▁Prime ▁Minister ▁D ũ ng ▁and ▁described ▁their ▁relationship ▁as ▁" st orm y ." ▁Mich al ak ▁described ▁both ▁Sang ▁and ▁D ũ ng ▁as ▁" p rag m atic " ▁and ▁" market - orient ed ." ▁Both ▁are ▁southern ers , ▁but ▁tradition ally ▁the ▁party ' s ▁top ▁slot ▁has ▁gone ▁to ▁a ▁nor ther ner . ▁N gu y ễ n ▁Ph ú ▁Tr ọ ng , ▁a ▁nor ther ner , ▁was ▁appointed ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Vietnam ▁at ▁ 1 1 th ▁National ▁Congress ▁held ▁in ▁H ano i ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁con gress ▁selected ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁Polit b uro ▁ ▁members , ▁and ▁Sang ▁is ▁ranked ▁first ▁on ▁this ▁list . ▁Following ▁the ▁con gress , ▁Tr ong ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁top ▁ranking ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁party ' s ▁Secret ariat , ▁Vietnam ' s ▁most ▁powerful ▁decision - making ▁body , ▁while ▁Sang ▁is ▁ranked ▁second . ▁ ▁Pres iden cy ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Vietnam ▁elected ▁Tr ư ơ ng ▁T ấ n ▁Sang ▁as ▁state ▁president ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁with ▁ 9 7 . 4 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁The ▁term ▁of ▁office ▁is ▁five ▁years . ▁Sang ▁told ▁the ▁Assembly ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁defend ▁Vietnam ' s ▁independence ▁and ▁territorial ▁integrity , ▁and ▁would ▁resolve ▁the ▁Spr at ly ▁Islands ▁dispute ▁with ▁China ▁peace fully . ▁As ▁the ▁new ▁president ,