HANOI -- The selection of a close ally of Nguyen Phu Trong as Vietnam's next president further strengthens the Communist Party general secretary's grip on power, raising concerns about tighter party control over the economy.
New President Vo Van Thuong, who had served in the party's No. 5 post of Central Committee secretary since 2021, is among the party lifers elevated amid an anti-graft crackdown spearheaded by Trong that has brought down top officials.
