Vietnam's To Lam Warns Asia Against Superpower Conflict at 3-Day Shangri-La Dialogue
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Vietnam's To Lam Warns Asia Against Superpower Conflict at 3-Day Shangri-La Dialogue
15 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
To Lam told Asian military leaders in Singapore that peace and stability depend on economic development, arguing that today's instability also comes from disruptions to growth.
In a half-hour Shangri-La Dialogue keynote, he warned a global arms race would not make countries safer and criticized a world where unchecked competition lets "might makes right."
Without naming the United States or China, Lam said mounting threats are making it harder for Vietnam and the wider region to prosper.
The speech, delivered weeks after Lam assumed dual roles as Communist Party chief and head of state, cast Vietnam as a resilient manufacturing hub and a more proactive regional actor.
At the 3-day forum, where Asian governments are already hedging over U.S. reliability and China again skipped sending its defense minister, Lam's message underscored Southeast Asia's push for strategic autonomy.
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