Tho Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, speaks during the opening of the National Assembly in Hanoi on April 6, 2026. Vietnamese parliamentarians will elect Communist Party General Secretary Tho Lam as president on April 7, 2026, and Lam will become head of state and general secretary of the ruling party, the Speaker of the National Assembly announced. (Photo credit: AFP via Getty Images)
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Vietnam’s President Tho Lam says the Asia-Pacific region is not about the presence or absence of major powers, but rather the “responsible engagement” of all parties.
Lam Zheng, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, spoke at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore. He added that in the Asia-Pacific region, “all countries with legitimate interests can play a role in contributing to its peace, stability and development.”
“All countries continue to talk about peace, stability and cooperation,” but they face an environment characterized by divided trust and unchecked competition, he said.
Lam said Vietnam recognizes that competition between countries is a reality of international relations, but stressed that competition should be limited by law, guided by transparency, and conducted with restraint.
Erosion of strategic trust
“During regional order cannot be built on lasting fear and mutual distrust,” Lam pointed out.
Mr Lam said one of the crises facing the world was an “erosion of strategic trust”, where states could interpret actions through the lens of mistrust and insecurity.
“When trust declines, defensive measures can even be perceived as provocations. Differences of interest can escalate into conflicts. Without dialogue, communication, and restraint, the smallest incident can set off a spiral of reactions.”
Building this kind of strategic trust doesn’t require eliminating differences or denying competition, Lam said. Instead, states can manage differences within a rules-based framework and ensure that competition is limited, accountable, and predictable.
“During regional order cannot be built on lasting fear and mutual distrust,” Lam pointed out.
The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue will be held in Singapore, with key figures such as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi scheduled to speak during the three-day conference.
China’s participation was extremely modest, with Defense Minister Dong Jun missing out for the second year in a row.
The Chinese government delegation will be led by Major General Meng Xiangqing of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University, CNA reported, citing a press conference from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
