Vietnam’s To Lam eyes supreme power, seeks presidency at party congress

Vietnam’s leaders convene next week for a once-every-five-years congress, where General Secretary To Lam is looking to cement control over the Communist Party ruling one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.The nation of 100 million people is both a repressive one-party state and a regional economic bright spot, with the party seeking to deliver rapid expansion to underpin its claim to legitimacy.But its leaders face challenges from tensions between its main trading partners, the United States and China, along with mounting environmental and social pressures domestically.Since he ascended to the top role just 17 months ago, Lam has enthusiastically pursued an anti-corruption drive, thinned and streamlined bureaucracy, and accelerated infrastructure investment in reforms officials describe as a “revolution”.Lam will remain the party’s top leader, according to sources briefed on key internal deliberations.A worker installs a billboard advertising the 14th Congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party in Hanoi on January 9. Photo: AFPBut he is seeking the presidency as well – a dual role similar to Xi Jinping’s in neighbouring China – and experts say clinching it will signal the supremacy of his security-dominated faction.