Vietnam nominates Communist Party chief to become president

The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam has decided to nominate its general secretary as the sole candidate for the presidency, succeeding late President Tran Dai Quang.

The government said in a statement on its website late Wednesday that members of the Party Central Committee unanimously agreed to nominate “comrade Nguyen Phu Trong” for the position.

If confirmed by the rubber-stamp National Assembly which convenes later this month, the 74-year-old Trong will be the first Vietnamese leader to hold the two positions since founding President Ho Chi Minh.

Quang died last month after battling a viral illness for more than a year.

The country has seen stepped up crackdown on corruption with scores of high-ranking officials and executives jailed since 2016 under Trong’s watch.