The BGA Vietnam Team, led by Managing Director Nguyen Viet Ha, wrote an update on the conclusion of the 14th plenum of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Context

  • The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam met from November 5-6 to finalize candidates for the Politburo and Secretariat, including exceptions for age. Several high-level appointments were announced, indicating new leadership for the 2026-2031 political term. Further changes at both central and local levels are expected in the coming months toward the national party congress to be held in January 2026.
  • Do Van Chien (62), Politburo member and chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, has been appointed deputy Communist Party chief of the National Assembly. Previously, he held positions as chairman of Tuyen Quang provincial People’s Committee, party chief of Yen Bai province and head of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs. He is expected to enhance the party’s leadership in the National Assembly and will likely be formally elected as standing vice chairman during the current session. This role could make him a candidate for National Assembly chairman in the next term.
  • Nguyen Duy Ngoc (61), Politburo member and chairman of the Central Inspection Committee, has been named party chief of Hanoi. He replaces Bui Thi Minh Hoai, now chair of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee. Ngoc has extensive experience in public security, including service in the Hanoi police force and senior roles at the Ministry of Public Security. After moving to the party’s central office in 2024, he held positions as chief of the Central Office and then as chairman of the Central Inspection Committee. A native of Hung Yen province, he supports innovation and high technology and is seen as a strong candidate for future party leadership.
  • Tran Sy Thanh (54), chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, has been appointed chairman of the Central Inspection Committee, and he may advance to the Politburo. A new Hanoi chairman will be announced soon, with Nguyen Duc Trung and Ngo Van Tuan rumored to be candidates.

Significance

  • The members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party have agreed on the candidates for the Politburo and the Secretariat, which will likely include the recent appointments. Of the 16 current Politburo members, half will exceed the age limit of 65 for the next term, including three out of four top positions and the minister of defense. However, some of them will be retained as “special cases.” Rumors suggest there will be at least two to three “special cases” in the Politburo.

Implications

  • The party Central Committee is scheduled to convene in December to select candidates for the top five leadership positions: general secretary of the party, state president, prime minister, National Assembly chair and standing Secretariat members. Analysis of prospective Politburo membership indicates a high degree of stability within the current leadership.

We will continue to keep you updated on developments in Vietnam. If you have any comments or questions, please contact BGA Vietnam Managing Director Nguyen Viet Ha at vietha@bowergroupasia.com

Best regards,

BGA Vietnam Team

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Managing Director

Ha is a highly respected Vietnamese lawyer, with special expertise in financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, as well as general business, trade and investment-related issues. Before joining BGA as managing director for Vietnam, Ha managed the Vietnam operations of BrooksBowerAsia for three years. She built and led the Vietnam team and serviced clients in various sectors ranging from energy and ICT to healthcare, logistics and consumer production. Ha practiced law in Vietnam in the 1990s, providing legal advice and consulting services to Fortune 500 clients. She also participated in drafting a number of laws and regulations, including the Foreign Investment ... Read More