BowerGroupAsia wrote an update to clients on the new state president and chairman of the National Assembly.

Context

  • Vietnam’s National Assembly convened its seventh plenary session May 20 to ratify key decisions made during the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s (CCCPV) plenary session from May 16-18. Lawmakers elected Tran Thanh Man to be the National Assembly’s new chairman and elected Gen. To Lam, to be the 12th state president of Vietnam after relieving him from his post as minister of public security.
  • Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also signed a decision assigning Lt. Gen. Tran Quoc To, the current standing vice minister of public security, to temporarily direct the Ministry of Public Security until a new minister is named. Given that the minister of public security must be a member of the Politburo, the CCCPV will likely convene soon to either nominate an existing member of the Politburo or add a new member who will assume the position.

Significance

  • Lam’s political career is linked to the Ministry of Public Security, where he previously held senior positions such as vice minister and minister. During the anti-corruption campaign led by General Secretary Trong, Lam led investigations that resulted in the arrest and prosecution of many corrupt officials in the country. His election as state president positions him as a potential candidate for the party’s top leadership position in the next term (2026-2031). His legacy will long outlast his tenure as minister of public security, during which he established a robust legal framework for data management and personal data protection that will likely endure in the years ahead. The appointment of Lam’s successor as minister of public security in the coming weeks could have significant implications for his potential rise to the party’s top position.
  • Tran Thanh Man, 61, has limited experience in legislative matters, having assumed the role of standing chairman in the National Assembly since April 2021. His political career was developed in the Youth Union and then in party organizations, where he has held various positions including chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and party secretary of Can Tho province in the Mekong delta. Man has been in the Politburo for just over three years and technically is not yet qualified for a top four-pillar position; however, he was likely selected due to his clean record and because he served as the National Assembly’s standing vice chairman.

Implications

  • Together with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Chinh, the newly elected leaders have restored the country’s four-pillared leadership, perhaps ending the political turbulence of the last two months that swept away three of Vietnam’s top five leaders. In his inaugural address, Lam pledged to “resolutely and persistently continue the fight against corruption,” signaling further personnel changes in the party and the administration. In the meantime, the unusual absence of Trong at National Assembly’s plenary session could raise further concerns.
  • Vietnam’s economy continues to grow at a pace of 5-6 percent thanks to increasing foreign direct investment, growing imports and exports, rising tourist arrivals, more flexible fiscal policies and the effective control of inflation. The personnel changes in the party and administration will not likely impact the country’s overall direction and macroeconomic policies related to building a market economy and deepening Vietnam’s integration into the global economy.

We will continue to keep you updated on developments in Vietnam as they occur. If you have any comments or questions, please contact BGA Head of Research Murray Hiebert at mhiebert@bowergroupasia.com.

Best regards,

BGA Research Team

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Head of Research

Murray is a top Asia expert and skilled researcher with three decades of experience living and working in Asia. His networks in business, media and government circles are deep and wide-ranging. He is also a senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Earlier he served as deputy director of the program for six years. Prior to joining CSIS, Murray served for five years as senior director for Southeast Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he worked with leading American companies, the U.S. government and Southeast Asian ... Read More