Vietnamese President To Lam has been formally named as the new chief of the Communist Party; the country’s top position.
This came two weeks after the death of the previous General Secretary.
Nguyen Phu Trong, the previous General Secretary, died on July 19, 2024, after having dominated Vietnamese politics since becoming party chief in 2011.
Lam had temporarily taken on the party chief’s duties on July 18, a day before Trong’s death, as his health deteriorated.
In his first speech as chief on Saturday, Lam promised to inherit and promote Trong’s legacy, make no changes to foreign policy, focus on achieving Vietnam’s socioeconomic development goals and continue a campaign against corruption.
“In the coming time, the work on anticorruption will be continued fiercely,” Lam told a news conference.
“Personally, I feel fortunate that I have much experience in handling antigraft campaign during the time I worked at the police ministry.”
To Lam
Vietnam, a major destination for manufacturing investment, has long been favoured by multinational corporations for its political stability, but experienced major turbulence in recent months that officials said was fuelled by the anti-graft effort.
He asserted that he was taking the reins because of “an urgent need to ensure the leadership of the party.”
Lam was elected President in May after leading the sweeping campaign of high-profile investigations against corruption as Police Minister.
He replaced Vo Van Thuong, who had been in the job for about a year when he quit amid accusations of unspecified wrongdoing.
Chinese Leader, Xi Jinping congratulated Lam on his new role.
Russian President, Vladimir Putin also extended his congratulations to Lam.
In the congratulatory message, He expressed his hope that the two countries will continue constructive dialogues and cooperation in bilateral and international agendas, and wished Party General Secretary Lam more success in Party and State operation.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation’s website also carried its leader, Gennady Ziuganov’s congratulations to the Vietnamese Party Chief.
Unclear Whether Lam Would Retain Both Top Jobs
It was unclear whether Lam would retain both top jobs until the legislative session ends in 2026, or whether a new President would be chosen.
Officials and diplomats told a news agency that the party had discussed possibly naming a new President so that Lam could focus on the party chief job.
Discussions may still be under way, one diplomat told the news agency on Saturday.
If Lam keeps both jobs, he may boost his powers and possibly adopt a more autocratic leadership style, observers have said, similar to that of Xi Jinping, who is China’s party chief and state President.
That would be a change for Vietnam, which has engaged in more collective decision-making, with leaders subject to multiple checks.
It would not, however, be unprecedented.
Trong held both top jobs for nearly three years until April 2021 after the death of a former President.
A number of experts called Lam’s presidency a stepping stone for the top job.
“It is a sign of a temporary halt of internal fighting within the party,” Nguyen Khac Giang, a Vietnam expert at Singapore think tank, the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, stated.
“Although Lam vowed to push forward the anti-corruption campaign, the campaign may slow down a little as he may prioritize stabilising the party system before the party congress in 2026.”
Nguyen Khac Giang
“In case the plenum ends without naming any new state president to replace Lam, it is a signal of a new chapter for Vietnam,” Giang said.
He added, “This practice can then become a norm, not just until 2026, but even after that.”
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