Võ Văn Thưởng Facts for Kids

In this article, the family name is Võ. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Thưởng.

Quick facts for kids Võ Văn Thưởng
Thưởng in 2023

12th President of Vietnam
In office 2 March 2023 – 21 March 2024
Prime Minister	Phạm Minh Chính
Vice President	Võ Thị Ánh Xuân
Preceded by	Nguyễn Xuân Phúc
Succeeded by	Tô Lâm
Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat
In office 5 February 2021 – 6 March 2023
General Secretary	Nguyễn Phú Trọng
Preceded by	Trần Quốc Vượng
Succeeded by	Trương Thị Mai
Head of the Party Propaganda Department
In office 4 February 2016 – 19 February 2021
General Secretary	Nguyễn Phú Trọng
Preceded by	Đinh Thế Huynh
Succeeded by	Nguyễn Trọng Nghĩa
Member of the Politburo
In office 27 January 2016 – 20 March 2024
Member of the Party Central Committee
In office 19 January 2011 – 20 March 2024
First Secretary of the Communist Youth Union
In office 29 July 2006 – 11 August 2011
Preceded by	Đào Ngọc Dung
Succeeded by	Nguyễn Đắc Vinh
President of the Vietnam Youth Federation
In office 29 February 2008 – 27 April 2010
Preceded by	Nông Quốc Tuấn
Succeeded by	Nguyễn Phước Lộc

Personal details
Born	(1970-12-13) 13 December 1970 (age 54) Hải Dương, North Vietnam
Political party	Communist Party of Vietnam
Spouse	Phan Thị Thanh Tâm
Alma mater	University of Hồ Chí Minh City Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics
Signature

Võ Văn Thưởng (born 13 December 1970) is a Vietnamese politician. He served as the 12th President of Vietnam from March 2023 to March 2024. He was the youngest person to become president since Vietnam was reunified, taking office at age 52.

He resigned after just over a year in office. This made him the second shortest-serving president in Vietnam's history. His resignation happened during a time when the Communist Party of Vietnam was working to stop corruption.

Thưởng is a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He has a master's degree in philosophy. He was also a member of Vietnam's National Assembly and the Party's Central Committee.

Before becoming president, he held important roles. He was a leader in the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union. He also led the Vietnam Youth Federation.

Early Life and Education
Political Career
Becoming President
Presidency Highlights
- International Relations
Resignation
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Võ Văn Thưởng was born on 13 December 1970. His birthplace was Hải Dương, in what was then North Vietnam. His family moved from the South during the Vietnam War.

In 1988, he began studying philosophy at the University of Ho Chi Minh City. He earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1992. Later, in 1999, he received a master's degree in philosophy.

He officially joined the Communist Party of Vietnam in November 1994. He also studied political theory at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Political Career

Võ Văn Thưởng has had a long career in Vietnamese politics. He started in youth organizations. Then he moved into provincial and national roles.

Youth Leadership

After graduating from university in 1992, Thưởng became a leader in the Youth Union. He worked with university students in Ho Chi Minh City. He helped create the Ho Chi Minh City Students' Association.

In 1997, he was elected to the Central Committee of the Youth Union. He continued to rise in the youth movement. By 2002, he was the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union. In 2006, he became the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. This was a very important role for young people in Vietnam.

Provincial Roles

Thưởng also served in local government. He was a member of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council. In 2007, he was elected to the National Assembly for Vinh Long province.

In 2011, he became a full member of the Party's Central Committee. He was then assigned to lead the Party Committee in Quang Ngai Province. Later, in 2014, he became a top leader in the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

National Politics

In 2016, Võ Văn Thưởng was elected to the Politburo. This is a very powerful group in the Communist Party. At 46, he was the youngest member at that time. He then became the Head of the Central Propaganda Department. This department is in charge of spreading the Party's ideas.

In 2021, he was re-elected to the Politburo. He then became the Permanent Secretary of the Party's Secretariat. This role is very close to the Party's top leader, the General Secretary.

Becoming President

On 2 March 2023, Võ Văn Thưởng became the 12th President of Vietnam. He took over after the previous president, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, resigned. Nguyễn Xuân Phúc resigned because some of his staff were involved in corruption issues.

As president, Thưởng was the second highest official in Vietnam. The highest was the General Secretary, Nguyễn Phú Trọng. Thưởng is seen as a close supporter of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

Presidency Highlights

During his time as president, Võ Văn Thưởng made several important diplomatic trips. He met with leaders from many countries.

International Relations

Australia: In April 2023, he welcomed the Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley, to Vietnam. This was the first visit by a foreign head of state that Thưởng hosted as president.
Laos: His first trip overseas as president was to neighboring Laos in April 2023. He met with Lao politicians to strengthen ties between the two countries.
United Kingdom: In May 2023, he traveled to the United Kingdom. He attended the coronation of King Charles III.
South Korea: In June 2023, he hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Vietnam. Many Korean businesses came with President Yoon. This showed that Vietnam is an attractive place for foreign investment.
Vatican City: In July 2023, Thưởng met with Pope Francis in Vatican City. They agreed that the Vatican could have a permanent representative in Vietnam.
United States: In September 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden visited Vietnam. The two countries agreed to a stronger partnership.
China: In October 2023, Thưởng attended a forum in Beijing, China. He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Japan: In November 2023, he visited Japan and met with Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Vietnam and Japan agreed to a new, stronger partnership.
Germany: In January 2024, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Vietnam. This visit was important as the two countries prepared to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.

Resignation

On 20 March 2024, the Communist Party Central Committee accepted Võ Văn Thưởng's resignation. He resigned from his roles as president, Politburo member, and Party Central Committee member. The committee stated that he had committed "violations" that "left a bad mark on the reputation of the Communist Party."

Võ Thị Ánh Xuân became the acting President the next day.