Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (born November 17, 1949 in Cà Mau province) is the prime minister of Vietnam. He was confirmed by the National Assembly on June 27, 2006, having been nominated by his predecessor, Phan Văn Khải, who retired from office. Dũng is currently ranked fourth in the hierarchy of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Nguyễn Tấn Dũng was born in Cà Mau province in Southern Vietnam. Precisely on his 12th birthday (November, 17 1961), the young Nguyễn Tấn Dũng voluntarily joined the military arm of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, later part of the Vietnam People's Army, doing first-aid, and communication tasks; he also worked as a nurse, and a physician. Dũng was four times wounded in the Vietnam War, and was later ranked as a level 2/4 wounded soldier. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law following the end of the war.

Dũng previously served as First Deputy Prime Minister from September 29, 1997. He was also the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam between 1998 and 1999. He was admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam on June 10, 1967, then joined the army as a full-fledged fighter and was subsequently elected a member of the Party’s Politburo at the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth National Party Congresses.