Tô Lâm
Leader of Vietnam since 2024
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tô Lâm (Vietnamese: [tō lʌ̄m] ⓘ; born 10 July 1957) is a Vietnamese politician and former police officer who has served as the general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) since August 2024 and the 13th president of Vietnam from May to October 2024. A veteran of the People's Public Security Forces with over 40 years of service, Lâm rose through the ranks to become Minister of Public Security in 2016, a position he held until his election to the presidency in 2024.
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Tô Lâm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 18 July 2024[a] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nguyễn Phú Trọng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 3 August 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Phan Văn Giang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nguyễn Phú Trọng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th President of Vietnam | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 23 May 2024 – 21 October 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Phạm Minh Chính | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President | Võ Thị Ánh Xuân | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Võ Văn Thưởng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lương Cường | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 July 1957 Văn Giang, Hưng Yên, North Vietnam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Communist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Ngô Phương Ly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | Vietnam People's Security Academy Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards |  Military Exploit Order | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch/service | Vietnam People's Public Security | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1974–2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank |  Police general | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lâm became a member of the CPV on 22 August 1981. A graduate of the Central Police School and the Vietnam People's Security Academy, he spent his entire career in the police force. He holds the rank of four-star General in the Vietnam People's Public Security. He previously served as Head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and Director-General of the MPS First General Department of Security. He has been a member of the CPV Central Committee since 2011 and a member of the CPV Politburo since 2016.
Lâm participated in the 2016 anti-corruption campaign launched by his predecessor, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, which implicated some officials to a degree unprecedented in Vietnamese political history.[1] Since Trọng's death in July 2024, Lâm has run the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption and the Central Military Commission. Lâm is alleged to have led a campaign against dissidents, suppressed civil society organizations, and tightened internet censorship. Since beginning his tenure as general secretary, Lâm has pursued administrative and bureaucratic restructuring.[2]
On 18 May 2024, he was nominated by the CPV Central Committee to become Vietnam's 13th president, succeeding Võ Văn Thưởng, who resigned in March 2024 due to the anti-corruption campaign. The National Assembly relieved Lâm of his ministerial post before the presidential election, and his protége Lương Tam Quang was appointed public security minister in June 2024. On 3 August 2024, following the death of Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Lâm was elected CPV General Secretary and Secretary of the Central Military Commission by the 13th Central Committee. On 23 January 2026, Lâm was reelected General Secretary by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Early life, education and career
Tô Lâm was born on 10 July 1957 in Xuân Cầu village, Văn Giang district, Hưng Yên province, northern Vietnam. He is the eldest son of Colonel Tô Quyền, former Director of Police for Hải Hưng province.[3] According to his official biography, Lâm was born into a family of revolutionary activists and was exposed to the country's political struggle from a young age. His father, Tô Quyền, a recipient of the Hero of the People's Armed Forces title, participated in the communist revolution and served in security at the Party's Central Office for South Vietnam from 1966 until the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.[4]
Following in his father's footsteps, Lâm studied defense, and law. In October 1974, he was a student of the sixth cohort of the Central Public Security School.[5] After that, he studied and researched the field of law, receiving a PhD in Jurisprudence. On 22 October 2015, he was awarded the academic title Professor of Security Sciences.[6] Lâm was admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam on 22 August 1981, becoming a full member of the party on 22 August 1982. During his Party and State activities, he studied a course at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, receiving an Advanced degree in political theory.[7]
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Tô Lâm was appointed Deputy Minister of Public Security in August 2010 and became a member of the Party Central Committee during the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in January 2011.[8]
In June 2011, he was appointed Secretary of the Central Police Party Committee, and by September 2014, he was promoted to Colonel General by President Truong Tan Sang. He served as Deputy Minister of Public Security and was promoted to Senior Lieutenant-General/Colonel General in 2016. In April 2016, he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption by General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, and in July of the same year, he was named Head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee. From 2016 to 2024, he held some positions, including Minister of Public Security and Vice Chairman of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption. In January 2019, he was promoted to the rank of General by President Nguyen Phu Trong.[9][10][11][12]
