Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s main defense forum, highlighting the various risks and uncertainties facing the world. He identified three major challenges: a decline in international rules and laws, issues with development models such as economic slowdown and climate change, and a lack of trust among nations.
Lam emphasized that these crises are not inevitable and called for strengthening international law, establishing inclusive and sustainable growth, and promoting dialogue and transparency among nations. The dialogue, held in Singapore, includes a mix of defense ministers, military leaders, diplomats, and analysts.
Notably, U. S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other international counterparts attended, while China’s representative was absent for the second consecutive year. Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles commented on China’s minimal participation, viewing it as a missed chance for engagement. Lam, recently appointed as president and Communist Party chief, is positioned to take on a more significant diplomatic role.
With information from Reuters
