Additional positions


Minister of Public Security
In office 9 April 2016 – 22 May 2024
Prime Minister	Nguyễn Xuân Phúc Phạm Minh Chính
Preceded by	Trần Đại Quang
Succeeded by	Lương Tam Quang
Secretary of the Central Police Party Committee
In office 4 May 2016 – 6 June 2024
Preceded by	Trần Đại Quang
Succeeded by	Lương Tam Quang
President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2024
Preceded by	Võ Văn Thưởng
Member of the Politburo
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 January 2016
Head of Central Highlands Steering Committee
In office 31 July 2016 – 11 October 2017
Preceded by	Trần Đại Quang
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Deputy Minister of Public Security
In office 12 August 2010 – 7 April 2016
Minister	Lê Hồng Anh Trần Đại Quang

Personal details

Born

10 July 1957 (age 68)
Văn Giang, Hưng Yên, North Vietnam

Political party

Communist Party

Spouse

Ngô Phương Ly

Children

Tô Long

Parents

Tô Quyền (father)
Đặng Thị Cam (mother)

Residences

64 Phan Đình Phùng street, Ba Đình, Hanoi

Alma mater

Vietnam People's Security Academy [vi]
Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics [vi]

Awards

Military Exploit Order

Signature

Military service

Branch/service

Vietnam People's Public Security

Years of service

1974–2024

Rank

Police general

Tô Lâm (born 10 July 1957) is a Vietnamese leader and former police officer. He has served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) since August 2024. This role makes him the most powerful person in Vietnam's government. Before this, he was the 13th president of Vietnam from May to October 2024.

Tô Lâm spent over 40 years working in the People's Public Security Forces, which is like Vietnam's national police. He became the Minister of Public Security in 2016, a position he held until he became president in 2024.

Born in Hưng Yên province, Tô Lâm joined the CPV in 1981. He studied at the Central Police School and the Vietnam People's Security Academy. He holds the highest rank of a four-star General in the Vietnam People's Public Security. He has been a member of the CPV Central Committee since 2011 and the CPV Politburo since 2016.

Tô Lâm played a role in efforts to prevent wrongdoing in government. He currently leads important committees like the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption and the Central Military Commission. On 3 August 2024, he was elected CPV General Secretary, becoming Vietnam's top leader. He was reelected to this position on 23 January 2026.

About Tô Lâm
- Early Life and Learning
- Starting His Career
Important Roles in Government
Awards and Recognition
- National orders
- Foreign orders
Books He Has Written
See also

About Tô Lâm

Early Life and Learning

Tô Lâm was born on 10 July 1957, in Xuân Cầu village, Văn Giang district, Hưng Yên province, in northern Vietnam. He is the oldest son of Colonel Tô Quyền, who was a police director.

His family had a history of involvement in Vietnam's political changes. His father, Tô Quyền, was honored for his service and worked in security during the Vietnam War.

Following his father's path, Tô Lâm chose to study security. In 1974, he became a student at the Central Public Security School. This school later became the People's Security Academy. He earned a PhD in Jurisprudence, which is the study of law. In 2015, he became a Professor of Security Sciences.

Tô Lâm joined the Communist Party of Vietnam on 22 August 1981. He also studied at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, where he gained an advanced degree in political theory.

Starting His Career

Hugo Swire and Tô Lâm in 2012

Tô Lâm began his career in public security after studying at the Central Police School and the Vietnam People's Security Academy from 1974 to 1979. After graduating, he joined the Vietnam People's Public Security. From 1979 to 1993, he worked in the Political Protection Department, eventually becoming a Deputy Chief.

From 1993 to 2006, Tô Lâm moved up in his career. He became a deputy director and then a director in different departments within the Ministry of Public Security. In 2006, he was appointed deputy director of the General Security Department. By 2007, he had reached the rank of Major-General. He continued to lead, becoming the Director of the General Security Department I in 2009. In July 2010, he was promoted to Lieutenant-General.

Tô Lâm became Deputy Minister of Public Security in August 2010. He also became a member of the Party Central Committee in January 2011. His work in international relations was noted in 2011 when he met with the US Ambassador to discuss cooperation. In June 2011, he was appointed Secretary of the Central Police Party Committee. By September 2014, President Truong Tan Sang promoted him to Colonel General. In January 2019, he was promoted to the rank of General.

Important Roles in Government

Leading the Public Security Ministry

National Security Advisor John Bolton met Police General Tô Lâm at the White House in 2019.

In April 2016, Tô Lâm was confirmed as Minister of Public Security. This role made him the highest leader of the Vietnam People's Police. He worked under the Government, overseeing national security, social order, and criminal investigations.

