Vietnam's assembly elects smaller, younger cabinet

HANOI, Aug 2 (Reuters) Vietnam's National Assembly approved a smaller cabinet today with the task of pushing forward reform in a rapidly expanding economy.

The chamber elected a new central bank chief and nine new ministers and reconfirmed 12 for a total of 22 ministries and ministerial-rank agencies, down from the previous 26.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, in the text of a speech to be delivered to the assembly later in the day, vowed that the communist government would ''seriously correct weaknesses and errors'' and push reform.

The government ''will especially be determined in fighting, preventing and pushing away bureaucracy, corruption and wastefulness,'' he said, according to the text obtained by Reuters.

Dung also pledged to cut hunger and poverty while keeping rapid economic expansion going in Vietnam.

The Southeast Asian country, which joined the World Trade Organisation in January, recorded growth of more than 8 per cent in 2005 and 2006, although the greater prosperity has also raised land and food prices and led to more corruption.

The government is aiming for 9 per cent growth in the second half of 2007 to reach an annual target of 8.5 per cent.

The assembly elected two new deputy prime ministers, bringing the total to five.

Former industry minister Hoang Trung Hai, 48, was promoted along with Nguyen Thien Nhan, 54, who will also run the Education and Training Ministry, a government statement said.

The assembly re-elected Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Sinh Hung, Pham Gia Khiem and Truong Vinh Trong.

Dung himself was re-elected last week to run a government aimed at being more business-friendly and tough on graft.

Nguyen Van Giau, 50, a southerner who had been a deputy central bank governor, was elected to run the State Bank of Vietnam, the government said.

The new cabinet includes three new ministries covering Industry and Trade, Information and Communications, and Culture, Sports and Tourism. The Agriculture Ministry has absorbed the Fisheries Ministry.

Last week, the assembly confirmed Nguyen Phu Trong as its chairman and Nguyen Minh Triet as state president.

REUTERS CS PM1150