President hopes to deepen cooperation between Pakistan and Vietnam, hails country’s ties and progress under new leadership
President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday congratulated To Lam on his election as President of Vietnam.
President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday congratulated To Lam on his election as Vietnam’s president, saying the unanimous vote reflected the National Assembly’s “confidence” in his leadership.
State broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that in a letter, President Zardari expressed confidence that under Lam’s leadership, Vietnam would achieve “greater progress and prosperity.”
Referring to bilateral relations, the President said Pakistan and Vietnam enjoy “cordial and friendly relations based on mutual trust and goodwill”. He also expressed his desire to work closely with Lam to further strengthen cooperation and advance the common goals of peace, stability and prosperity.
President Asif Ali Zardari congratulates President To Lam on his election, noting the unanimous mandate. Reaffirms ties between Pakistan and Vietnam and expresses commitment to deepening cooperation for shared peace, stability and prosperity. 🇵🇰🤝🇻🇳 @MOFAVietNam
– The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) April 10, 2026
Lam was unanimously elected president of Vietnam, consolidating his power, making him Vietnam’s most dominant leader in decades. The 68-year-old, who is already head of the Vietnamese Communist Party, now holds a dual mandate after securing a second term as party general secretary earlier this year.
This development marks a break with Vietnam’s traditional model of collective leadership, concentrating authority in the hands of a single figure. Analysts say this could enable faster and more decisive policymaking, although it also raises concerns about a shift toward greater authoritarianism in the one-party state.
Read: Vietnam’s top leader To Lam wins state presidency, gets Chinese-style mandate
In his post-election speech, Lam pledged to pursue “a new growth model with science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as the main drivers”, while prioritizing stability and sustainable development.
Seen as largely pro-business, he has supported private sector expansion and ambitious growth goals, but critics warn his policies could fuel favoritism, corruption risks and economic imbalances.
At the same time, Parliament also elected Le Minh Hung as Prime Minister, replacing Pham Minh Chinh. A former central bank governor, Hung’s appointment is seen as an effort to bring greater economic expertise to the leadership as Vietnam aims for sustained high growth in the coming years.
With additional input from Reuters.
