Dien Bien Party chief nominated transport minister

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed Friday the National Assembly approves the appointment of Dien Bien province's Party chief Nguyen Van Thang as new Minister of Transport.

Vietnam’s legislative body also approved Transport Minister Nguyen Van The’s resignation in line with his wish.

Thang, 49 and from Hanoi, holds a Ph.D. in finance and is a Party Central Committee member, 13th term. Previously, he had worked for VietinBank for 18 years, holding many positions like director of VietinBank Hanoi branch, CEO of the bank, and then chairman.

In July 2018, Thang became Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh People's Committee, then Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the People's Committee. He became Secretary of Dien Bien’s Party Committee in October 2020.

The, 55 and from Dong Thap province, holds a doctorate in traffic engineering science. He was approved by the National Assembly as Transport Minister in October 2017. During a talk to Vietnamese reporters this June, he said there was a lot of pressure in his ministerial position.

PM Chinh also proposed the parliament endorses the appointment of acting Health Minister Dao Hong Lan as Minister.

Lan, 51 and from Hai Duong province, became acting Health Minister this July from her then post as Party chief of Bac Ninh province.

She has a Master's Degree in Economics and is a member of the 12th Party Central Committee (alternate) and the 13th Party Central Committee. Lan replaced former minister of health Nguyen Thanh Long, who was arrested for his involvement in a Covid-19 test kit scam related to Viet A Company.

In the morning, the NA also completed the process of removing Tran Sy Thanh from the State Auditor General position for the 2021-2026 term as he has assumed charge as the new mayor of Hanoi since July.

Thanh, 51, holds a master's degree in economics and is a Party Central Committee member, tenures 12 and 13. He used to hold the positions of Deputy Chief of Office, Chief of Office, and Deputy General Director at the State Treasury under the Ministry of Finance.

From 2008, Thanh held various senior positions including: Vice Chairman of Dak Lak province; a Party Central Inspection Commission member; Party chief of Bac Giang province; Vice Chairman of the Central Inspection Committee; and Party chief of Lang Son province.

At the end of 2017, he became deputy chief of the Central Economic Commission and chairman of oil and gas group Petrovietnam. In August 2020, Thanh was appointed Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Office. He was the State Auditor General from April 2021.