HANOI, Jul. 19 (Reuters) - Vietnam's Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong has died, state media said on Friday, after holding the country's most powerful position for more than a decade. He was 80.

State media, citing information from Trong's medical team, said he died early afternoon on Friday "after a period of illness".

Vietnam's President To Lam took over Trong's duties on Thursday when the party announced Trong needed to focus on medical treatment.