Vinh Phuc province has new Party chief following predecessor's arrest

Duong Van An has been appointed the new Party chief of Vinh Phuc province after his predecessor was arrested pending investigations of corruption charges.

The erstwhile Party chief of Binh Thuan province was appointed to his new post on Monday by the Politburo, Vietnam's premier decision-making body.

An, 53, was born in Phu Ho commune, Phu Vang district, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. He has a PhD in economics, a masters degree in political economy, and a bachelor’s in geographical sciences.

An was previously (September 2009 to March 2014) Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union for its ninth and 10th tenures; and Standing Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Youth of Vietnam.

In March 2014, the Politburo appointed him deputy chief of the Party Committee of Binh Thuan province in south-central Vietnam.

At the 14th Party Congress of Binh Thuan, An was appointed chief of the provincial Party Committee.

He is currently a member of the 13th Party Central Committee and the 15th National Assembly.

His latest appointment follows the March 8, 2024 arrest of Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, until then chief of Vinh Phuc province's Party Committee, on charges of accepting bribes in a scandal linked to real estate firm Phuc Son Group.

Lan had held the top position in Vinh Phuc since February 2015. She was also chairwoman of the province’s People's Council.

Vinh Phuc province is an industrial hub in northern Vietnam which hosts multinationals like Toyota, Honda, Piaggio, De Heus, Sojitz, and Haesung.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee has suspended Lan’s membership to facilitate criminal investigations.