Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, is actively engaged in a global diplomatic tour, visiting Beijing, Washington, Moscow, and other capitals. Analysts suggest this extensive travel aims to enhance Vietnam's international standing.

Vietnam’s To Lam is a man in a hurry. Since claiming the nation’s top job, its most powerful leader in decades has been in near-constant motion, pressing flesh and signing deals in Beijing, Washington, Pyongyang and Moscow. His itinerary, which also included stops in New Delhi, Helsinki, Paris, London and several Southeast Asian capitals, reads less like a diplomatic calendar than a world tour – and analysts say that is precisely the point. “Where previous leaders practised a restrained,...