Vietnam
Reports on Vietnam See all →
Vietnam’s place in the U.S.-China great power competition
As the rivalry between the U.S. and China heats up, Vietnam’s most important goal – to maintain autonomy – is becoming trickier. So far, close party ties have helped keep relations with Beijing cordial, despite fervent anti-China feeling among regular Vietnamese. If its northern neighbor increases the pressure however, especially on issues like the South China Sea and the Mekong River, Vietnam has made clear that it will explore other options, including closer ties with the U.S.
Vietnam’s careful strategy
Vietnam is a textbook example of how a middle-sized power can learn to survive on one of the world's most dangerous geopolitical fault lines.
China’s influence in Southeast Asia flows through the Mekong
China is using the Mekong as a geopolitical tool. The river provides much needed irrigation water and hydropower potential to countries downstream, but Beijing can choke the flow with a network of 20 planned dams. If the downstream countries joined together, they would have a chance of preventing China from ...
Vietnam’s balancing act
Vietnam has traditionally sought a maximum degree of autonomy. However, its geopolitics are dominated by competition between the United States and China, as well as Russia. How the machinations between these powers play out in the region will determine the choices Hanoi makes, as it tries to balance the benefits ...
Vietnam and the risk to Southeast Asia
Vietnam is one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The government’s goals include further development, wider prosperity and a peaceful, cohesive society. Another key objective is to protect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights, especially against an increasingly assertive China, writes Prince Michael of Liechtenstein.China cl...
