Vietnam’s president is confirmed as the new Communist Party chief — the country’s most powerful role

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Vietnamese President To Lam has been confirmed as the new chief of the Communist Party after his predecessor died July 19. State media said Saturday that To Lam will be the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country’s most powerful political role. It is unclear if Lam will stay in his role as president. Nguyen Phu Trong was the party chief from 2011 until he died in July. He was an ideologue who viewed corruption as the gravest threat facing the party. Lam spent over four decades in the Ministry of Public Security before becoming the minister in 2016. As Vietnam’s top security official, Lam led Trong’s sweeping anti-graft campaign until he became president in May.