Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, sent a message of condolence on Saturday to his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Phu Trong, over the passing of Le Kha Phieu, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

Xi said he was shocked to hear of Phieu's passing and added that he, on behalf of the CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people, as well as in his own name, extended deep condolences to the CPV, the Vietnamese government and the Vietnamese people, and he expressed sincere sympathy to Phieu's family.

Phieu died at age 88 on Friday in Hanoi, Vietnam News Agency reported. He was general secretary of the CPV Central Committee from December 1997 to April 2001.

Phieu was an outstanding leader of the older generation of the CPV and Vietnam, Xi said, adding that he had led the Vietnamese people to great accomplishments in Vietnam's socialist construction and renovation.

Xi also said that Phieu was a close comrade and friend of the CPC and the Chinese people, and that he had made outstanding contributions to the development of China-Vietnam relations featuring "long-term stability, future orientation, good-neighborly friendship and all-round cooperation".

China attaches great importance to consolidating and developing the traditional friendship between the two countries, and is willing to work with Vietnam in enhancing political mutual trust and strengthening unity and cooperation in order to push forward the relationship between the two parties and two countries, Xi said.

He added that under the strong leadership of the CPV Central Committee with Trong as the general secretary, the socialist cause in Vietnam is bound to yield new achievements.

Xinhua