Vietnam's Deputy Agriculture Minister and 4 Others Expelled from Communist Party

Vietnam's Communist Party Central Committee has decided to expel Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung, along with four other party members, due to severe violations of party rules and state laws. The decision, announced on July 28, cited "degeneration in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle" as the primary reasons. According to information from the Party Central Committee's meeting, the violations committed by these officials have "caused very serious consequences, provoked public outrage, and adversely affected the prestige of Party organizations, localities, agencies, and units." The Central Committee has urged relevant functional bodies to implement administrative disciplinary measures that are in sync with the Party's disciplinary actions. The expulsion was based on a recommendation from the Central Inspection Committee, which oversees inspection, supervision, and disciplinary enforcement within the Party. The exact nature of the specific wrongdoings leading to these disciplinary actions has not been publicly disclosed. Hoang Trung, born in 1969 and hailing from Lao Cai province, holds a doctorate. He built his career within the agricultural sector, previously serving as a specialist, quarantine officer, head of the Plant Protection Department, deputy director, and then director of the Plant Protection Department. In March 2023, while he was the Director of the Plant Protection Department, then-Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh appointed him as Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. After the merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in February 2025, he assumed the role of Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment. Before the expulsion decision on July 28, other officials have also faced legal scrutiny. Duong Thanh Trung was prosecuted by Ca Mau Provincial Police in early July for alleged land irregularities. Meanwhile, Do Truong Giang and several former leaders in Lao Cai Province have been accused of abusing their positions and powers while on duty. The decision to expel these five individuals comes just days after the conclusion of the 14th Central Committee's third plenum. During that plenum, Bui Van Hai, former Secretary of the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee, was stripped of all his Party positions. Expulsion from the Party is the most severe form of disciplinary action, ranking above reprimand, warning, and dismissal.