To Lam is a former security chief who carved his way to prominence and relishes the good life. He has promised to make Communist Vietnam rich and influential.
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By Damien Cave and Tung Ngo
Damien Cave and Tung Ngo conducted dozens of interviews over 18 months for this article.
- Feb. 9, 2026
To Lam was already Vietnam’s top leader when last month’s Communist Party congress began. But as it ended on Jan. 23 with him amassing more power, he seemed quicker to smile, to shake hands with comrades in Hanoi’s red-draped convention hall, and in a rush to do more.
At a news conference after the new Politburo list confirmed that he would serve dual roles as head of party and president — a break from Vietnam’s power-sharing norm — he was the first of several officials to enter the room and the first to sit down. His dark wood chair in the center was much larger than the others.
“This congress convenes in a new context, requiring a new vision,” he told a group of mostly state-employed reporters. “This time,” he added, “what’s more important is action.” Tiếp tục đọc “Global profile: Vietnam’s Leader Has New Power, and He’s in a Hurry”
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