Minister of Public Security
In April 2016, the 13th National Assembly confirmed Lâm as Minister of Public Security. After this, the Politburo appointed him Secretary of the Central Public Security Party Committee.[13] On 28 July 2016, at the first session of the 14th National Assembly, President Trần Đại Quang appointed him to the position of Minister of Public Security of the 14th Government of Vietnam, term 2016—2021. In this term, he worked under the Government led by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. His mandate included overseeing national security, social order, counterintelligence, and criminal investigations.[14]
On 27 April 2016, Lâm was appointed by the Politburo to concurrently hold the position of Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption of the Communist Party of Vietnam,[15] to participate in assisting and supporting the Head of the committee, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, in anti-corruption work. On 30 July 2016, he was assigned by the Politburo to hold the position of Head of the Central Highlands Steering Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.[16] On 11 October 2017, at the 6th Central Conference of the 12th term, the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam agreed to end the activity of the Northwest, Central Highlands, and Southwest Steering Committees; he was relieved from this position.[17]
On 29 January 2019, Lâm was promoted by General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng from Senior General to Police General together with Army General Lương Cường, Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army.[18] On 30 January 2021, at the Central election, he was elected as an official member of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.[19] One day later, at the first session of the 13th Party Central Committee, he was elected a member of the 13th Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam.[20]
Foreign affairs
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During his 2016–2024 term, Police General Lâm represented the Vietnam People's Public Security Force, welcoming international representatives visiting Vietnam, conducting tours to partner countries, strengthening international relations, promoting integration in the new period and ensuring sovereignty and the country's security. In 2016, Lâm welcomed the Chinese delegation of State Councillor and Public Security minister Guo Shengkun in his Hanoi visit. The cabinet organized conferences to strengthen cooperation in fighting crime between the countries.[21] In 2017, he and his delegation visited Slovakia, met with Prime Minister Robert Fico; together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Slovakia Robert Kaliňák, signed the Cooperation Agreement Between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Slovakia on the Fight Against Crime.[22]
In 2018, Lâm visited and worked in the United Kingdom, together with the Home Secretary Sajid Javid, signed and handed over the 'Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the United Kingdom'. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on cooperation in preventing and combating human trafficking.[23]
In 2019, Lâm and his delegation visited South Korea, met with Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, and Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il, strengthening cooperation between the two countries.[24] In 2020, he visited Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, met with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Minister of Security Vilay Lakhamphong signed the Plan to implement the Cooperation Agreement between the two ministries[25] to exchange and increase information sharing on traditional and non-traditional crime and security situations, including methods, tricks and the connection of types of crimes that affect the two countries.[26] At the end of 2020, Lâm had a meeting and worked with the US delegation led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo within the framework of the official visit on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States.[27]
From 9 to 10 April 2023, Lâm had a trip to India. During the meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval, the two sides committed to further deepening the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, especially in issues such as security and defense, contributing to maintaining peace, prosperity and stability of the two countries, the region and the world.[28] From 19 to 22 May 2023, he paid a visit to Iran at the invitation of Iranian Minister of Interior Ahmad Vahidi.[29] They agreed to promote cooperation between the two Ministries in the field of security and order, coordinate in handling transnational crimes and crimes related to citizens of the two countries, and absolutely protect the safety of flights. Visits by senior leaders ensure security and safety for the headquarters of representative agencies and citizens of this country working, studying, sightseeing, traveling, and investment cooperation in the country's territory that strengthen cooperation on cybersecurity, promote cooperation in the field of training, improve professional capacity and foreign languages, and support each other on international forums of which the two sides are members.[29]
Lâm held talks with Iranian Justice Minister Amin Houssein Rahimi. After the talks, authorized by President Võ Văn Thưởng, Lâm signed an Extradition Agreement and an Agreement on the Transfer of Prisoners between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Islamic Republic with Iranian Justice Minister A.H. Rahimi.[29][30] He also worked with Commander-in-Chief of the National Police Ahmad-Reza Radan to identify specific cooperation activities in the field of crime prevention, especially organized crime and transnational drug and high-tech crimes.[30] He also met with the First Vice President of Iran, Mohammad Mokhber.[30]
Investigation cases
