The Chinese people see General Vo Nguyen Giap as a great friend, as he, in any position, made important contributions to the China-Vietnam friendship and cooperation.

The remark was made by Zhang Dewei, Vice President of the China-Vietnam Friendship Association, in his recent interview granted to a Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondent in Beijing on the Chinese people’s feelings after hearing the news of General Giap’s death.

Zhang, who is a former Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, said he feels very sorrowful at General Giap’s passing and wants to extend his deep sympathy to his family via VNA.

Many Chinese people are familiar with General Giap and his great contributions to the friendship between the two countries, and they often call him “the famous General”, but according to Zhang, he is worthy of being a “Great General.”

Sharing the same feelings as Zhang, former Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Qi Jianguo said that Vo Nguyen Giap is a world-renowned general and his name will be forever associated with the Vietnamese nation’s resistance wars against France and the US .

He also recalled his unforgettable memories of the three times he met General Giap in 1990, 2000 and 2004.

Wang Delun, a former Chinese advisor in Vietnam , said he was heartbroken when he heard the news that General Giap had passed away, the same feeling he had when his relatives died.

“The death of General Giap is a great loss to China as it has lost a good friend,” he said.-VNA