# Nguyễn Văn Thắng (politician)

Nguyễn Văn Thắng (born September 12, 1973) is a Vietnamese politician. He is currently a member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, a member of the National Assembly for the 14th and 15th terms, the Minister of Finance of Vietnam, former Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Delegation of the National Assembly deputies for the 14th and 15th terms from Điện Biên Province, and the former Minister of Transport of Vietnam.

## Early life and education

Nguyễn Văn Thắng was born in Mỹ Đình, Từ Liêm, Hà Nội. He currently resides at House No. 55, Nội Hamlet, Phú Mỹ Residential Group, Mỹ Đình 2 Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, Hà Nội.
In 1995, he graduated with a college degree in Banking from the Banking Academy. From 1993 to 1996, he earned a bachelor's degree from the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies (now Hanoi University), majoring in English. From 1999 to 2000, he earned a bachelor's degree from the Hanoi University of Finance and Accounting, majoring in Finance and Credit. From 2002 to 2004, he earned a master's degree from the Banking Academy, majoring in Finance and Banking. From 2007 to 2013, he earned a PhD in economics, specializing in Monetary Finance at the Academy of Finance. From 2011 to 2013, he studied Advanced Political Theory and Administration at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration.

## Career

After graduating from the Banking College for a year, in December 1996, he started his career as a foreign trade business officer at the Ba Đình District branch, Hanoi, of VietinBank until December 2000.
From January 2001 to May 2003, he was the secretary to the General Director of VietinBank.
From June 2003 to February 2006, he served as Deputy Chief of Office cum Secretary to the General Director of VietinBank.
On May 19, 2003, he joined the Communist Party of Vietnam.
From March 2006 to August 2008, he held the position of Deputy Head of Corporate Clients Department at VietinBank.
From September 2008 to December 2009, he held the position of Head of Corporate Clients Department at VietinBank.
From January 2010 to May 2011, he was the Director of VietinBank's Hanoi branch.
From June 2011 to December 25, 2011, he was a member of the board of directors and Acting General Director of VietinBank.
From December 26, 2011, to April 28, 2014, he was a member of the board of directors and General Director of VietinBank.
On April 29, 2014, he became Chairman of the Board of Directors of VietinBank.
On January 26, 2016, he was elected as an alternate member of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam for the 2015–2020 term.
On May 22, 2016, he was elected as a member of the 14th National Assembly of Vietnam representing the electoral unit of Hà Nội.

### Quảng Ninh Province

On July 13, 2018, the Politburo transferred and appointed him to the executive committee and the Standing Committee of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee (term 2015–2020) and he was elected as Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quảng Ninh Province for the 13th term (2016–2021) with 66/67 votes, achieving 98.5% of the present delegates and 89.1% of the total delegates of the Provincial People's Council.
On June 27, 2019, at the 40th session of the 14th Provincial Party Committee of Quảng Ninh, he was elected as Deputy Secretary of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee for the 2015–2020 term.
On July 5, 2019, at the 12th session (extraordinary session) of the 13th Provincial People's Council of Quảng Ninh, term 2016–2021, he was elected as Chairman of the People's Committee of Quảng Ninh Province.
On May 16, 2020, the UBTV Quốc hội issued Resolution No. 942/NQ-UBTVQH14 approving the election results of the Head of the Delegation of National Assembly deputies for the 14th term from Quảng Ninh Province.
On September 26, 2020, at the first conference of the 15th Provincial Party Committee of Quảng Ninh, term 2020–2025, he was re-elected as Deputy Secretary of the 15th Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee.

### Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee

The decision of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam on October 11, 2020, regarding personnel work was handed to him by Phạm Minh Chính, a member of the Politburo and Head of the Central Organization Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam, on the afternoon of October 11 at the headquarters of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee. Thắng will cease to participate in the executive committee and the Standing Committee of the Quảng Ninh Provincial Party Committee, and will be appointed to the executive committee and the Standing Committee and introduced for election as Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee for the 2020–2025 term.
During the 14th Congress of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee for the 2020–2025 term, on the afternoon of October 14, 2020, Nguyễn Văn Thắng was elected as Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee.
On October 22, 2020, the UBTV Quốc hội issued Resolution No. 1038/NQ-UBTVQH14, transferring Nguyễn Văn Thắng from the Quảng Ninh delegation to the Điện Biên delegation of National Assembly deputies.
On January 30, 2021, at the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he was elected as an official member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

### Chairman of the Board of Directors of VietinBank

Under Nguyễn Văn Thắng's leadership, VietinBank completed a major M&A deal by selling 19.73% of its shares to strategic shareholder The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.

