The candidacy of 67-year-old Kyong was supported by all 440 deputies present at the meeting.
Before his election, he served as a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the only party in the country – the Communist Party. His previous position was the fifth most important, following the party leader, president, prime minister, and chairman of the parliament.
Reuters notes that the appointment of a general as president may finally "bring some stability to Vietnamese politics after a turbulent period of resignations and reshuffles."
In his inaugural speech, Kyong promised to strengthen defense capabilities and pursue an independent and multilateral foreign policy.
Kyong's predecessor, To Lam, held the position from May to October and now occupies a "more influential" role as the leader of the Communist Party following the death of its general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, in July.
The agency points out that the president of Vietnam has "little direct power," but he represents the country at high-level international meetings. For instance, To Lam, Kyong's predecessor, met with leaders from China and the United States during his short time in office.