Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ present flowers as congratulations to the two new deputy prime ministers confirmed by the parliament on Thursday, Trần Hồng Hà and Trần Lưu Quang. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà and Secretary of Hải Phòng City Party Committee Trần Lưu Quang have been confirmed by the National Assembly as the two new Deputy Prime Ministers for the 2021-26 tenure.

The parliament adopted the resolution on the Government's appointment of these two positions, with all 481 lawmakers voting in favour, during the extraordinary meeting that opened on Thursday in Hà Nội.

Trần Hồng Hà, 60 years old, from the central province of Hà Tĩnh, holds a PhD in organising and conducting mining activities. He has served as the environment minister since April 2016.

Trần Lưu Quang, 56 years old, from the southern province of Tây Ninh, holds PhD degrees in public administration and mechanical engineering. He has served in various leadership roles in Tây Ninh before transferring to work as the Vice Secretary of HCM City's Party Committee in early 2019 and the Secretary of the Hải Phòng Party Committee in May 2021.

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(From second left:) Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, and National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ cast their votes on Thursday for the appointment of Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà and Secretary of Hải Phòng City Party Committee Trần Lưu Quang as new Deputy Prime Ministers. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

​Two Deputy PMs relieved

On the same day, the parliament approved a Resolution on the dismissal of two former Deputy Prime Ministers, Phạm Bình Minh (63 years old) and Vũ Đức Đam (59 years old), following their 'personal requests'.

Of the 484 lawmakers who participated in the vote, 476 voted for, five against, and three abstained.

In the resolution presented by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Thursday noon, in the first plenary session of the 15th-tenure NA, Politburo member Phạm Bình Minh and member of the Party Central Committee Vũ Đức Đam were confirmed into the Deputy Prime Minister positions for the 2021-26 tenure. In their previous positions, the two have "shown considerable efforts to fulfil the tasks assigned by the Party, State, and people".

Based on the personal requests of the two, the Politburo has agreed to let Minh and Đam retire from their positions.

Last week the Party Central Committee agreed in an extraordinary meeting to relieve Minh and Đam from their positions in the Party.

Also on Thursday, Secretary General and Chairman of the National Assembly Office Bùi Văn Cường presented a draft Resolution to end the roles of the NA deputy for the two men, with 96.99 per cent of the present lawmakers approving the resolution. — VNS