Vietnam's Leader Takes Center Stage at Asia's Top Security Forum – and Calls Out a World in Crisis

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A New Voice at Asia's Premier Security Forum

Singapore, May 29, 2026 — Asia's most important annual defense summit kicked off Friday with an unusual keynote speaker. For the first time ever, Vietnam's top leader addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue — a three-day gathering that brings together defense ministers, military chiefs, intelligence officials, and diplomats from across the globe.

To Lam, who serves as both Communist Party General Secretary and President of Vietnam, took to the podium at Singapore's iconic Shangri-La Hotel to open the 23rd edition of the forum. His presence was widely seen as a signal: Hanoi is stepping out of the shadows and onto the world stage.

Three Crises That Cannot Be Ignored

To Lam did not arrive with platitudes. His speech laid out a clear diagnosis of what he sees as the defining challenges of this moment in history.

He identified three interconnected crises threatening global stability. The first is the erosion of international law and the rules-based order that has governed relations between states since World War II. The second is a crisis of economic development — marked by slowing growth, deepening inequality, and the mounting pressures of climate change. The third, and perhaps most difficult to fix, is a crisis of trust between nations.

"The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept," Lam said.

His proposed solutions were equally direct: reinforce international law, build inclusive and sustainable growth models, and restore trust through open dialogue and transparency.

Vietnam's Most Powerful Leader in Decades

To Lam's appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue carries significant weight beyond the speech itself. He was re-elected as head of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party in January 2026 in a unanimous vote, pledging to accelerate economic growth in the export-reliant nation. He was subsequently installed as president — a dual mandate that makes him the most powerful Vietnamese leader since the reform era, and one with an unusually broad platform for international engagement.

The IISS, which organizes the forum, noted that To Lam assumed office during a period of major global turbulence affecting the Asia-Pacific region and has shown a clear willingness to engage with global defense policymakers.

At home, Lam has moved quickly and boldly. Since taking over as party general secretary, he has eliminated entire layers of government bureaucracy, abolished eight ministries or government agencies, and cut nearly 150,000 jobs from the state payroll — while pushing ambitious rail and power projects and targeting corruption.

China's Empty Chair — Again

Not everyone expected at the forum showed up. China's Defense Minister Dong Jun was absent from the Shangri-La Dialogue for the second consecutive year. Beijing sent a lower-level People's Liberation Army delegation in his place, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

China's Defense Ministry confirmed it would send a delegation of experts and scholars from military research institutions, led by Major General Meng Xiangqing of the National Defense University.

The seniority of China's representative at Shangri-La has long been seen as a barometer of regional tensions. Dong was absent last year as well, reportedly due to Beijing's reluctance to engage with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was again present at this year's forum.

Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles did not mince words, calling China's low-profile attendance a lost opportunity to engage with the international community. Singapore's own Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing echoed the sentiment, saying most participants at a closed-door ministerial roundtable would have hoped for a Chinese presence at the table.

The decision fits a broader pattern. Analysts point to the ongoing tariff war with the United States and Beijing's growing discomfort with what it sees as a "Western-centric" forum as key factors behind the downgrade.

Hegseth, AUKUS, and a Forum Without Dialogue

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was among the high-profile attendees, alongside counterparts from Australia, Britain, France, Japan, and other nations. The forum runs through Sunday and is expected to address major flashpoints including Taiwan, the South China Sea, and regional arms buildups.

China's absence means there will be no direct military-to-military exchange between Washington and Beijing on the sidelines — a gap that concerns many observers at a time when tensions between the two powers remain elevated.

A Turning Point for Vietnamese Diplomacy

To Lam's keynote represents more than a single speech. Vietnam is now seen internationally as a deeply integrated economy that still maintains strategic autonomy — a dynamic developing nation with strong aspirations for progress, and an active and responsible member of the regional and global community.

For decades, Vietnam has practiced a careful "bamboo diplomacy" — bending with the wind, maintaining ties with all major powers while avoiding confrontation. To Lam's high-profile appearance in Singapore suggests that calculus is evolving. Hanoi is no longer content to watch from the sidelines.

The three crises To Lam outlined — eroding law, broken development models, and a collapse of trust — are, in a sense, a portrait of a world struggling to find its footing. Whether the nations gathered in Singapore this weekend can move beyond diagnosis toward remedy remains to be seen.

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Sources

1. Reuters – Vietnam's To Lam warns of three global crises, sets out solutions (May 29, 2026): https://www.reuters.com/world/china/vitetnams-lam-warns-three-global-crises-sets-out-solutions-2026-05-29/
2. South China Morning Post – China defence chief Dong Jun tipped to skip Shangri-La Dialogue 2026: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354871/china-defence-chief-dong-jun-tipped-skip-years-shangri-la-dialogue
3. IISS – Viet Nam President To Lam to deliver Shangri-La Dialogue Keynote Address: https://www.iiss.org/press/2026/04/viet-nam-president-to-lam-to-deliver-iiss-shangri-la-dialogue-keynote-address/
4. Al Jazeera – Vietnam's To Lam wins second term, extends top position for 5 more years (Jan 23, 2026): https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/23/vietnams-to-lam-wins-second-term-extends-top-position-for-5-more-years
5. Lowy Institute – China shouldn't squander its chance at Shangri-La: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/china-shouldn-t-squander-its-chance-shangri-la

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