Trong elected new president of Vietnam

VIETNAM lawmakers yesterday elected as president communist party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

Trong was ushered into his new role as head-of-state with 99.8 percent of the vote from Vietnam’s parliament members a month after former President Tran Dai Quang died from a prolonged illness.

Trong, 74, will maintain his position as head of Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee — the first person to hold both roles since revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in the late 1960s.

His new position was cemented in a swearing-in ceremony yesterday after an overwhelming vote from 477 lawmakers.

There was only one vote against, according to the government’s website.

“I, president of Vietnam vow to be completely loyal to the nation, people and constitution,” Trong said at the ceremony, speaking beneath a large bust of Ho Chi Minh.

“This is a very huge honor, while at the same time, a very heavy responsibility for me,” he added, acknowledging his advanced age.

His dual role in two of the “four-pillar” top leadership positions allows Trong to yield a huge amount of power in the government. The two other “pillars” are the prime minister and National Assembly chair.

Analysts say Trong is likely to forge ahead with an anticorruption campaign that he has spearheaded since his reelection as party chief in 2016, which has seen dozens of top officials, executives and bankers put behind bars.

Trong holds a PhD in politics with specific field of party construction. He was elected CPVCC general secretary in 2011, and re-elected in 2016.