Vietnam's Communist Party chief Lam seeks presidency in China-style expanded power mandate

Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam meets with U.S. President Joe Biden (not pictured) on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United National General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, U.S., September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

HANOI: Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam (pic) is seeking to combine his party role with the state presidency, officials said, in a move that would align Vietnam's political structure more closely to China's where President Xi Jinping heads the party and state.

Next week some 1,600 delegates will gather in Hanoi to kick off a week-long Communist Party congress, held every five years to select new leaders ‌and set policy goals for the single-party state.