In 2016, Trịnh Xuân Thanh; former member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hậu Giang province and Delegates of the 14th National Assembly; was investigated and concluded that he had many shortcomings and serious violations during his time working at Petrovietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation; being investigated by the Police Agency, the Ministry of Public Security issued a decision to prosecute the defendant for intentionally violating State regulations on economic management; at the same time, issued a temporary arrest warrant and a search warrant for Trịnh Xuân Thanh.[31] After determining that Trịnh Xuân Thanh had fled, the Ministry of Public Security issued a national and international arrest warrant for him. Minister Lâm directed the arrest of Trịnh Xuân Thanh and resolved this criminal case. German investigators and Slovak police accused Lâm of directing the arrest of figures from Germany through international cooperation with Slovakia and Russia.[32] According to German and Slovak authorities, the kidnapping of Thanh occurred during a trip of Lâm in July 2017, and this affected Vietnam's diplomatic relations with Germany and Slovakia.[33] Thanh was eventually convicted of intentionally violating State regulations on economic management causing serious consequences and embezzlement of assets in 2018 and sentenced to life in prison.[34]
Since 2016, he has been assigned the position of Minister of Public Security and Deputy Head of the Central Anti-Corruption Commission, assistant to General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Lâm has directed the police in investigating, handling, and prosecuting corruption and violations, including the case of Đinh La Thăng, who is the former Politburo member, and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Thăng was sentenced to 30 years in prison due to economic management violations while holding the position of Chairman of Vietnam Oil and Gas Group.[35]
Gold steak controversy
In November 2021, a video was posted on the TikTok account of the chef Salt Bae (Nusret Gökçe).[36] The clip, which was later removed, showed Lâm dining at Salt Bae's restaurant in London, reportedly during his trip to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.[37] In the video, chef Gökçe is seen feeding Lâm a piece of gold-coated beef.[38][39][40] According to international newspapers, the event sparked outrage among some Vietnamese netizens. They considered it a lavish meal, with the price of the gold-coated beef dish exceeding the minister's monthly salary, especially as Vietnam was undergoing the COVID-19 pandemic.[38][39][36] The news of a communist official dining at this restaurant was reported by media outlets, with some sources highlighting the contrast between this and his previous act of laying flowers at Karl Marx's grave.[41][37]
On social media, the hashtag "#saltbae" was blocked worldwide for days and was accessible again on 9 November. Facebook did not provide a reason for the block and did not clarify whether the Vietnamese government requested the removal of the video content.[42][43] On 16 November 2021, Bùi Tuấn Lâm, 39, a noodle vendor in Đà Nẵng, was reportedly targeted by police after posting a video on his Facebook page in which he imitated Gökce's gesture.[44][45][46][47] On 7 September 2022, Bùi Tuấn Lâm was arrested by plainclothes police officers at his noodle stand.[48] After a trial lasting a day, Lam was sentenced to five-and-a half years in prison and four years of probation upon being released.[49]
Presidency, and General Secretaryship
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On 21 March 2024, Võ Văn Thưởng submitted his resignation from the presidency after his former subordinates were imprisoned for corruption in the Phúc Sơn Group misconduct case. Following this, Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân temporarily served as acting president, a role she had previously held for almost two months in 2023. At the 9th Central Committee Conference on 18 May 2024, Lâm was nominated to become Vietnam's next President and was confirmed by the National Assembly at the opening of its 7th Session. He retained his post of Minister of Public Security alongside the presidency until the Central Committee nominates a successor.[50][51] On 22 May 2024, the National Assembly elected Lâm as president.[52][53][54] He served in what is the shortest tenure of a Vietnamese president, serving until his replacement by Lương Cường on 21 October.[55]
On 18 July 2024, Lâm was appointed caretaker General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, after Nguyễn Phú Trọng fell ill.[56] Following the latter's death the next day, Lâm was officially elected as the party's general secretary on 3 August.[57][58]
According to The Diplomat, despite the "gold steak" scandal, Lâm survived the Blazing Furnace anti-corruption campaign initiated by then General Secretary Trọng.[59] Shifting away from the Party's previous practice of collective leadership, his tenure as General Secretary has been marked by an increased concentration of decision-making power.[60] On 23 January 2026, Lâm was unanimously re-elected as General Secretary by the 14th National Party Congress.[61]
Administrative reform
Beginning on 5 November 2024, state media began announcing structural reforms of the bureaucracy. On that date, the Communist Review, an official publication of the Communist Party of Vietnam, published an article titled Tinh – Gọn – Mạnh – Hiệu năng – Hiệu lực – Hiệu quả.[62] The reform and streamlining of the administrative apparatus, founded on Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW of 2017, has been implemented. During the period 2016-2020, issues such as the merger of provinces, districts, and communes, or the consolidation of mass organizations into the Fatherland Front, were discussed in agencies. While Lâm was Minister of Public Security, a streamlining operation took place within the Ministry of Public Security, with the agency streamlining 6 general departments, nearly 60 departmental-level units, and nearly 300 divisional-level units. This was considered by the government as "important experience" in organizational restructuring.[63]
