PHNOM PENH, July 25, 2024 — Early Thursday morning, Senate President Hun Sen, alongside a delegation of Cambodian Senate officials, departed from Phnom Penh International Airport to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The visit aims to pay respects to the recently deceased Nguyen Phu Trong, former Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who passed away on July 19, 2024.

The news of Nguyen Phu Trong’s passing was met with profound sadness in Cambodia, reflecting the deep ties between the two neighboring countries. Hun Sen, in his capacity as the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, had previously conveyed his condolences to To Lam, President of Vietnam, mourning the loss of a figure he described as not only a pivotal leader for Vietnam but also an integral personality in regional politics.

In his message, Hun Sen expressed his sorrow, recognizing Nguyen Phu Trong’s death as a significant loss to both the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and its people. He highlighted Trong’s remarkable contributions and enduring legacy that, according to him, will forever be remembered by the Vietnamese people.

“On this mournful occasion, on behalf of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia and all Cambodian people, I extend the deepest sympathies to the National Assembly of Vietnam and, through them, to Nguyen Phu Trong’s family for their immense loss,” stated Hun Sen. He also offered his spiritual respects, wishing peace for Nguyen Phu Trong’s soul.

This gesture of condolence underscores the strong bilateral relations between Cambodia and Vietnam, rooted in a shared history and mutual respect between their leaders and peoples.