Vietnam elects new parliament chief

Vietnamese legislators today elected Hanoi Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong as the new parliament chief, after accepting three top leaders' resignations in a long-awaited shuffle within the one-party government.

Nguyen Phu Trong, 62, the sole candidate, was selected to replace Nguyen Van An, 68, as chairman of the lawmaking National Assembly, with more than 80% of the vote.

Trong, in turn, nominated Ho Chi Minh City Party chief Nguyen Minh Triet, 63, to become Vietnam's new president.

The move comes after An, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, 72, and President Tran Duc Luong, 69, all submitted their resignations to the assembly for a vote on Saturday. The results were not announced until today.

"The legislators accepted their resignations with a large majority,'' said Nguyen Sy Dung, deputy head of the assembly's office.

Legislators were expected to elect a new president and prime minister later this week before wrapping up their six-week session on Thursday.