Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang, a former police chief known as a tough politician and committed communist with little tolerance for dissent, died Friday aged 61 after a serious illness, state media reported. Coverage on state media was sombre Friday, with a Vietnam Television anchor in dark clothing announcing the news of the leader’s death, first reported by the official Vietnam News Agency. The president had sought treatment in Japan for over a year before he was checked into hospital on Thursday afternoon after contracting a “rare virus”, Nguyen Quoc Trieu, in charge of the healthcare committee for top leaders, said in state media.
