To Lam’s rise and Vietnam’s move into the former Soviet sphere
“In May, To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), concluded an extensive eight-day tour across Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia and Belarus — his longest overseas trip since taking office last August. Notably, this was the first visit by a CPV chief to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan since the Cold War, and marked the first participation by a top Vietnamese leader in Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.”
“At first glance, the timing seemed peculiar. At home, the National Assembly was in session, deliberating To Lam’s ambitious domestic reform agenda. Abroad, the image of Vietnam’s leader sharing the same stage with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Moscow’s Red Square inevitably raised eyebrows in the West. Economic ties with the four countries he visited remain modest — combined bilateral trade in 2024 amounted to less than US$6 billion, roughly 1% of Vietnam’s total trade — hardly justifying such diplomatic risks. What, then, explains this diplomatic detour into the former Soviet sphere?”
“Despite Western sanctions stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Vietnam’s military remains overwhelmingly reliant on Russian hardware, accounting for about 80% of its arsenal, and Russian logistics and training. Although Hanoi has begun exploring arms deals with other partners such as South Korea, Israel and Europe, an abrupt pivot away from Russia would severely undermine Vietnam’s military capabilities precisely as China’s assertiveness intensifies.”
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/lams-rise-and-vietnams-move-former-soviet-sphere