Vietnam's top leader To Lam on Friday was re-elected as head of the ruling Communist Party for the next five years as he pledged to turbocharge growth in the export-reliant nation.

President Xi Jinping, who's also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, congratulated him on his re-election as party boss.

Lam was re-elected unanimously by 180 party officials from a newly-formed committee at the end of the five-yearly party congress, according to the Vietnam News Agency citing a press release from the party.

At a press conference being prepared to conclude the party congress, Lam's name appeared under the title general secretary, and an official confirmed the party leader would be speaking.

During his brief prior ⁠stint as party chief since mid-2024, Lam presided over fast growth underpinned by sweeping reforms that won him strong support, but also criticism, as tens of thousands of civil servants lost their jobs while he promoted faster decision-making and less red tape.

Aware of the discontent stirred by those reforms, Lam moved early to secure support from rival factions within the party, including the powerful military, according to officials familiar with the process.

As concerns mounted about his plans to bolster private conglomerates at the expense of state-owned firms, Lam issued a directive ahead of the party congress underscoring the "leading role" of state enterprises, which include army-controlled telecom and defence giant Viettel.

Lam's re-election as party chief sends a reassuring message to foreign investors who regularly cite political stability as a key factor in Vietnam's appeal.

Xi described China and Vietnam as friendly socialist neighbours and as a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the relations between the two parties and countries, and is willing to work with To Lam to strengthen strategic communication, carry forward the traditional friendship, firmly advance the socialist cause, and guide the comprehensive strategic cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future between China and Vietnam. (Reuters, with additional reporting by Xinhua)
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Last updated: 2026-01-23 HKT 21:08