HANOI: Vietnamese President To Lam was officially named the nation’s top leader Saturday, promising to “speed up” a sweeping graft drive that has snared thousands in recent years.
The Communist Party has elected Lam as general secretary in the morning, the party announced at a press conference, making him the most powerful person in Vietnam’s leadership structure. However, it was not immediately clear if Lam would concurrently continue to work as president, a largely ceremonial position.
In his first statement as general secretary of the party, Lam vowed to “speed up” a sweeping anti-corruption drive that has seen thousands — including top officials caught up in the crackdown.
He said, “I will continue to speed up anti-corruption about of who the person is,” Lam told a news conference. “We have also gained the trust of the people, and global friends, in our fight”.
Lam’s appointment comes two weeks following the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s most powerful political leader in decades.
Trong passed away in the capital Hanoi “due to serious illness” and Lam was officially handed the reins of power.
Lam’s succession to the top position follows a long career within the secretive public security ministry. Lam led the ministry from 2016 until earlier this year, when he was elected as president. The communist party of Vietnam has undergone a series of upheavals in recent months, with business leaders, ministers, and two presidents all falling from grace as part of the vast drive.
