Era of Strongman Diplomacy: Lam’s Ascent Reshapes US–Vietnam Ties

Our Fellow James Borton argues that To Lam’s consolidation of political power marks a pivotal shift in Hanoi’s domestic structure and its external diplomacy, with profound implications for the United States. As general secretary poised to assume Vietnam’s presidency, Lam has centralized authority to an extent unseen in the post-war era, streamlining decision-making in service of an ambitious growth agenda targeting 10 percent annual expansion through high-tech and private-sector development.

This concentration of power, Borton explains, has already yielded a more pragmatic foreign policy that embraces engagement with Washington, including a swift acceptance of U.S. diplomatic initiatives without abandoning Vietnam’s traditional balancing act between Beijing and the United States.

For Washington, the challenge lies in supporting Vietnam’s economic modernization and regulatory clarity, particularly in technology, energy, and trade, without triggering nationalist pushback or undermining Hanoi’s autonomy. Borton’s analysis thus frames U.S.–Vietnam relations as entering a more personalized, yet nuanced, phase of engagement shaped by domestic political consolidation and the imperatives of navigating great-power competition.

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