Closing of Vietnamese Communist Party congress

Vietnam's Communist Party on Sunday reelected Nguyen Phu Trong to be its chief, state Vietnam News Agency reported.

His selection makes him nation's de facto leer for a third five-year term.

vote at 13th National Party Congress in Hanoi took place a day earlier than planned, as meeting, scheduled to end Tuesday, was being shortened to lessen threat from a coronavirus outbreak, which last week spre to capital city.

Vietnam is a single-party Communist state, so party leers almost automatically assume leership of government, though debates can take place within party's bodies and legislature.

1,587 delegates at congress were selected in a process that began at party's grassroots.

newly-elected 200-member Central Committee selected Trong as general secretary and he of 18-member Politburo, highest-ranking party body.