Is Vietnam’s new leader taking cues from China’s Xi Jinping?

“It is fair to say that Mr Trong is the most powerful leader of Vietnam since President Ho Chi Minh,” said Le Dang Doanh, a retired senior economic adviser to the government and party member, adding that Trong is even more powerful than former wartime leader Le Duan.

At age 74, Trong is nine years too old to serve as general secretary under the party’s rules, although his allies in the central committee have made exceptions for him since he was first elected in 2011. He has publicly portrayed himself as a reluctant leader, even modestly asking for Vietnam’s “sympathy” during his presidential acceptance speech in the National Assembly and hinting that he was only holding office for the sake of the nation.

Trong’s ascent to the presidency, which followed the death of President Tran Dai Quang last month, comes on top of his posting as chairman of the party’s Central Military Commission, the nation’s highest body on military affairs. This means that for the first time in Vietnam’s history, the party boss holds the same three top offices that have been enjoyed by Beijing’s paramount leaders since 1993.

With Trong’s election to the presidency coming in the wake of a 2016 Party Congress that saw one of his primary opponents stripped of the premiership and a subsequent anti-corruption crackdown that went as high as the politburo, comparisons have been drawn between Trong, whose presidency won unanimous support in the central committee, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.