General Secretary of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Tô Lâm. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The newly elected 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) has unanimously elected Tô Lâm to continue serving as General Secretary for the new term.

On Friday morning, at the Party Central Committee headquarters, the 14th Central Committee (2026-2031 tenure) convened its first plenum to decide a number of particularly important matters, marking the formal start of the new term.

Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the 13th Party Central Committee and convener of the meeting, delivered the opening address and, on behalf of the Presidium, chaired the proceedings.

A view of the 14th Party Central Committee's first meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

In strict compliance with the Party Charter, working regulations, electoral rules and related procedures, and upholding a strong spirit of unity, responsibility and the principle of democratic centralism, the first plenary meeting of the 14th Central Committee completed a series of key tasks.

These included the election of the Politburo, the Party General Secretary and the Secretariat.

The meeting also heard a report on proposed arrangements for key leadership positions within the Party and the State, discussed personnel for the position of Permanent Member of the Secretariat, and elected the Central Inspection Commission and its Chair.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, 69, hails from Nghĩa Trụ Commune, the northern province of Hưng Yên.

He is a four-term member of the Party Central Committee (11th, 12th, 13th and 14th tenures), a three-term member of the Politburo (12th, 13th and 14th), and has served two terms as a National Assembly deputy (14th and 15th).

After studying at the People’s Security University, he began his career at Department I for Political Security under the Ministry of Public Security.

He later held a series of senior posts, including Deputy Director of Department I for Political Security, Director of Department III for Political Security, and senior positions within the General Department of Security.

In 2010, he was appointed Director General of Security I.

Before assuming office as Minister of Public Security in April 2016, he served six years as a Deputy Minister of Public Security.

In early 2019, he was promoted to the rank of General, becoming the fourth person in the history of the People’s Public Security Force to hold its highest military rank.

In May 2024, General Tô Lâm was elected State President by the National Assembly.

On August 3, 2024, he was elected by the Party Central Committee to serve as General Secretary of the 13th Party Central Committee. — VNS

Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, presents flowers to congratulate Tô Lâm, General Secretary of the 14th Party Central Committee on January 23. — VNA/VNS Photo

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and members of the Politburo vote at the meeting on January 23. — VNA/VNS Photo