Võ Văn Thưởng facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Võ Văn Thưởng
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Thưởng in 2023
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| 12th President of Vietnam | |
| In office 2 March 2023 – 21 March 2024 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Member of the Party Central Committee | |
| In office 19 January 2011 – 20 March 2024 |
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| First Secretary of the Communist Youth Union | |
| In office 29 July 2006 – 11 August 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Đào Ngọc Dung |
| Succeeded by | Nguyễn Đắc Vinh |
| President of the Vietnam Youth Federation | |
| In office 29 February 2008 – 27 April 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Nông Quốc Tuấn |
| Succeeded by | Nguyễn Phước Lộc |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1970 Vĩnh Long, South 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 (Vietnamese: [vɔ˦ˀ˥ van˧˧ tʰɨəŋ˧˩]; born 13 December 1970) is a Vietnamese politician. He served as the 12th president of Vietnam from March 2023 to March 2024. At 52, he was the youngest person to become president since Vietnam's reunification.
He resigned after just over a year in office. This made him the second shortest-serving president in Vietnamese history. His resignation happened during the Communist Party's efforts to fight corruption.
Võ Văn Thưởng is a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He has a master's degree in philosophy and a special diploma in political theory. He was a member of the 12th, 14th, and 15th National Assembly of Vietnam. He also served on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam from 2011 until his resignation in 2024.
Before joining the Politburo, he held several important roles. He was a leader in Ho Chi Minh City and Quang Ngai Province. He also led the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Federation.
Võ Văn Thưởng first joined the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2016. He was 45 years old, making him the youngest member at that time. From 2016 to 2021, he was the Head of the Central Propaganda Department. He was re-elected to the Politburo for its 13th term. From 2021 to 2023, he was the Permanent Member of the Secretariat. Many saw him as a close ally and possible successor to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyễn Phú Trọng.
Võ Văn Thưởng became the 12th President of Vietnam on March 2, 2023. This happened after the previous president, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, resigned. Phúc resigned due to political responsibility after some of his team were involved in corruption issues. As the country's head of state, Thưởng was the second highest official in Vietnam. He was after General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng. During his time as president, Thưởng made important diplomatic connections. This included a historic meeting with Pope Francis. On March 21, 2024, he resigned. This followed the arrest of some of his former colleagues in Quang Ngai province in a major corruption case.
Early Life and Education
Võ Văn Thưởng was born on December 13, 1970, in Vĩnh Long, which was then South Vietnam. His family moved from the South during the Vietnam War. In 1988, he began studying Marxist–Leninist Philosophy at the University of Ho Chi Minh City.
In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. He then continued his studies, getting a master's degree in philosophy in 1999. He joined the Communist Party of Vietnam on November 18, 1993. He also studied political theory at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.
Career Path
Early Roles
University and Youth Leadership
After graduating in 1992, Võ Văn Thưởng became Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union at the General University of Ho Chi Minh City. In 1993, he became Vice Head of a committee for the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union. By October 1996, he was elected to the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union.
He continued to work with the Youth Union and student associations. In January 2000, he became Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Students' Association for a second time. In May 2001, he became Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union. By November 2002, he was appointed Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union. He was also elected a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee in October 2003.
In December 2004, Võ Văn Thưởng was appointed Secretary of the Party Committee of District 12 in Ho Chi Minh City. In April 2006, he was elected as an alternate member of the 10th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In October 2006, he was appointed Standing Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. He later became the First Secretary of this Union in January 2007. In February 2008, he was elected President of the Vietnam Youth Federation.
Provincial Leadership
Võ Văn Thưởng was elected to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council from 1999 to 2004. In July 2007, he was elected as a member of the 12th National Assembly for Vinh Long province.
In January 2011, he became a full member of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In August 2011, he was assigned to be the Secretary of the Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee.
In April 2014, he became the Vice Standing Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. He was re-elected to this position in October 2015.
National Politics
In January 2016, Võ Văn Thưởng was elected a member of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The next day, he was elected to the Politburo. At 46, he was the youngest member of the 12th Politburo. In February 2016, he became the Head of the Central Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of Vietnam. In May 2016, he was elected as a member of the 14th National Assembly for Đồng Nai Province.
Standing Secretary Role
In January 2021, he was elected as a full member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He was also elected to the Politburo of the 13th Central Committee. In February, he was appointed the standing secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Secretariat.
Becoming President
On March 1, 2023, the Party Central Committee suggested him as the next President. This was after Nguyễn Xuân Phúc resigned due to corruption scandals. Thưởng was seen as a strong candidate for the role.
Presidency
On March 2, 2023, the National Assembly officially elected Võ Văn Thưởng as Vietnam's new president. He replaced Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. Thưởng was the youngest president since Vietnam's reunification. In April 2023, he also became the President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society. He was considered a close ally of General Secretary Trọng.
Domestic Actions
Presidential Orders
As president, he issued orders for new laws. These included laws on prices, civil defense, and cooperatives. He also approved laws about protecting consumers and electronic transactions.
Views on Justice
On March 27, 2023, Võ Văn Thưởng met with leaders of the Supreme People's Court. He stressed the importance of fair trials. He said that technology cannot replace the "bravery and brain, the heart of the judge." In July 2023, he appointed Nguyen Hong Nam as a Judge of the Supreme People's Court.
International Relations
2023 Diplomatic Engagements
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In April 2023, Governor-General of Australia David Hurley visited Vietnam. This was the first state visit Thưởng received as president. In April, Thưởng made his first overseas trip to neighboring Laos. He met with leaders there to strengthen trust between the two countries.
In May, Võ Văn Thưởng traveled to the United Kingdom. He attended the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla on May 6, 2023. In June, President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol visited Vietnam. This visit marked a stronger partnership between the two countries. Many Korean businesses also came, showing Vietnam is a good place for investment.
In July, Thưởng visited the Vatican City and met with Pope Francis. They agreed that the Holy See could have a permanent representative in Vietnam. In December 2023, Marek Zalewski was appointed as the permanent resident papal representative to Vietnam.
In September, U.S. president Joe Biden visited Vietnam. The two countries improved their relationship to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership." Thưởng also attended the Belt and Road Forum in China and the APEC Conference 2023 in the United States. He met with many world leaders and business people.
In October, Thưởng attended the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China. He met with General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet.
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In November, he made a four-day trip to Japan. He met with Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. They agreed to make their countries' relationship a "comprehensive Strategic Partnership." This made Japan the 6th country to have such a partnership with Vietnam.
In December 2023, he met with CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping again during Xi's visit to Vietnam. They discussed strengthening cooperation between their two parties and countries.
2024 Diplomatic Engagements
In January 2024, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Hanoi. This was the German president's first foreign visit of 2024. It was also an important meeting before the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany in 2025.
Resignation from Office
On March 20, 2024, the Party Central Committee accepted Võ Văn Thưởng's resignation. He resigned as president and from his other party roles. 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 on March 21, 2024.
Images for kids
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Võ Văn Thưởng's signature
See also
In Spanish: Võ Văn Thưởng para niños
