Vietnam gets new president
April 2, 2016
Vietnam's National Assembly on Saturday gave the green light to Quang, who was nominated for the post by the country's communist party in January.
The country's top police chief, Quang is known for his vocal opposition to dissidents and his hawkish stance toward neighboring China.
During his televised initiation ceremony, Quang promised to "resolutely and perseveringly fight to firmly defend the country's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, the national interests and security," The Associated Press reported.
Born in 1956, Quang joined the security forces when he was a young man and fought as a soldier for North Vietnam during the tail-end of the Vietnam War. He has steadily climbed the ranks of the country's security apparatus, eventually becoming the minister of public security in 2011.
His appointment comes amid heightened tension between Hanoi and Beijing. The two countries are currently in a dispute over territories in the South China Sea.
blc/jlw (AP, AFP, dpa)