Vietnam parliament elects army general as new president

On Monday, Vietnam's parliament elected army general Luong Cuong as the new state president, in a widely anticipated move aimed at restoring stability following a period of political turbulence marked by departures and reshuffles.

Cuong was elected with the vote of all the 440 deputies who attended the parliament session on Monday, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In his inaugural speech he committed to boosting defense capabilities and pursuing an independent and multilateral foreign policy.

He vowed to "strengthen national defense and security, build up an army force that is revolutionary, well-trained, nimble and modern".

Vietnam has long been seeking to diversify its arsenal from mostly Russia-made weapons but has not reported any significant deal in recent years.

Before the election, Cuong held a key position in the secretariat of the Communist Party, which made him the fifth-highest ranking official in the country after party chief, president, prime minister and parliament's chairman. Cuong is also a member of the Politburo, the party's top decision-making body.

The state president holds little direct power but represents the country in high-level meetings with foreign dignitaries. In his short spell as president, Lam has met the leaders of China, Russia and the United States, among others.

News.Az