HANOI: Vietnamese President To Lam was formally named the country`s top leader on Saturday, pledging to `speed up` a sweeping anti-graft campaign that hassnaredthousands.

The Communist Party elected Lam general secretary at a morning session, the party said at a press conference, making him the most powerful figure in Vietnam`s leadership structure.

Lam`s ascension comes two weeks after the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam`s most powerful leader in decades, who presided over the socalled blazing furnace crackdown on corruption.

In his first remarks asgeneral secretary, Lam pledged to `speed up` the campaign that has seen numerous top officials and senior business leaders face charges. `(I will) continue to speed up anti-corruption ... regardless of who the person is,` Lam told the press conference.

`We have gained the trust of the people, and international friends, in ourfight`.

The party`s general secretary is the most powerful figure in Vietnam`s leadership structure, with the president occupying a largely ceremonial role that includes meeting foreign counterparts.

Lam became president in May after his predecessor resigned amid the vast anti-graft purge.-AFP