Vietnam’s To Lam pledges to fight corruption at party congress as he seeks to combine top roles, mirroring China’s political structure.
HANOI: Vietnam’s top leader pledged to continue fighting corruption in an address to a major Communist Party congress where he is seeking expanded powers.
General Secretary To Lam told the twice-a-decade meeting the party is “determined to fight corruption” and spur private-sector growth.
He said it would tackle “wastefulness and negativity” and that “all wrongdoings must be dealt with.”
Lam, who became party chief 17 months ago, has centralised authority in what officials call a “revolution.”
His aggressive reforms have included a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that ensnared thousands of officials.
He has also streamlined bureaucracy by abolishing eight ministries and cutting nearly 150,000 state jobs while pushing major infrastructure investment.
The congress of nearly 1,600 delegates will finalise Vietnam’s leadership roster for the next five years and set key policies.
Lam is expected to remain the party’s top leader, according to sources briefed on internal deliberations.
He is also seeking the presidency, which would give him a dual role similar to China’s Xi Jinping.
Analysts say securing both positions would signal the supremacy of his security-dominated faction.
Nguyen Khac Giang of Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute said it would give Lam “the strongest mandate for the Vietnamese leadership since the end of the Vietnam war.”
His final reach will depend on who else secures top posts during the week-long conclave, particularly from the opposing conservative military faction.
One source told AFP that Lam’s bid for expanded powers had been provisionally approved.
Other reports suggested he had to shelve his presidential ambitions to secure support for his broader reform agenda.
Lam told the congress that “science, technology, innovation and digital transformation must really become the key drivers of growth.”
He cited “fierce strategic competition” and global supply chain disruptions as major headwinds.
Vietnam’s economy proved resilient last year, growing 8% despite new US tariffs.
The nation faces a balancing act between its main export market, the United States, and its largest supplier, China.
The ruling party tolerates little dissent and regularly jails critics, with over 160 currently imprisoned according to Human Rights Watch.
Political power in Vietnam has traditionally been collective, resting on four main pillars of leadership.
If Lam gets the presidency, he would be the first person to be named to the top two jobs simultaneously by a party congress.
Former US ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink expects the party to reaffirm Lam’s “leading if not dominant role.”