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To Lam

(蘇林 )

To Lam
蘇林
To Lam: A career police officer for over four decades, he holds the rank of four-star General and is a Doctor of Law. He previously served as Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security from 2016 to 2024, and briefly as President in 2024.
A MaxValu supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand. Japanese retailer Aeon is selling its 30 MaxValu stores in the country to Thailand's Central Retail Corporation in September. Photo: Shutterstock
Vietnam

Japan’s Aeon exits Thai retail to chase Vietnam’s booming middle class

Aeon is selling its MaxValu stores in Thailand to Central Retail, retreating from a market dominated by local giants.

Vietnam

Asian Angle | How Vietnam’s ‘streamlining revolution’ may lead to uneven success

Vietnam

Vietnam’s To Lam eyes trade, defence boost during trip to Australia, New Zealand

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South China Sea

Will Manila and Hanoi’s maritime deal challenge Beijing in the South China Sea?

A new cooperation agreement chips away at China’s bilateral negotiation tactic, but experts say its value is mostly symbolic.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Vietnam

Vietnam dissident arrests double under leader To Lam, report says

A rights group says Vietnamese authorities are relying increasingly on Article 331, which makes it a crime to ‘abuse democratic freedoms’.

Thailand

Thailand and Vietnam team up in an Asean ‘plus or minus’ gamble

Southeast Asia’s second- and third-largest economies opt for bilateral insurance over reliance on the regional bloc.

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Taiwan

How Japan, Philippines are building a maritime security front against China

Tokyo-Manila defence cooperation is linking Pacific flashpoints, with broad implications for Beijing, analysts say.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (right) shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in Tokyo on May 28. Photo: Kyodo
The Philippines

Philippines and Vietnam close ranks on South China Sea as To Lam visits

The Vietnamese president is wrapping up a Southeast Asia tour aimed at shoring up regional security alliances.

Singapore

Vietnam’s To Lam warns of 3 crises converging in Asia-Pacific security

In the Singapore forum’s keynote address, the Vietnamese president urges a strategic framework for trust building to avert such threats.

Vietnam

Vietnam, Philippines to forge stronger ‘alignment’ on 50 years of ties

Analysts say To Lam’s first visit to Manila as state leader signals Vietnam’s balanced foreign policy and investment in Asean partnerships.

Vietnam’s President To Lam is due in the Philippines for a two-day state visit on Sunday and Monday. Photo: AP
Thailand

Trade, Ho Chi Minh’s legacy: Vietnam’s To Lam seeks to ‘re-energise’ Thai ties

The president, who visited Ho Chi Minh’s former home in Udon Thani, will meet the Thai king and hold talks with PM Anutin.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (left) and Vietnam’s President To Lam review a guard of honour at Government House in Bangkok on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Dong Jun

China defence chief Dong Jun tipped to skip this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue

The regional security forum opens on Friday in Singapore with no official word yet on who will lead the Chinese delegation.

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Vietnam

Vietnam’s US$5 billion Apec island is running out of time

Phu Quoc is a test case for Vietnam’s build-fast model. But with 18 months to go, the island is short of workers, diesel and hotel rooms.

Vietnam

Beyond bamboo: Vietnam’s To Lam mounts a diplomacy offensive

The security chief turned paramount leader is chasing the markets and capital required to reach high-income status by 2045.

Vietnam’s To Lam waves after shaking hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on May 6. Photo: EPA
India

Vietnam joins rush for India’s battle-tested ‘strong, non-Western’ BrahMos

As a joint Indo-Russian venture, BrahMos offers a supersonic, non-Western alternative to US hardware with no Nato-linked conditions.

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A man waves India’s national flag in front of a replica of the BrahMos missile system in Ahmedabad last year. Photo: AFP
Vietnam

Vietnam burns red tape but growth may be harder to rekindle

Vietnam’s drive to energise its economy may take time to materialise in the face of rising fuel costs and trade barriers, analysts say.

India

Vietnam, India seek closer ties to hedge against dependence on superpowers

President To Lam’s agenda during his visit to New Delhi is expected to include a deal for Vietnam to buy India’s BrahMos missiles.

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Middle East

Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world

Readers discuss the UAE’s decision to leave the oil cartel, and a Vietnamese leader’s choice to travel twice on China’s high-speed trains.

A commercial vessel is seen off the coast of Dubai on April 20. Photo: AFP
Japan

Takaichi to hold talks in Vietnam on economic security, critical minerals

Both sides are expected to discuss cooperation in areas such as energy and artificial intelligence.

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South Korea

South Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and tech

President Lee embarks on a strategic trip to New Delhi and Hanoi, boosting economic ties and supply chains amid the Middle East chaos.

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China-Asean relations

As I see it | Vietnam and China are now perfectly aligned

The emerging partnership enables Vietnam to preserve diplomatic flexibility and advance economic diversification in the face of US pressure.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) holds a welcome ceremony for Vietnamese President To Lam at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People, prior to their talks in Beijing, on April 15. Photo: Xinhua
South China Sea

China, Vietnam vow to ‘better’ navigate South China Sea disputes

Joint communique indicates wish to keep maritime disputes from jeopardising ties and caps To Lam’s trip.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) welcomes Vietnamese President To Lam to Beijing at a ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua via AP
Comac

VietJet Air to lease up to 10 C909 jets in boost for Chinese aircraft maker

Deal follows talks between Chinese and Vietnamese presidents in Beijing this week.

China-Asean relations

Xi tells Vietnamese counterpart they should ‘jointly oppose unilateralism’

On To Lam’s state visit, Chinese president also urges keeping ‘supply chains stable and unimpeded’ as Iran war deepens global energy crisis.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Xinhua
Vietnam

Asian Angle | Who is Vietnam’s new Prime Minister Le Minh Hung?

The ex-central banker has the credentials to succeed. Whether he has the political capital remains to be seen.

Le Minh Hung (centre) attends a swearing-in ceremony in Hanoi on Tuesday after being elected as Vietnam’s new prime minister. Photo: Vietnam News Agency/Xinhua
Vietnam

To Lam emerges as Vietnam’s ‘supreme leader’ after being elected president

The Communist Party chief is the first person to secure the top two jobs through the party’s normal leadership selection processes.

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Vietnam

Why Vietnam is leaning on Russia to weather energy turmoil

The energy shortage is ‘seriously threatening’ Vietnam’s growth objective and could dent the new leadership’s legitimacy, analysts say.

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