Vo Van Thuong appointed Vietnam’s new President

The National Assembly on Thursday appointed Vo Van Thuong, a Politburo member, as Vietnam's State President for the term 2021-2026.

Thuong, also permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, has a master's degree in philosophy. He was born in the northern province of Hai Duong and grew up in An Phuoc commune, Mang Thit district, the southern province of Vinh Long.

Vo Van Thuong, 53, has been a member of the Politburo, the Communist Party's premier decision-making body, for two consecutive terms 12 and 13.

He was elected as an alternate member of the Party Central Committee at the age of 36, then a member of the committee for three consecutive terms from 11 to 13, and a member of the National Assembly of the terms 12, 14 and 15.

Thuong is the youngest permanent member of the Central Party Committee's Secretariat since 1976, and also the youngest member of the current Politburo.

The Party Central Committee on Wednesday had recommended Thuong a candidate for the position.

Previously, on January 17, the Party Central Committee had agreed to let Nguyen Xuan Phuc step down as a Politburo member, Party Central Committee member, State President, and Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council for the 2021-2026 term per his wish.

One day after that, the National Assembly, the policy-making body, voted and agreed to let Phuc resign from his position of State President. Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan then became the acting President.

Before becoming President in April 2021, Phuc had one term as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2021.

Vo Van Thuong graduated with a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Ho Chi Minh City in 1999. He worked for many years at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union and held various positions, from a HCMC Youth Union officer to president of the Student Association, then member and deputy secretary of the HCMC Youth Union.

From 2004, he was secretary of Ho Chi Minh City District 12's Party Committee. Two years later, when Thuong was elected as an alternate member of the Party Central Committee, he was assigned by the Politburo to hold the position of permanent secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, and then elected as the first secretary of the committee.

In August 2011, he was secretary of Quang Ngai province's Party Committee. Three years later, he became permanent deputy secretary of Ho Chi Minh City's Party Committee. In October 2015, he was re-elected to this position, and assigned by the Politburo to be head of Ho Chi Minh City's Party Committee.

At the first Congress of the 12th Party Central Committee in January 2016, Thuong was elected to the Politburo, then assigned to join the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and hold the position of head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information and Education.

After five years as head of the commission, he was elected to the 13th Politburo and assigned to be permanent member of the Secretariat from February 2021 to present.