Vietnam's National Assembly is expected to select the country's new president Monday, with a wartime prisoner of the former South Vietnamese government as the only candidate.

Truong Tan Sang, aged 62, is a native of southern Vietnam and served until 2000 as general secretary of the Communist Party in Ho Chi Minh City. He has held the party's number-two post since 2006.

Sang is seen as a political rival of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is expected to be elected to a new term later this week. Sang takes over the largely ceremonial position of president from Nguyen Minh Triet, who served a single term.

The 500-member assembly has been meeting since Thursday in its first session since being chosen in one-party elections in May.

On Saturday, the lawmakers selected Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung as chairman of the assembly.

The delegates are expected to discuss the establishment of a committee to draft amendments to the 1992 constitution before their session concludes on August 6.