefits of the country and the people, he knew that the Party chief is a leader who devoted wholeheartedly to the nation and the people.

Also expressing his boundless sadness at the passing of General Secretary Trong, Hoang Don Nhat Tan, former Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper, said that the Party leader is the one who opened a new path, connecting Vietnam with the world, and bringing Vietnam closer to the world.

The leader's passing is a great loss to the Party and the State, but he left an extremely great legacy in both theory and the Party building and rectification work, added Tan.

In the Party leader’s hometown - Lai Da village, Dong Hoi commune, Hanoi’s Dong Anh strict - a respect-paying ceremony in the national mourning etiquette was solemnly held.

Phan Anh Xuan, a resident in Lai Da village, said that upon hearing the passing of the leader, his family felt like they have just lost a close relative. He expressed his pride and honour that his homeland has an outstanding native, a leader who lived his entire life for the people and for the country. “He is a great example for us to study and follow, and we promise to live and work in accordance with his noble spirit,” Xuan said.

Coming to the funeral with his comrades-in-arms, veteran Lt. Col. Le Van Ha in the commune’s Hoi Phu village said he is always impressed by the personality, spirit, and will of the General Secretary in both the revolutionary cause and daily life. Ha expressed his hope that the late leader’s will and spirit will be followed by future generations to jointly build the Fatherland.

Secretary of the Dong Anh district Party Committee Le Trung Kien said that organising the respect-paying and memorial services for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in his hometown of Lai Da village is a great honour and responsibility of the local authorities and people.

The national flags have been flown at half-mast while state organisations and agencies observed a minute of silence in tribute to the late Party leader who rendered his selfless service, and devoted his whole life to the national cause of protection, construction and development.

People nationwide have been saddened by the passing of General Secretary Trong, knowing the moment is inevitable, yet somehow hoped not to happen. They have kept talking about him with a zeal and adoration.

Ethnic people in the northern midland province of Phu Tho were in deep sadness as they watched the state funeral of General Secretary Trong broadcast live on television. They said the late leader has left a monumental legacy of theory, culture and consolation of the people’s confidence in the Party, and called him “a great furnace burner” with significant contributions to the fight against corruption and degradation.

With residents in the north central province of Thanh Hoa, and the central province of Ha Tinh, the Party chief is a simple, gentle and witted leader. His lifestyle, they said, is a shining example for the people and officials to study and follow, making contributions to developing Vietnam into a prosperous nation.

Meanwhile, the Party chief is remembered among people in the south central province of Ninh Thuan as a respected leader with specific and practical directions that win the trust of officials, party members and people from all walks of life while creating momentum for the development of the province, particularly the mountainous areas and those inhabited by ethnic minority groups.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s simple lifestyle, revolutionary ethics and devotion to the nation will also be always in the mind of the people in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang./.