### Central Committee

On January 26, 2016, he was elected as an alternate member of the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam for the 2015–2020 term.
On January 30, 2021, at the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, he was elected as an official member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

### Member of the 14th and 15th National Assembly of Vietnam

On May 22, 2016, Nguyễn Văn Thắng was elected as a member of the 14th National Assembly of Vietnam representing Hà Nội.
On December 24, 2020, according to Resolution No. 1118/NQ-UBTVQH14, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly approved the election results of Nguyễn Văn Thắng, an alternate member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee, and member of the 14th National Assembly, to hold the position of Head of the Delegation of National Assembly deputies for the 14th term from Điện Biên Province.
- 7/2021: Member of the 15th National Assembly, Member of the Economic Committee of the National Assembly, and Head of the Delegation of National Assembly deputies from Điện Biên Province, Head of the Party Group.

#### Support for the Special Administrative-Economic Units Law

On May 23, 2018, at the 5th session of 2018, during discussions at the National Assembly of Vietnam on the draft Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units for Vân Đồn, Bắc Vân Phong, and Phú Quốc (referred to as special zones), Thắng expressed his complete agreement with the contents of this draft law and proposed adding three sectors that need incentives: finance and banking, education and training, and healthcare, in addition to tourism, hotels, and casino.

### Minister of Transport

On October 21, 2022, at the fourth session, he was elected by the 15th National Assembly of Vietnam as Minister of Transport for the 2021–2026 term, upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, replacing Nguyễn Văn Thể, who had just been dismissed by the National Assembly.
On the morning of October 22, 2022, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended the ceremony to announce and hand over the President's decision to appoint him as Minister of Transport.
On the morning of October 23, 2022, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport, a handover ceremony was held for the position of Minister of Transport between former Minister Nguyễn Văn Thể and new Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng. At the ceremony, Nguyễn Văn Thể, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Secretary of the Party Committee of Central Agencies Bloc, and former Minister of Transport, officially handed over the responsibilities of the Minister of Transport to his successor, Nguyễn Văn Thắng, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, and the new Minister of Transport.
On November 23, 2022, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signed Decision No. 1452/QĐ-TTg, restructuring the position of Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee. Accordingly, Thắng is the Permanent Vice Chairman of this committee.
On the afternoon of November 28, 2024, at the eighth session, the 15th National Assembly voted to approve the Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's proposal to dismiss Nguyễn Văn Thắng from the position of Minister of Transport for the 2021–2026 term.

### Minister of Finance

On November 28, 2024, at the eighth session, the 15th National Assembly voted to approve the Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính's proposal to appoint Nguyễn Văn Thắng as Minister of Finance for the 2021–2026 term by electronic voting.
As a result, 452 delegates participated in the vote (equivalent to 94.36% of the total number of delegates), with 452 delegates agreeing (equivalent to 94.36% of the total number of delegates).

## Controversies

On May 18, 2020, the Quảng Ninh People's Committee issued a decision recognizing the Principal of Hạ Long University. Accordingly, Nguyễn Văn Thắng, Chairman of the Quảng Ninh People's Committee, concurrently held the position of Principal of Hạ Long University for the 2020–2025 term. This decision sparked diverse opinions in the press and public regarding its feasibility and legality. However, according to Phùng Xuân Nhạ, then Minister of Education and Training, based on Hạ Long University's report to the Ministry, the concurrent appointment aimed to ensure the leadership and direction of the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee for the newly established university.
In an interview with Tiền phong, then Minister of Home Affairs, Lê Vĩnh Tân, stated, "The law does not specify that the Chairman of a Provincial People's Committee can concurrently hold any position in a public service unit," adding that he personally "heard of it for the first time" and that it was unprecedented.

## Awards

* Certificate of Merit from the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (2008)
* Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (according to Decision No. 1722/QĐ-TTg dated November 14, 2012)
* Industry Emulation Soldier in 2012 (according to Decision No. 2698/QĐ-NHNN dated November 18, 2013)