The Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , known as Deputy Chairman of the Council of State from 1981 to 1992, is the vice head of state of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The Vice President is appointed on the recommendation of the President to the National Assembly. The president can also recommend the vice president's dismissal and resignation from office. Upon the President's recommendation, the Vice President has to be approved by the National Assembly. The main duty of a Vice President is to help the President in discharging his duties – in certain cases, the Vice President can be empowered by the president to replace him in the discharge of some of his duties. If the president can't discharge of his duties, the Vice President becomes acting president (Tôn Đức Thắng and Nguyễn Hữu Thọ were both acting presidents for a short period). In case of vacancy, the vice president will remain acting president until the National Assembly elects a new president.