Vietnam Parliament elects Communist Party chief as president

Baku, October 23, AZERTAC

Vietnam's rubber stamp National Assembly elected Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as the country's president on Tuesday, consolidating his influence as the most powerful man in the Southeast Asian nation, according to The Associated Press.

The 74-year-old Trong is the first Vietnamese leader to hold the two positions since founding President Ho Chi Minh in the 1960s.

He succeeds President Tran Dai Quang, who died last month after battling a viral illness for more than a year.

Raising one hand and placing the other on the constitution, Trong vowed during the swearing-in ceremony to be "absolutely loyal to the nation, people and the constitution."