Truong Tan Sang
Encyclopedia
Trương Tấn Sang is the president
of Vietnam
and the senior member of the Politburo
, the executive committee of the ruling Communist Party
. He was ranked as the party's number one leader following the 11th National Congress
held in Hanoi
in January 2011."Ông Nguyễn Phú Trọng đắc cử Tổng Bí thư", BaoOnline.vn, January 20, 2011. Includes pictures of the entire leadership. He became state president
following a vote of the National Assembly in July. Sang has been a member of the politburo since 1996. He was party secretary for Ho Chi Minh City
from 1996 to 2000. He was promoted to the national party’s number two slot, just behind the party general secretary
, in October 2009. To get the top slot, he had to outmaneuver Prime Minister
Nguyễn Tấn Dũng.
ese government in 1971 and held in Phú Quốc Prison. He was released under the Paris Peace Treaty in 1973. He has a bachelor of law degree.
From 1983 to 1986, he headed Ho Chi Minh City’s Forestry Department, as well as the city’s New Economic Zone Development Department. In 1986, he was promoted to the Standing Board of the city’s Party Committee. In 1992, he became party chairman for Ho Chi Minh City, the number two position in the city government. He joined the politburo in 1996 as its 14th ranking member. He was party secretary for Ho Chi Minh City, the top position in the city government, from 1996 to 2000. He was promoted to 10th position in the national party at a congress in April 2001. He was also appointed head of the party’s economic commission at this time. In 2003, he was reprimanded for failing from to act in the Năm Cam
corruption scandal when he headed the city government. He was promoted to fifth position in the party at a congress in April 2006. At this congress, he was also appointed head of the party’s Secretariat, which supervises the membership and internal structure of the party.
In an unusual move, Sang was promoted to the party’s number two slot between congresses in October 2009. His authority soon "eclipsed" that of General Secretary Nông Đức Mạnh, the only person nominally above Sang in the party hierarchy, according to a leaked diplomatic cable by U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak. Sang "assumed many of Manh's normal responsibilities," Michalak wrote. At diplomatic meetings, Sang could, "comment authoritatively, in detail and without notes", whereas Mạnh "appeared disengaged" while he read a 30-minute prepared statement "verbatim and in a monotone." To get the top slot at the 2011 congress, Sang had to outmaneuver Prime Minister Dũng. Little of this rivalry was reported in the press, but observers described the relationship between the two men as "stormy," according to a BBC story. Michalak described both Sang and Dũng as “pragmatic” and “market-oriented”. Both are southerners, but traditionally the party's top slot has gone to a northerner. Nguyễn Phú Trọng, a northerner, was selected secretary general at the Congress. In the past, the office of general secretary was the party’s top position, but Trong is ranked only No. 8 on the leadership list. The National Assembly elected Sang as state president on 25 July 2011 with 97.4 percent of the vote. The term of office is five years.
Sang told the Assembly that he would defend Vietnam’s independence and territorial integrity, and would resolve the Spratly Islands dispute
with China peacefully. As the new president, he will work to set a foundation that will allow Vietnam to be become an industrialized and modernized country by 2020, Sang told the Assembly.
The President of Vietnam is merely a ceremonial position, but Sang’s authority derives from his position as the senior member of the Politburo and as standing member of the Secretariat of the Vietnamese Communist Party Central Committee.
President of Vietnam
The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial...
of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and the senior member of the Politburo
Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Politburo of the Central Committee Communist Party of Vietnam , formerly the Standing Committee of the Central Committee, includes the top leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam...
, the executive committee of the ruling Communist Party
Communist Party of Vietnam
The Communist Party of Vietnam , formally established in 1930, is the governing party of the nation of Vietnam. It is today the only legal political party in that country. Describing itself as Marxist-Leninist, the CPV is the directing component of a broader group of organizations known as the...
