Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, passed away on Friday, state media reported.

The state media, citing information from Trong's medical team, said he died early afternoon on Friday at the age of 80 "after a period of illness."

"There will be a special statement on the organization of the funeral at the national level," state media added. 

Vietnam's Communist Party said on Thursday that Trong would take a break from his role to focus on his health and that President To Lam would take over as the country's caretaker leader.

Trong became party chief of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2011 and also served as Vietnam's president from 2018 to 2020.

He was awarded the friendship medal by China, the country's highest state honor for foreigners, in October 2022.