Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, former President of Việt Nam. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, 68 years old, has stepped down as President of Việt Nam after a number of senior officials were found to have committed violations in connection with COVID-19 test kits and repatriation flights.

The 13th-tenure Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam convened on Tuesday and decided to relieve Nguyễn Xuân Phúc of all duties, including the Presidency, Politburo and Party Central Committee membership, and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council for the 2021-26 term.

According to the announcement from the Party Central Committee, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc is a key leader of the Vietnamese Party and State, born to a family with rich revolutionary history, and matured politically from the grassroots level.

He was entrusted by the Party Central Committee and the Politburo to hold many important Party and State leadership roles.

In the 2016-21, as he served as the Prime Minister of Việt Nam, the Party recognised that Phúc had made many efforts in leading the national COVID-19 response and achieved important accomplishments.

Delegates voted at the meeting of the Party Central Committee on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

However, the Party Central Committee noted that during his term, Phúc must bear the "political responsibility of the leader" as many officials, including two Deputy Prime Ministers and three ministers, had committed violations and shortcomings, causing very serious consequences.

Two former Deputy Prime Ministers, Phạm Bình Minh and Vũ Đức Đam, have resigned from their positions, while two former ministers – former Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long and former Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngọc Anh – and many officials have been criminally handled, in connection with the COVID-19 test kits and repatriation flights scandals.

"Fully aware of his responsibilities before the Party and people, Comrade Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has submitted an application to resign from his assigned positions, and retire," the announcement from the Party Central Committee reads.

Based on the current regulations of the Party and State and considering the wishes of Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, the Party Central Committee has agreed to let him resign from the positions of the member of the Politburo, member of the 13th-tenure Party Central Committee, President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, and Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council for the 2021-26 term.

The Party Central Committee assigned the Politburo to direct relevant agencies to implement the procedures in line with regulations. — VNS

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