Hanoi has new vice mayor

Vu Thu Ha, director of Hanoi's Department of Home Affairs, was appointed vice chairwoman of the municipal People's Committee for the 2021-2026 term at a city People's Council meeting on Friday.

Ha, 51, holds a master's degree in business administration, a bachelor's degree in law, and a bachelor's degree in mathematics. She used to be a teacher at the Ai Mo Secondary School in Gia Lam district, then held many positions in Long Bien district. She has been director of Hanoi's Department of Home Affairs since 2019.

Ha is expected to be in charge of cultural and social affairs, including science and technology; labor, vocational training, employment and social issues; prevention of social evils; culture, physical training and sports; health, population, family and children issues.

The leadership of the Hanoi People's Committee includes chairman Tran Sy Thanh and six vice chairpersons, namely Le Hong Son, Duong Duc Tuan, Ha Minh Hai, Nguyen Trong Dong, Nguyen Manh Quyen, and Vu Thu Ha.

In December, Chu Xuan Dung, vice chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, was arrested for allegedly taking bribes in a pandemic repatriation flight scam.

He was found to have abused his power by approving businesses to carry out "rescue" flights that brought Vietnamese citizens home from abroad for isolation in Hanoi.