State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) hands over the decision to Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong in Hanoi on June 3. (Photo: VNA)

Gen. Cuong was born on February 12, 1966 in Ha Nam Province, which is not far from Hanoi capital.

He had held several key posts in the army before assuming the role as Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.

Cuong was an alternate member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee between 2011 - 2013, and was appointed as Commander of Military Region No.4 in 2014.

He was elected to the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee in 2016 and was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army in 2018.

He was appointed as Deputy Minister of National Defence in December 2019 and again in January 2021.

The General was elected again to the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee for the 2021-2026 tenure at the 13th National Party Congress early this year.

VOV