The Vietnamese embassies in many countries across Asia have opened funeral books and held memorial services for General Vo Nguyen Giap, who devoted all of his life to the revolutionary cause of the Vietnamese nation.

In Singapore , the ceremony was attended by a Government delegation led by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, representatives from Singaporean organisations as well as the Lao and Cambodian embassies in the country.

Minister Hen wrote in the funeral book that General Giap was a hero of Vietnam whose military strategy paved the way for national independence.

During the first day of the service, hundreds of Vietnamese people living and studying in Singapore came to pay their respects to the General.

At an October 13 ceremony hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia , representatives from diplomatic corps in the country expressed their deep grief to the decease of the genius General, describing it a great loss to the Vietnamese people as well as those who love peace, independence and freedom in the world.

In Malaysia , more than 30 delegations from the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and the embassies of Laos , Cambodia , Indonesia , the Philippines , Cuba , Russia , Italy and South Africa came to the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy to pay tribute to the General.

Meanwhile, a service at the Vietnam Consulate General in Luang Prabang, Laos was attended by delegations from eight northern Lao provinces and Vietnamese people living there.

In India, representatives from many local agencies and diplomatic corps also paid homage to General Giap.

In his note, National Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) wrote that the CPI expresses its respect to Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap and extends deep condolences to the Vietnamese people.

He remarked that General Giap led the Vietnamese army to the famous Dien Bien Phu victory, forcing the French forces to withdraw troops from Vietnam, ending their colonial rule. This victory encouraged the fights against oppressive forces throughout the world.

At the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Nguyen Thanh Tan highlighted the General’s contributions to fostering the friendship between Vietnam and India .

At another service in memory of General Giap held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan, representatives of Vietnamese agencies, expatriates and Japanese friends observed a minute of silence to show their respect and gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People’s Army.

Former Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Hiroyuki Yushita expressed his admiration at General Giap’s remarkable life, declaring him to be both a hero and a true patriot.-VNA