The National Assembly of Vietnam elected Trương Tấn Sang as the eighth President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 25 July 2011. Receiving 97.4 percent of the vote, he succeeded his predecessor, Nguyễn Minh Triết, to serve a five-year term that focused on territorial integrity and the long-term industrialization goals of the nation.
Early Involvement and Imprisonment
Born on 21 January 1949 in the Đức Hòa District of Long An Province, Sang began his political involvement in 1966. He initially led the PK 2 youth-student movement before taking charge of a secret guerrilla group in his home district. On 20 December 1969, he joined the Communist Party of Vietnam. In 1971, the South Vietnamese government imprisoned him at Phú Quốc, where he remained until his release under the Paris Peace Treaty in 1973. He later attained a law degree from the National Academy of Public Administration in 1990.
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Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Sang held various administrative roles in Ho Chi Minh City. He managed the city's Forestry Department and the New Economic Zone Development Department between 1983 and 1986. By 1992, he served as chairman for the city government, later becoming the city's party secretary from 1997 to 2000. During this period, he joined the Politburo in 1997 and held a seat on the national party's Central Committee starting in 1991.
National Leadership Roles
By the 2006 party congress, Sang occupied the fifth position in the party hierarchy and was appointed as a permanent member of the Secretariat. He reached the number two position in October 2009. Within the Central Politburo and the Secretariat, he exercised authority over internal party structure and membership. In 2011, alongside Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Sang served as one of the top leaders of the nation. His time as President ended in 2016.
Fast facts
- Born: 1949, Đức Hòa, Vietnam
- Citizenship: Vietnam
- Education: Academy of Public Administration and Governance
- Political Party: Communist Party of Vietnam
- Presidential Term: 2011-2016
- Religion: Atheism
- Languages: Vietnamese
- Awards: Order of José Martí
Questions readers ask
What major award did Trương Tấn Sang receive?
He was awarded the Order of José Martí from Cuba in 2015.
What was his role in the National Assembly?
He served as a member of the National Assembly of Vietnam and was elected as President by that body in 2011.
Achievements
- member of the National Assembly of Vietnam
- President of Vietnam (2011–2016)
- Order of José Martí
- Educated at Academy of Public Administration and Governance
