General Tô Lâm Extends His Anti Corruption Campaign

Although months of political unrest in Vietnam have come to an end with General Tô Lâm’s ascent to power, his predecessor Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s anti-corruption drive has not slowed down. Even if the economy declines temporarily, the battle to eradicate corruption is anticipated to continue under the new leader. 

Lam will continue to utilize the campaign as a means of consolidating his power; he will also serve as state president until the next Communist Party Congress.

Vietnam may become more assured in pursuing its national interests while avoiding the traps of the U.S.-China rivalry under his pragmatic approach to ideology and diplomacy. However, the fight against corruption must come first. Though there are pitfalls.

Lâm’s pledge to leave “no stone unturned”

Lâm’s commitment to combating corruption has led to mass dismissals and expulsions of senior ministers in the Vietnamese executive branch. An investigation into allegations of “Party rules’ violations” led to the downfall of a deputy PM, a young minister, and two provincial Party chiefs in the first day of his leadership.

On August 3, the same day that Lâm unveiled his plan in a keynote address to the Party, pledging to continue the anti-corruption campaign, all four were expelled from the CPV Central Committee. As the late Nguyễn Phú Trọng’s minister of security, he assisted in putting that effort into action.

The latest dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái has raised eyebrows in the business community

The firing of Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái has caused controversy in the corporate world, especially in Vietnam. Khái oversaw a wide range of areas, including the stock exchange, state budget, banking system, and macroeconomic policy. 

He met with Jared Bernstein, the chair of the US Council of Economic Advisers, and represented Vietnam at an international conference in Tokyo. Phạm Minh Chính, the prime minister of Vietnam, was further stretched by Khai’s expulsion from the Central Committee.

Since 2023, Vietnam’s President Lê Chính has lost two deputies and numerous ministers, leading to speculation about corruption and decision-making paralysis. All dismissed politicians were publicly accused of involvement in shady deals with businesses. However, Lâm remains steadfast in his desire to carry out the campaign, as the “blazing furnace” will feature prominently in his process of consolidating power. Some bureaucrats are wary of making decisions and falling afoul of anti-corruption authorities.

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