Chinese media believed that the invitation of General Secretary and President To Lam to deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue demonstrates the international community's recognition of Vietnam's growing role and position. Experts said the messages delivered at the forum reflect Vietnam's consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and impartiality, while promoting dialogue, cooperation, and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development.
Xinhua News Agency paid particular attention to ASEAN centrality, as it quoted Vietnamese leader as saying "It is where ASEAN functions as a framework for cooperation, dialogue and balance."
“Vietnam's To Lam warns of three global crises and sets out solutions,” according to Reuters. "The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept," Reuters quoted top leader Lam as saying and calling for reinforcing international law, setting up inclusive and sustainable growth drivers, as well as initiating dialogue and transparency.
Singapore's Channel News Asia said Vietnam's To Lam was the keynote speaker on Friday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defense and security forum hosted by Singapore. It demonstrates Vietnam's growing influences in regional and global affairs.
Japan's Nikkei noted that the speech outlined Vietnam's approach to current geopolitical changes. Vietnam maintains an independent, self-reliant, and balanced foreign policy, while emphasizing the peaceful resolution of all disputes based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
According to Bloomberg, Vietnamese leader To Lam told a major Asian defense forum Friday that military power alone can’t ensure security, and called for the creation of mechanisms to actively prevent conflicts from spiraling. Bloomberg noted the view that strengthening national defense is a legitimate need, but sustainable security cannot rely solely on military strength or an arms race.
The US channel CNBC focused on the message of "responsible commitment" from major powers to the Asia-Pacific region. CNBC quoted the leader as saying Vietnam recognizes that competition among countries is a reality of international relations, but highlighted that competition must be bounded by law, guided by transparency, and exercised with restraint.
