Vietnam Warns International Order in Crisis as ‘Strong Prey Upon Weak'

The global order is unraveling as powerful countries flout international law when it suits them and “prey upon the weak,” Vietnamese President To Lam said in a speech Friday.

This is one of three crises that are shaking the international community to its core, To said in the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit.

“The world can adapt to the fast-changing order, but it should do so through rules, self-restraint and dialogue-not coercion or the threat of force,” he said, without naming specific countries.

The crisis begins when international law is “interpreted selectively, applied inconsistently, or subordinated to the logic where might makes right and the strong prey upon the weak,” To said.

“In such an environment, states-particularly small and medium-sized countries-face mounting pressure to choose sides, and are increasingly vulnerable to coercion in the economic, technological, financial and security domains.”

Vietnam‘s “bamboo diplomacy” approach in recent decades-pragmatic yet flexible-has sought to balance ties between China, a powerful neighbor and top economic partner, and the U.S., with which it has expanded security ties.

While Vietnam continues to pursue stable relations with Beijing, tensions remain over disputes over territory and fishing rights in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, like many of its Asian neighbors, has also been hit by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The resulting three-month disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz-a critical chokepoint through which Vietnam sources around 85 percent of its oil imports from the Middle East-has strained energy supplies and raised costs.

Another crisis is one of strategic trust, To said. This challenge is “silent but deadly” because countries that view one another’s actions “through the lens of mistrust and anxiety” can easily miscalculate, he said.

“When trust declines, defensive measures may even be perceived as provocation,” he said. “A difference of interest may escalate to confrontation.”

Strategic trust can coexist with competition, but it must be built and maintained within a rules-based framework to ensure competition remains predictable, responsible and contained, To said.

“A third crisis is one involving the development models that have underpinned prosperity for many countries, including developing ones, such as globalization, supply-chain integration, and trade and investment,” he said.

These are under “unprecedented strain” amid rising public debt, slowing economic growth, tariffs and climate change threats to the livelihoods of hundreds of millions, he added.

In the case of many countries, development is inseparable from security.

“Economic fragility can quickly evolve into social and political instability and even strategic uncertainty,” To warned.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 1:13 PM.