Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quang has passed away at the age of 61 of a “serious illness" the state-run Vietnam News Agency and Vietnam Television have reported. President Quang died at 10:05 am on September 21 at the National Military Hospital 108, the healthcare division of central officials informed, without specifying his disease.

Born in October 1956, Quang started his career as a police student in 1972 and was promoted to Minister of Public Security in 2011 and conferred General title in 2012.

In April 2016, he was elected by the National Assembly President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Quang’s health has been a concern of the public over the past one year, and appeared pale and thin on the local media recently. The last time he appeared on the national broadcaster was on September 19 when chairing a reception for heads of delegations to the 14th plenum of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in Hanoi.

According to Vietnam’s Constitution, in case the president position is vacant, it will be filled by the sitting vice president until the National Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, selects a new president.