Closing of Vietnamese Communist Party congress

Vietnam's Communist Party on Sunday reelected Nguyen Phu Trong to be its chief, the state Vietnam News Agency reported.

His selection makes him the nation's de facto leader for a third five-year term.

The vote at the 13th National Party Congress in Hanoi took place a day earlier than planned, as the meeting, scheduled to end Tuesday, was being shortened to lessen the threat from a coronavirus outbreak, which last week spread to the capital city.

Vietnam is a single-party Communist state, so party leaders almost automatically assume leadership of the government, though debates can take place within the party's bodies and the legislature.

The 1,587 delegates at the congress were selected in a process that began at the party's grassroots.

The newly-elected 200-member Central Committee selected Trong as general secretary and head of the 18-member Politburo, the highest-ranking party body.