Vietnam’s army reportedly supports incumbent PM in race to party chief

Previously, an inside source revealed to Thoibao.de that “the army supports Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh” in the race to become party chief to replace aging General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Today, July 10, there are signs that the above leaked news is likely to be true.

On the morning of July 10, in Hanoi, the Military Conference for the first 6 months of 2024 took place, organized by the Central Military Commission and the Defense Ministry.

It was not a surprise that the head of the Central Military Commission, Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, could not attend because everyone knew that his health has been in decline for several weeks.

General Phan Van Giang welcomed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

Unexpectedly, General Secretary Trong’s replacement at the conference was not State President To Lam who will visit Laos and Cambodia soon but Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Minister General Phan Van Giang personally went to the yard to welcome the PM off the bus.

PM Chinh attended and directed the conference, Minister Giang chaired the conference. Also attending were leaders of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army, the General Staff, military regions, military branches, academies and schools throughout the army.

Internal sources also said, “Pham Minh Chinh and To Lam will fight each other.” Although the army is stronger in terms of weapons and numbers, “but in terms of real power, To Lam’s army (ie the police) is stronger because it has a legal basis to ‘kill’ its opponents.”

Thoibao.de