Myanmar's First Vice President to serve as acting president

Myanmar's First Vice President U Myint Swe will serve as acting president according to the constitution until the parliament re-elects the new president, U Zaw Htay, director-general of the President Office, told Xinhua on Wednesday following U Htin Kyaw's resignation.

Myanmar's First Vice President U Myint Swe talks to journalists during a press conference of their final report on Rakhine state investigation at a government guest house in Yangon, Myanmar, on Aug. 6, 2017. [Photo: AP]

Under the constitution, the presidential vacancy will be filled within seven days through the parliament.

The President's Office earlier on Wednesday released an official statement of President U Htin Kyaw's resignation, citing health as the reason.

U Htin Kyaw, President of Myanmar, leaves after a parliament session in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 15, 2016. [Photo: IC]

U Zaw Htay added that the resigned president U Htin Kyaw underwent medical treatment in Singapore in January and insisted on his resignation.

U Htin Kyaw, 72, was elected as the president in March, 2016, after Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 2015 general election.