Days after his article, the Steering Committee for the implementation of Resolution 18-NQ/TW on streamlining and improving the efficiency of the apparatus was established. By February and March 2025, the streamlining of Party, National Assembly, and Government agencies was basically completed, with agencies dissolved, merged, and functions and tasks transferred between agencies to avoid overlapping professional functions; at the same time, localities also implemented streamlining of the apparatus to ensure uniformity in management and operation. Except for the Ministry of National Defence, all General Departments in all ministries and agencies were simultaneously downgraded to the level of Departments, leading to changes in the management apparatus from the central to local levels in sectors such as Taxation, Customs, Statistics, etc.[64][65]
On 28 February 2025, days after completing the streamlining of agencies, the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Committee, headed by Tô Lâm, issued Conclusion 127-KL/TW. The fundamental content of this conclusion included studying the merger of provinces and cities, abolishing the district level, streamlining the apparatus in mass organizations, building a system of courts and procuratorates without district levels (similar to the police system when district-level police were abolished nationwide on March 1st according to Conclusion 121-KL/TW), and streamlining the military apparatus. To implement these contents, Conclusion 127 directed a review, amendment, and supplementation of Party regulations, the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and State laws, and temporarily suspending the organization of Party congresses at the commune and district levels nationwide.[66]
Development of Science and Technology
On 22 December 2024, Lâm signed and promulgated Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.[67] On January 13, 2025, the National Conference on Breakthroughs in Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation was held in Hanoi. This conference announced the establishment of the Central Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, directly under the Politburo, chaired by him.[68]
Economic reform
Since Lâm took office in 2024, the stock market climbed nearly 40% in a year, with headwinds from U.S. trade tariffs and natural disasters. He has promised a "new growth model", led by Vietnam's conglomerates, that focuses on innovation and the digital economy, pivoting away from reliance on exports and cheap labour that have fuelled a decades-long economic boom, luring manufacturing investments from foreign multinationals such as Samsung, Apple, and Nike. While courting foreign capital and technology remains a priority, Lam says Vietnam must gradually move beyond cheap labour, pledging annual growth of at least 10% for the rest of the decade. Growth accelerated to 8% in 2025 from 7% in 2024.[69]
Foreign affairs
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On 19 June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Vietnam and met with Lâm.[70] Putin thanked Vietnam for its "balanced position" on the Russo-Ukrainian war.[71] On 18 August 2024, Lâm arrived in China for a three-day visit, his first overseas visit since becoming president and general secretary. He first arrived in Guangzhou before heading to Beijing. Following his arrival in Beijing, he met with CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping. The two communist leaders held talks and signed cooperation documents. Afterwards, Xi congratulated Lâm on his election as general secretary and new leader.[72][73]
Lâm began a two-day state visit to Ireland on 2 October 2024 by meeting President Michael D. Higgins and his wife, Sabina, at Áras an Uachtaráin, the presidential residence. The two leaders held talks during this first state visit to Ireland by a Vietnamese leader, reciprocating Higgins' inaugural visit by an Irish president to Vietnam in 2016. Lâm returned to the Áras for a state dinner in the evening along with members of the Irish Vietnamese community.[74]
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On 18 January 2026, in his capacity as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Tô Lâm accepted an invitation from the United States President Donald Trump to join the US-led Board of Peace as a founding member.[75][76] On 19 February 2026, Tô Lâm attended the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Board of Peace in Washington D.C and had a formal in-person meeting with Trump at the White House.[77][78] The two leaders held talks, in which Trump congratulated Lâm on his election and said he would work to remove Vietnam from being restricted in accessing U.S. advanced technology. [78][79]
Personal life
Lâm divorced his first wife in the 1990s and later married Ngô Phương Ly, a TV producer and painter. He had four children in total: a son, Tô Long, and a daughter with his first wife, and two daughters with his second wife.[80]
Honours
National orders
Military Exploit Order (1st class), thrice[81]
Military Exploit Order (3rd class)[81]
Feat Order (1st class), twice[81]
Feat Order (2nd class)[81]
Feat Order (3rd class)[81]
Victory Banner Medal[81]
Fatherland Protection Medal[82]
Glorious Fighter Medal (1st class)[82]
Glorious Fighter Medal (2nd class)[82]
Glorious Fighter Medal (3rd class)[82]- Medal for National Security[81]
Foreign orders
Belarus:
Cambodia:
Commander of the Royal Order of Sahametrei[81]
Cuba:
Order of José Martí (2024)[84]
Order of 6 June (1st class)[81]
Kazakhstan:
Order of Friendship (1st class) (2025)[85]
Laos:
Russia:
Order of Friendship (2021)[87]- Honorary Professor Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (2025)[88]
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Published works
- To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's Thought on the People's Public Security, National Political Publishing House, 2015.
- To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's ideology on cadres and cadre work of the People's Public Security, National Political Publishing House, 2017.
- To Lam, The masses - the decisive factor in winning the struggle to protect security and order, People's Public Security Publishing House, 2017.
- To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's Thought on the role of the people in the cause of protecting security and order, People's Public Security Publishing House, 2017.
- To Lam, Vietnam People's Police with Ho Chi Minh's works as a revolutionary policeman, Truth National Political Publishing House, 2018.
