Vietnam leader To Lam consolidates power as country targets 10% growth : NPR

HANOI, Vietnam — To Lam has been reelected as general secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, positioning him to potentially become the country’s most influential figure in decades. Analysts anticipate that he will also take on the presidency, departing from Vietnam’s tradition of collective leadership.

Lam, aged 68, has promised to boost economic growth and was unanimously reappointed by the 180-member Central Committee at the end of the National Party Congress held from Monday to Friday.

Although no official announcement has been made regarding the presidency, the composition of the newly elected 19-member Politburo strongly indicates that Lam will consolidate his power further by assuming the presidency, according to Le Hong Hiep, a fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.

This consolidation of power could lead to quicker decision-making and the implementation of reforms, but it also poses risks by weakening internal party checks and complicating succession, similar to power structures observed in China under Xi Jinping and neighboring Laos.

The main focus of the Congress was whether Vietnam can transform into a high-income economy by 2045, setting a target of 10% annual growth or higher from 2026 to 2030.

Party leaders assert that achieving this goal will require moving away from a growth model based on cheap labor and exports towards productivity, technology, and a more robust private sector.

“To reach our objectives, we must achieve double-digit growth,” stated Lam.

The Rise of To Lam

Lam’s reelection marks the culmination of a career journey from a policeman to the pinnacle of Vietnam’s political hierarchy.

His rise was propelled by a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign initiated under his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong, which Lam supervised as head of the powerful Ministry of Public Security. This campaign led to the sidelining or removal of numerous senior officials, including two former presidents and Vietnam’s parliamentary leader, fundamentally reshaping the party’s power dynamics.

Lam oversaw the most extensive bureaucratic restructuring in Vietnam since the late 1980s, involving the elimination of tens of thousands of public-sector positions, the consolidation of ministries, the redrawing of provincial boundaries, and the implementation of major infrastructure projects.

Unlike his predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong, a staunch ideologue who prioritized party discipline, Lam has placed a greater emphasis on economic performance. He has consistently stressed the importance of empowering the private sector and transitioning Vietnam away from a growth model reliant on cheap labor, exports, and foreign investment. This model propelled Vietnam into a manufacturing hub, lifted millions out of poverty, and nurtured a burgeoning middle class.

However, challenges lie ahead, including the necessity for deeper reforms, an aging population, climate vulnerabilities, weak institutional frameworks, and pressure from the U.S. regarding its trade surplus. Hanoi is also navigating its relationships with major powers such as China, its primary trade partner and a competitor in the South China Sea.

“To Lam is a pragmatic reformer,” remarked Nguyen Khac Giang from Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.

He highlighted Lam’s swift acceptance of an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace, a decision that diverges from Vietnam’s usual cautious approach to foreign policy decisions, often made with China’s reactions in mind.

“We are prepared to serve as mediators and bridges for peace,” stated Lam during a press conference following the Congress.

However, this pragmatism has unsettled the conservative faction within the party, primarily led by the military, which is apprehensive about Lam’s reform agenda and is keen on upholding socialist discipline.

Lam’s expansion of the state security apparatus, granting broader police authority over legislation and businesses, has exacerbated a long-standing rivalry with the military, which controls extensive commercial interests, according to analysts.

With the anticipated consolidation of power, concerns over human rights violations in a country that has intensified crackdowns on activists, journalists, and environmental advocates have been raised.