Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang dies at 61

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Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang died on Friday at the age of 61 after a serious illness, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Tran Dai Quang died at 10:05 a.m. local time at a military hospital, according to local media reports.

He died from a "serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors," according to Vietnam Television.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed deep grief over the death of the Vietnamese president, calling it "tragic".

During a regular press briefing on Friday, spokesperson Geng Shuang said Tran Dai Quang was an outstanding party and state leader of Vietnam, who made a significant contribution to his country's development and reform, innovation and opening up.

He has also contributed greatly to the deepening of the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Geng added.

Quang was elected as Vietnamese president in April 2016. Prior to the election, he had been the minister of public security since 2011.

In Vietnam, the president is the head of state but holding a largely ceremonial role, greeting visiting leaders and hosting diplomatic events in a bid to boost Vietnam's profile on the world stage.

The president is elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term and acts as the commander-in-chief of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces and chairman of the Council for Defense and Security. Moreover, the president has the right to decide on executive brands.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam is the party leader and head of the Politburo, holding the highest position in the political system.

Tran Dai Quang was sworn in as Vietnamese president after he was re-elected in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, July 25, 2016. /Xinhua Photo

Profile

Oct. 12, 1956

Quang was born in northern Vietnam's Ninh Binh Province.

October 1975 - September 1982

He served as an officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MoHA) Political Protection Department One and MoHA's Political Protection Department Two.

September 1982 - June 1987

He assumed the role of vice head of the professional office, under the MoHA's Political Protection Department Two.

June 1987 - June 1990

He acted as head of advisory office and head of the professional office, under the MoHA's Political Protection Department Two.

June 1990 - September 1996

He worked as deputy head of the security staff provision in the Ministry of Public Security's (MPS) General Security Department.

October 2000 - April 2006

He worked as deputy head of the MPS' General Security Department.

April 2006 - January 2011

He became deputy minister of the MPS.

August 2011 - January 2016

He served as minister of the MPS.