By Francesco Guarascio
HANOI, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Hundreds of delegates from Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party gathered on Monday under tight security for a congress that will choose the single-party country’s top leader and set economic goals for the rest of the decade.
The week-long event, which operates under opaque rules and meets every five years, could cement and possibly expand power for the party’s current general secretary, To Lam, who has launched major bureaucratic reforms at home and has become the public face of Vietnam abroad.
Later in the week, on an unspecified day, around 1,600 delegates will elect a 200-person Central Committee, which will then select from a pre-arranged short list of 17 to 19 Politburo members from which the general secretary will be chosen.
Lam is seeking to retain his role and possibly take over the state presidency, which was recently held by a military leader, officials briefed on the matter said. Lam, photographed smiling in state media as he entered the congress venue on Monday, is expected to address delegates on Tuesday.
Congress is likely to confirm him as secretary general, according to several officials, although surprises cannot be ruled out, while the decision on the presidency is expected to be made at a later meeting where the outcome is even less clear.
After the congress, the Politburo will nominate the heads of state, government and Parliament. The parliamentary elections will be held only after the leaders are chosen by the party.
LEADER FOR TAKING RISKS
Lam, 68, has launched several major reforms during his short tenure as party chief, the most powerful job in the country. He ascended to the position following the death of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong, in July 2024.
Widely seen as a risk-taker, Lam introduced the most significant administrative reform in decades when he cut tens of thousands of jobs in an effort to speed up decisions. The impact has yet to be fully assessed as officials adapt, but approval timelines for some investment projects have been shortened.
That acceleration is linked in part to the slowing of a major anti-corruption push launched under Trong, an effort Lam helped lead as public security minister. The campaign, which was meant to fight systemic bribery, has at times paralyzed government decision-making and led to the fall of senior figures – including two presidents – clearing Lam’s path to the top.
Lam also launched economic reforms and a burst of infrastructure projects, winning favor with foreign investors while raising concerns about favoritism and waste.
In a country that allows no opposition, Lam has presided over a strengthening of security forces and tightening of controls on the media and other critical voices.
ECONOMIC GROWTH, SECURITY ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
Congress delegates represent 5.6 million party members in a country of 100 million.
Under strict security – mobile phones will be jammed in the Hanoi building where the congress will take place and delegates, including those from Hanoi, are required to stay in designated accommodation – they will also refine the text of the resolution to be approved by the end of the congress, which is scheduled to end on January 25.
A party draft released in October on the party’s website suggests that the final text will prioritize security and ambitious growth, targeting at least 10% a year over the next five years, from the 6.5% to 7.0% target that was missed in the first half of the decade.
The bill mentions security dozens of times and emphasizes the importance of diplomacy and defense in a “more dangerous” world. The party intends to increase its defense forces, especially in the border areas, says the draft text.
Environmental protection, which has recently been increasingly discussed in the highly polluted country, has also gained prominence, according to Politburo member Nguyen Xuan Thang.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Additional reporting by Khanh Vu and Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Josh Smith and Thomas Derpinghaus)