He was also appointed Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption. In this role, he helped the General Secretary in efforts to prevent wrongdoing. From 2016 to 2024, he held several important positions, including Minister of Public Security.

Working with Other Countries

Police General Tô Lâm welcomed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Hanoi in 2020.

During his time as Minister of Public Security, Tô Lâm worked to strengthen Vietnam's international relations. He welcomed leaders from other countries and visited partner nations. These efforts helped promote cooperation and ensure Vietnam's security.

In 2016, he welcomed a Chinese delegation to discuss fighting crime together. In 2017, he visited Slovakia and signed an agreement to cooperate on crime prevention.

President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III welcomed Minister Tô Lâm at Malacañang Palace in 2016.

In 2018, Tô Lâm visited the United Kingdom. There, he signed an agreement to work together on preventing human trafficking. In 2019, he visited South Korea to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. In 2020, he visited Southeast Asian countries like Laos and Brunei to share information on crime and security.

Later in 2020, he met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States. In 2023, he traveled to India and Iran. He discussed deepening partnerships in security and defense, and signed agreements on extradition and prisoner transfer.

Serving as President

Lâm being sworn in as the 13th president of Vietnam on 22 May 2024

On 21 March 2024, the previous president resigned. On 18 May 2024, Tô Lâm was nominated to become Vietnam's next President. The National Assembly confirmed this at its session.

On 22 May 2024, the National Assembly officially elected Tô Lâm as president. He served as president until 21 October 2024. This made him the shortest-serving Vietnamese president.

Becoming General Secretary

On 18 July 2024, Tô Lâm was appointed as the caretaker General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. This is the most powerful position in Vietnam. Following the death of the previous General Secretary, Nguyễn Phú Trọng, Tô Lâm was officially elected as the party's General Secretary on 3 August 2024.

As General Secretary, Tô Lâm continued efforts to prevent wrongdoing in government. He played a very important role in making decisions for the country. On 23 January 2026, Tô Lâm was re-elected as General Secretary by the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

International Connections as General Secretary

Tô Lâm and Russian president Vladimir Putin shook hands during their meeting in Moscow, 10 May 2025

On 19 June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Vietnam and met with Tô Lâm. President Putin thanked Vietnam for its balanced approach to international events.

On 18 August 2024, Tô Lâm visited China for three days. This was his first overseas trip as General Secretary. He met with CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping in Beijing. The two leaders discussed cooperation and signed important documents.

Tô Lâm also made a two-day state visit to Ireland on 2 October 2024. He met with President Michael D. Higgins and his wife. They held talks during this important visit, which was the first by a Vietnamese leader to Ireland.

On 18 January 2026, Tô Lâm accepted an invitation from United States President Donald Trump. He joined the US-led Board of Peace as a founding member.

Awards and Recognition

Tô Lâm has received many awards for his service to Vietnam and from other countries.

National orders

Military Exploit Order (1st class), three times
Military Exploit Order (3rd class)
Feat Order (1st class), two times
Feat Order (2nd class)
Feat Order (3rd class)
Victory Banner Medal
Fatherland Protection Medal
Glorious Fighter Medal (1st class)
Glorious Fighter Medal (2nd class)
Glorious Fighter Medal (3rd class)
Medal for National Security

Foreign orders

Belarus:
- Order of the Friendship of Peoples (2025)
Cambodia:
- Commander of the Royal Order of Sahametrei
Cuba:
- Order of José Martí (2024)
- Order of June 6 (1st class)
Kazakhstan:
- Order of Friendship (1st class) (2025)
Laos:
- National Gold Medal (2 December 2025)
- Freedom Medal (1st and 2nd classes)
- Labor Medal (1st and 2nd classes)
- Friendship Medal
- Hero Medal
Russia:
- Order of Friendship (2021)
- Honorary Professor Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (2025)

Books He Has Written

Tô Lâm has also written several books about public security and the ideas of Ho Chi Minh:

To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's Thought on the People's Public Security, National Political Publishing House, 2015.
To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's ideology on cadres and cadre work of the People's Public Security, National Political Publishing House, 2017.
To Lam, The masses - the decisive factor in winning the struggle to protect security and order, People's Public Security Publishing House, 2017.
To Lam, Ho Chi Minh's Thought on the role of the people in the cause of protecting security and order, People's Public Security Publishing House, 2017.
To Lam, Vietnam People's Police with Ho Chi Minh's works as a revolutionary policeman, Truth National Political Publishing House, 2018.