Party chief’s North Korea visit reaffirms Vietnam’s peace-bridging role: US-based scholar

Dr. Vu Xuan Khang, a scholar on Asia–Pacific security issues at Boston College, made the remarks in a recent interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about Lam’s ongoing state visit to North Korea from October 9 to 11.

During their talks in Pyongyang on Thursday, Lam and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to elevate Vietnam–North Korea relations to a new phase of more practical and effective cooperation, contributing to both nations’ development goals and to peace, stability, and prosperity regionally and globally.

“General Secretary Lam’s trip to North Korea highlights Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of multilateralization and diversification, reflecting the country’s readiness to be a friend to all and a bridge among different sides,” Khang said.

As a trusted partner of both sides and the host of the 2019 U.S.–North Korea summit, Vietnam may once again seek to play the role of a mediator and contributor to peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Khang added that the visit carries strategic significance for Vietnam, as both the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump have recently hinted at the possibility of another meeting.

Sharing a similar view, Professor Carl Thayer, a leading Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Academy, said the visit aligns with the Vietnamese Politburo’s Resolution No. 59 on international integration in the new context, underscoring Vietnam’s growing proactivity in global affairs.

Referring to Lam’s recent overseas trips, Thayer noted that they highlight the increasingly central role of the Party leader in shaping both domestic and foreign policy.

According to him, Resolution No. 59 stresses that international integration requires initiative, dynamism, and steadfastness to strengthen existing partnerships, leverage external resources, build political trust, and address regional and global challenges through peaceful cooperation and adherence to international law.

The document also reiterates one of Vietnam’s core foreign policy goals — maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development.

“In this context, Lam’s visit to North Korea also reflects Vietnam’s desire to explore potential diplomatic and political contributions to any future peace process on the Korean Peninsula,” Thayer said.

He added that such efforts would further enhance Vietnam’s standing in the international community and among major powers.