To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, while on a working visit to the United States, actively participated in high-level events as part of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, whose general debate began on September 22, 2026.
This is his second high-level visit to the United States and the UN following the reshuffling of Vietnam’s leadership, which took place following the 14th National Party Congress and the elections to the National Assembly for the 2026–2031 term.
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, To Lam held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of other countries, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Fijian President Ratu
Naikama Lalabalavu, Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ghanaian President John Mahama, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tsering Tobgay, President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, as well as with representatives of Tanzania and the Holy See.
The Vietnamese leader also met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the President of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Khalilur Rahman.
This visit marked a historic milestone for Vietnamese diplomacy.
Since joining the UN in 1977, Vietnam has transformed from a country in need of international aid for post-war reconstruction into an active participant in multilateral diplomacy, increasingly engaging in the resolution of global issues.
The country has twice been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (in 2008–2009 and 2020–2021) and is currently a member of the UN Human Rights Council (2026–2028).
A landmark event in 2026 was Vietnam’s first-ever chairmanship of the Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Hanoi has reaffirmed its status as a reliable partner that makes a significant contribution to peacebuilding processes and regional integration, particularly through its active participation in ASEAN and preparations for its chairmanship of APEC in 2027.
According to Vietnam’s position, the United Nations must retain its central role in the international system, and international issues should be resolved through dialogue, cooperation, and in accordance with international law. It is precisely this support for multilateralism, along with the desire to become more actively involved in addressing global issues, that constitutes one of the key messages of To Lam’s current participation in the General Assembly.
Vietnam seeks to develop international cooperation and wants to have a more significant voice in addressing global challenges.
During his address at the general debate on September 22, To Lam articulated the country’s clear position on managing global change and strengthening the international order.
The Vietnamese leader identified building trust among nations, based on unconditional respect for the UN Charter and international law, as the top priority.
He emphasized the need to reject the use of force and called for resolving any disputes exclusively through peaceful means via dialogue.
The president noted that while changes in the world order are an objective historical process, conflicts and confrontations are not inevitable; at the same time, the main task of leaders is to channel competition so that it does not escalate into open war.
To Lam also supported efforts to modernize the UN’s structure (in particular, the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Secretariat). He stressed that the reformed system must better take into account the interests of developing countries and give them a real voice in shaping international rules.
The Vietnamese leader expressed clear support for the principle of peaceful dispute resolution, particularly in the East (South China) Sea based on the 1982 UNCLOS Convention, and also expressed support for the “two-state” solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and called on the U.S. to lift sanctions against Cuba.
In his speech, the Vietnamese head of state also emphasized equitable access to scientific advances, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies. According to him, a monopoly on data and digital infrastructure could create a new technological divide between wealthy and poor nations; therefore, technological progress must be accompanied by a culture of security and digital ethics.
He called for the establishment of inclusive and transparent principles for technology governance so that they would narrow the gap between countries rather than create new conflicts.
To Lam emphasized that any future strategies must place people at the center of development. Vietnam expressed its readiness to actively share its own successful experiences in the areas of poverty alleviation, sustainable agricultural development, and adaptation to climate change.
A particular focus of the trip was relations with the United States. Since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1995, the two countries have evolved from former adversaries to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in September 2023. Cooperation today encompasses political dialogue, trade and investment, science and technology, education, defense and security, energy, as well as addressing the consequences of war and humanitarian issues.
During meetings in New York, To Lam reaffirmed that Vietnam views the United States as one of its strategically important partners and is committed to making the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership more stable, substantive, and practical. The current engagements—particularly with representatives of Congress, the trade and economic community, and the American business sector—demonstrate the parties’ commitment to filling this partnership with concrete projects in the areas of trade, investment, technology, and infrastructure.
Thus, To Lam’s participation in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly clearly demonstrates the combination of multilateral and bilateral approaches in Vietnamese diplomacy.
On the one hand, the country seeks active engagement in addressing global issues within the UN framework; on the other, it focuses on deepening practical cooperation with strategic partners, primarily the United States.
