Author: Hoang Thi Ha

Published: 4 Mar 2026

Vietnam’s participation in the Gaza Board of Peace (BoP) has generated considerable interest, as it is one of only three ASEAN countries — alongside Cambodia and Indonesia — to join the initiative. Hanoi’s longstanding position on Palestine remains unchanged: it has consistently supported Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution. This is rooted in Cold War-era solidarities with the Palestinian people and the principle of self-determination. What is striking, however, is the manner of its engagement with US President Donald Trump’s BoP initiative. The episode offers insight into General Secretary To Lam’s conception of Vietnam’s “strategic proactiveness” in a turbulent world, and his emerging foreign policy leadership style: decisive, pragmatic, and prepared to take risks.

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