In Vietnam’s ‘game of thrones’, is China the only constant?

Vietnam may have another new captain at the helm, but the ship of state is charting a familiar trajectory when it comes to China, analysts say.

Lam, Vietnam’s former chief of public security, took office amid a major leadership reshuffle that also saw the country’s parliament elect a new chairman.

Two state presidents and the parliament speaker have now stepped down within 18 months, in a series of high-profile departures linked to unspecified “wrongdoing” as a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown upends the one-party state’s typically staid politics.

Lam, 66, replaced Vo Van Thuong, who stepped down in March after being accused of violating party rules – just over a year after taking office.

Despite recently upgrading ties with the United States, Japan and Australia, Vietnam has mostly kept its relations with China on an even keel. During a state visit in December by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two countries pledged to “open a new stage” in bilateral relations and step up cooperation.