To Lam, a former police officer who rose to become Vietnam’s Communist Party leader, has been reaffirmed in his position for another five-year term, aiming to reinvigorate the country’s economic success story through ambitious reforms and anti-corruption drives. The reappointment came during the 14th National Congress in Hanoi, which was notably cut short by 1.5 days, signaling strong party unity behind Lam’s leadership.
Lam assumed the role of general secretary in August 2024 after the death of Nguyen Phu Trong, and has since embarked on a major restructuring of Vietnam’s administrative apparatus. At 68, with a background spanning over 40 years in the People’s Public Security Forces, he has leveraged his experience to push for rapid economic transformation. His goal is to elevate Vietnam from a middle-income to a high-income economy within two decades, requiring sustained growth of around 6.5% annually, with aspirations to exceed 10% in the coming years.
Central to Lam’s agenda is the continuation of the “blazing furnace” anti-corruption campaign, which he has used to streamline bureaucracy by laying off at least 100,000 civil servants and abolishing several ministries. This campaign has improved Vietnam’s ranking in Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index from 113 in 2016 to 88 in 2024, though critics argue it has created bureaucratic inefficiencies and been wielded to suppress dissent.
Lam’s tenure has been marked by a hardline approach to governance, with increased repression of activists and journalists. According to Reporters Without Borders, more than 70 journalists have been imprisoned since 2016, with 38 still behind bars, contributing to Vietnam’s low press freedom rankings. A notable controversy involved a TikTok video of Lam eating a $20,000 gold-flecked steak, which led to public backlash and the arrest of a noodle vendor for parodying the event.
On the economic front, Lam is championing technological development, announcing a quadrupling of the science-and-technology budget and targeting $100 billion in annual revenue from the semiconductor industry by 2050. He must balance Vietnam’s relationships with the United States and China, navigating trade tensions and strategic competition that threaten the country’s export-dependent economy.
The decision to shorten the Congress, reported by sources like Reuters and The Diplomat, indicates no significant divisions within the party, facilitating Lam’s smooth reappointment. This move also suggests that Lam will not simultaneously hold the state presidency, maintaining Vietnam’s collective leadership structure and avoiding further centralization of power.
Analysts describe Lam’s leadership style as pragmatic and assertive, focused on economic development and political stability. As he begins his second term, the challenges are manifold: sustaining growth amid global uncertainties, managing corruption without stifling innovation, and upholding Vietnam’s geopolitical neutrality. The outcome will shape not only Lam’s legacy but also Vietnam’s trajectory as it seeks to cement its status as a regional success story.
