FACTBOX-Potential candidates for Vietnam's leadership transition

Here is a look at some possible candidates for top positions: NGUYEN PHU TRONG, 76 Trong, a party ideologue, is General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and has led an anti-corruption drive after ejecting a former leadership that had closer ties to business. Since also inheriting the position of President, he has become one of the most powerful Vietnamese politicians in decades, but has been struggling with health problems.

Discussion is heating up over the future leadership of Vietnam's Communist Party, which meets this week ahead of a massive congress in January.

Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by four "pillars": a president, prime minister, the chief of its Communist Party and the national assembly chair. Here is a look at some possible candidates for top positions:

NGUYEN PHU TRONG, 76 Trong, a party ideologue, is General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and has led an anti-corruption drive after ejecting a former leadership that had closer ties to business.

Since also inheriting the position of President, he has become one of the most powerful Vietnamese politicians in decades, but has been struggling with health problems. NGUYEN XUAN PHUC, 66

Prime Minister Phuc has represented Hanoi on the world stage as the face of Vietnam's many trade deals and pushed for regional multilateralism as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year. Phuc could fight for a second term or seek to further climb the party ranks.

NGUYEN THI KIM NGAN, 66 Ngan is current chair of the National Assembly and is widely expected to be succeeded by Truong Thi Mai, the head of the Mass Mobilisation Commission. The National Assembly chair is the least powerful of the four top positions, but Trong himself held that role from 2006-2011.

TRAN QUOC VUONG, 67 A fellow party ideologue, Vuong is Trong's right hand man and has worked closely on his anti-corruption crackdown. It remains to be seen how much support he has as a potential successor from members outside Trong's circle.

TO LAM, 63 Lam is the Minister of Public Security, a role from which the last president ascended to his post, making him a potential candidate for the predominantly ceremonial role.

NGO XUAN LICH, 66 Both the military and public security ministry will be competing for influence in the politburo, with Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich leading the military's charge.

PHAM MINH CHINH, 62 Chinh heads the Communist Party's powerful and influential Central Organisation Commission, giving him long reach across party ranks. He is a former deputy public security minister.

TRUONG HOA BINH, 65 Vietnam has four deputy prime ministers, but Binh is the standing deputy, making him first among equals. He has taken on some of the prime minister's economic portfolio, making him a potential candidate for that role.

PHAM BINH MINH, 61 Fellow Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh is one of the few top officials who can speak fluent English. As foreign minister he has been the face of Vietnam's outward-looking diplomatic drive.

VUONG DINH HUE, 63 A former finance minister and professor of economics, Hue is seen as having some of the qualifications needed to fulfil the economically-focused prime minister role.