• To Lam reappointed as General Secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party for five years.
• The reappointment was unanimous, with all 180 central committee members voting in favor.
• Lam aims for annual economic growth above 10% and reforms to transform the economy.
• His leadership is marked by significant reforms, including job cuts and corruption measures.
• Lam also seeks the presidential position, with a decision pending.

Vietnam's top leader To Lam has been reappointed as General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party for the next five years following unanimous support from the central committee members at the party's congress. This unanimous decision was reaffirmed in a statement confirming that all 180 members voted in favor, underscoring his strong hold on power in the one-party state, according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

In his address to the party congress, Lam emphasized the need to maintain party unity and promised to undertake significant reforms aimed at achieving over 10% annual economic growth, a target set against a backdrop of challenges highlighted by external economic forecasts averaging just 6.5%. He seeks to transform Vietnam into a high-middle-income economy by 2030 through enhanced innovation and efficiency, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

Lam's first term saw sweeping reforms that included substantial job cuts and efforts to streamline government operations, which drew both admiration and criticism. He eliminated multiple layers of bureaucracy and cut around 150,000 jobs from the state payroll while launching ambitious projects and combating corruption, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

While continuing his role as General Secretary, Lam is reportedly also pursuing the presidency, with an announcement regarding this expected in the near future. His dual aspirations have raised concerns about potential risks to Vietnam's political system, which has traditionally relied on a model of collective leadership rather than individual dominance. This aspect of his leadership reflects trends seen in neighboring countries, particularly under leaders like Xi Jinping in China, according to South China Morning Post, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.