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Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang was in the media spotlight on Friday afternoon during a rare public appearance at a townhall meeting in Ho Chi Minh City.
Quang’s attendance at public events has been receiving special coverage since he disappeared from the media for a month in July.
The former minister of public security reportedly missed the anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Public Security Force, the core of Vietnam’s police, on August 18.
In his first public appearance in a month, he received the outgoing Cuban ambassador to Vietnam at his office in Hanoi on August 28. He was also seen with Egyptian president in early September and Hungary’s prime minister on September 25.
He was pictured attending an eight-day key Communist Party conclave that wrapped up Wednesday in Hanoi.
On Friday, the president, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, showed up at the Communist Party office in District 3 leading a delegation from the legislative National Assembly to meet with local constituents. (Quang is also an elected legislator.)
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President Tran Dai Quang shows up at a townhall meeting with his constituents in Ho Chi Minh City's District 3 on Friday. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen |
Most of the discussions centered around preventing corruption and improving quality of life.
The residents asked for safer and more convenient ways to report crime and corruption, and better access to keep track of officials’ assets. They also questioned the management of road toll fees, food safety and medicine quality, and expressed concerns about the government’s plan to raise value-added tax (VAT) from 10 to 12 percent in 2019.
It is not unusual for top officials in Vietnam to meet with their constituents before members of the National Assembly gather.
The legislative body is set to start its winter session on October 23, when lawmakers are expected to spend a month discussing a number of new and revised laws along with major personnel changes.
