Vietnam's ruling party meets to select candidates for top leadership positions

Senior officials of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party began a two-day meeting on Dec 22 that is set to select candidates for the country's leadership positions for the next five years.

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The gathering precedes the five-yearly party congress, scheduled for Jan 19 to 25, which will formally nominate leaders and set key policy and economic targets for the remainder of the decade.

Party chief To Lam opened the meeting saying the plenum of the party's central committee is tasked with finalising the selection of state and party leaders, according to his speech published on the government portal.