Deputy Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Phan Văn Mãi, 48, on Tuesday was appointed the new chairman of the municipal People’s Committee. He replaces former chairman Nguyễn Thành Phong. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Deputy Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Phan Văn Mãi on Tuesday was named the new chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, replacing Nguyễn Thành Phong, who has been assigned to be the deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission in Hà Nội. 

At the second meeting of the city People’s Council (2021-2026 tenure), Phan Văn Mãi, 48, was elected with the agreement of 87 out of 89 delegates, Nguyễn Thị Lệ, chairwoman of the People’s Council, said. 

The meeting discussed policies related to pandemic prevention, support for frontline forces, and other issues, according to Lệ.

Mãi said the city would continue to focus on treatment for critically ill COVID patients to reduce the mortality rate and control the outbreak by September 15 under the Government’s Resolution 86.

He pledged to take care of people affected by the pandemic, especially the poor and disadvantaged, and to formulate socio-economic plans that adapt to pandemic conditions.

He said the city would implement the Resolution of the 11th Congress of the Party Committee (2020-2025) and the Resolution of the People’s Council (2021-2026 term). “I promise to do my best to fulfil the assigned tasks,” he said.

Mãi is from Bến Tre Province’s Giồng Trôm District. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a bachelor’s degree in economics, and a master’s degree in economic management. 

He previously held the positions of secretary of Bến Tre Provincial Youth Union, secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union, secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union, chairman of the Việt Nam Youth Union, and deputy secretary of the Bến Tre Provincial Party Committee.

He is also a former secretary of Bến Tre Province's Party Committee and former chairman of Bến Tre Provincial People’s Council.

In June, Mãi was assigned by the Politburo to be the Permanent Deputy Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee for the 2020-2025 term, replacing Trần Lưu Quang, who was named secretary of the Hải Phòng City Party Committee.

Since the end of June, Mãi has been involved in pandemic prevention as the deputy head of the city’s COVID-19 Prevention and Control Committee.

The city has appointed Phạm Đức Hải, former vice chairman of the HCM City People’s Council, as deputy of the city’s COVID-19 Prevention and Control Committee, who is also the spokesperson for pandemic prevention issues.

Nguyễn Thành Phong, a member of the Party Central Committee, no longer belongs to the executive board and standing board of the HCM City Party Committee. He also no longer holds the posts of deputy secretary of the committee for the 2020-2025 tenure or chairman of the city government for the 2021-2026 term.

A native of Bến Tre Province in the Mekong Delta, Phong served as deputy secretary of the city Party Committee in 2015. He was voted People’s Committee chairman for the 2016-21 term in October 2015, while holding the Party position. 

Phong was head of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in HCM City but it is not clear who will replace him.

The city, the country’s COVID epicentre, has applied the highest-level pandemic prevention measures ever as it has recorded more than 180,000 cases since late April. 

On Monday, the city began a strict policy that requires “everyone to stay at home” and not go out to buy food, except for some groups of people who must have permits and documentation to travel on city streets. — VNS