. He was ranked as the party's number one leader following the 11th National Congress
Eleventh National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Eleventh National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam was the eleventh party congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the sole legal party of Vietnam; it occurred between January 12 and January 19, 2011, at the My Dinh National Convention Centre, Hanoi....
held in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
in January 2011."Ông Nguyễn Phú Trọng đắc cử Tổng Bí thư", BaoOnline.vn, January 20, 2011. Includes pictures of the entire leadership. He became state president
President of Vietnam
The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial...
following a vote of the National Assembly in July. Sang has been a member of the politburo since 1996. He was party secretary for Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
from 1996 to 2000. He was promoted to the national party’s number two slot, just behind the party general secretary
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The General Secretary is the leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The activities of Politburo and Secretariat are directed by the General Secretary. The post holder also maintains the top position in the Party's Central Military Commission, which is considered the supreme military...
, in October 2009. To get the top slot, he had to outmaneuver Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Vietnam
-Office:The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...
Nguyễn Tấn Dũng.
Biography
Sang was born January 21, 1949, in Mỹ Hạnh, Đức Hòa, Long An. His nickname is “Tư Sang”. He joined the Communist Party on December 20, 1969. He was jailed by the South VietnamSouth Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese government in 1971 and held in Phú Quốc Prison. He was released under the Paris Peace Treaty in 1973. He has a bachelor of law degree.
From 1983 to 1986, he headed Ho Chi Minh City’s Forestry Department, as well as the city’s New Economic Zone Development Department. In 1986, he was promoted to the Standing Board of the city’s Party Committee. In 1992, he became party chairman for Ho Chi Minh City, the number two position in the city government. He joined the politburo in 1996 as its 14th ranking member. He was party secretary for Ho Chi Minh City, the top position in the city government, from 1996 to 2000. He was promoted to 10th position in the national party at a congress in April 2001. He was also appointed head of the party’s economic commission at this time. In 2003, he was reprimanded for failing from to act in the Năm Cam
Nam Cam
Năm Cam was a notorious Vietnamese gangster. He was born in Saigon, Vietnam.-Early life:When Nam Cam was 15 years old, he was arrested for stabbing a man to death in a fight. He subsequently spent two years in jail. Upon his release, he joined the Army of the Republic of Vietnam in 1966, to fight...
corruption scandal when he headed the city government. He was promoted to fifth position in the party at a congress in April 2006. At this congress, he was also appointed head of the party’s Secretariat, which supervises the membership and internal structure of the party.
In an unusual move, Sang was promoted to the party’s number two slot between congresses in October 2009. His authority soon "eclipsed" that of General Secretary Nông Đức Mạnh, the only person nominally above Sang in the party hierarchy, according to a leaked diplomatic cable by U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak. Sang "assumed many of Manh's normal responsibilities," Michalak wrote. At diplomatic meetings, Sang could, "comment authoritatively, in detail and without notes", whereas Mạnh "appeared disengaged" while he read a 30-minute prepared statement "verbatim and in a monotone." To get the top slot at the 2011 congress, Sang had to outmaneuver Prime Minister Dũng. Little of this rivalry was reported in the press, but observers described the relationship between the two men as "stormy," according to a BBC story. Michalak described both Sang and Dũng as “pragmatic” and “market-oriented”. Both are southerners, but traditionally the party's top slot has gone to a northerner. Nguyễn Phú Trọng, a northerner, was selected secretary general at the Congress. In the past, the office of general secretary was the party’s top position, but Trong is ranked only No. 8 on the leadership list. The National Assembly elected Sang as state president on 25 July 2011 with 97.4 percent of the vote. The term of office is five years.
Sang told the Assembly that he would defend Vietnam’s independence and territorial integrity, and would resolve the Spratly Islands dispute
Spratly Islands dispute
The Spratly Islands dispute is a territorial dispute over the ownership of the Spratly Islands, a group of islands located in the South China Sea. States staking claims to various islands are: the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China , Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei...
with China peacefully. As the new president, he will work to set a foundation that will allow Vietnam to be become an industrialized and modernized country by 2020, Sang told the Assembly.
The President of Vietnam is merely a ceremonial position, but Sang’s authority derives from his position as the senior member of the Politburo and as standing member of the Secretariat of the Vietnamese Communist Party Central Committee.