Vietnamese Legislators Elect New President

26-JUN-2006: Nguyen Phu Trong, Communist Party chief for Hanoi, addresses the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday, June 26, 2006 after Vietnamese legislators elected him as the new parliament chief. His election was part of a major reshuffle where a new prime minister and president will also be elected this week. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh) [Photo copyright 2006 by AP]

Associated Press/AP Online

HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnamese legislators on Tuesday elected the Communist Party chief for Ho Chi Minh City as the country's new president in a leadership shuffle.

Nguyen Minh Triet, 63, an economic reformer and the sole candidate for the job, won overwhelming backing from the National Assembly with 94 percent of the vote.

"This is an honor, but also a heavy responsibility the party and people assigned to me," Triet said in his acceptance speech. "I swear to try my best to serve the country, serve the people and fulfill the job of president."

Triet, in turn, nominated Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, 56, to become the next prime minister.

Over the weekend, the lawmaking body cleared the way for the new leaders after approving the resignation of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, 72, President Tran Duc Luong, 69, and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An, 69.

On Monday, the assembly elected Nguyen Phu Trong, 62, Communist Party chief for Hanoi, as the new chairman of the legislature.

Vietnam is a one-party state with a collective style of leadership. The prime minister is in charge of overseeing the government's day-to-day workings, while the president holds a more ceremonial position. The country's most powerful leader is the head of the Communist Party.

Triet, from the southern province of Binh Duong, spent most of his time during the Vietnam War promoting communist ideals to young people. He was appointed party chief of southern Song Be province in 1992 and guided the largely agricultural province into one of most attractive places for foreign investors.

On Tuesday he praised the country's successes.

"However, there are a lot of difficulties and challenges lying ahead of us," he said.

Triet was elected to the all-powerful Politburo in 1997 and became head of the Communist Party in Vietnam's southern economic hub, Ho Chi Minh City, in 2000.

A year later, he was at the helm when Truong Van Cam, known as Nam Cam, was arrested. The former kingpin of Ho Chi Minh City's underworld was at the center of the communist country's biggest-ever criminal trial in 2003.

The proceedings involved 155 defendants, including police officers and high-ranking government officials. Nam Cam was convicted of murder and bribery and was executed by firing squad along with four of his associates.

The National Assembly is expected to vote on the new prime minister later Tuesday. The legislators also are expected to approve the appointments of six other positions, including the ministers of defense, foreign affairs and transport, before wrapping up its six-week session on Thursday.