Ex-Vietnam President says he resigned for others’ violations

Vietnam’s former president, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, said he resigned to take responsibility for the violations of officials serving under him when he was prime minister, according to a posting on the government’s website.

Phuc, who resigned as president and a member of the Politburo last month, made the comment during a Feb. 4 ceremony to hand over his position to Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, who is now acting president.

The Communist Party’s Central Committee is expected to announce two new Politburo members in April to replace Phuc and former deputy prime minister Pham Binh Minh, who also resigned. The committee will then make a nomination for the post of president and the National Assembly will vote on the candidate during its session in May or June.

The committee could pick a candidate who the National Assembly will vote on during its session in May or June.

Phuc, who was prime minister from 2016 to 2021, said he was « fully aware of his responsibilities” to the party and country. He also said members of his family were not involved in a bribery case tied to Viet A Technology JSC., a maker of Covid-19 test kits, according to the posting.

The Inspection Commission of the Party Central Committee concluded that neither Phuc’s wife nor children « made any illicit gains or were involved in the corruption in connection with the Viet A case,” the posting quoted Phuc as saying in a speech.

Officials have initiated criminal proceedings against 102 individuals tied to the case, according to the public security ministry.

Vo Van Thuong, standing member of the Central Committee’s Secretariat, presented Phuc with flowers and said he appreciated the former president’s contributions to the country, according to the posting. Phuc was elected president in April, 2021.

Bloomberg – February 6, 2023