Opinion | Vietnam’s ‘bamboo diplomacy’ is paying off, at least for now

In what was outgoing Vietnamese President To Lam’s first international trip since his appointment as the Communist Party of Vietnam’s general secretary, Beijing and Hanoi signed 14 deals, from cross-border railways to crocodile exports. Lam characterised bilateral ties with China as a “top priority” and described his trip as “the affirmation of the Party and the Vietnamese government to value the relation[ship] with China”.

The joint statement said the two ruling parties were carrying out a historic mission while striving for people’s well-being, national development and peace, reaffirming their commitment to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership and building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hanoi in December, the two sides signed a series of cooperation documents in areas including infrastructure, trade and security, as well as reaching a historic milestone when they announced a China-Vietnam strategic community with a “shared future”, a recurring reference that potentially suggests Hanoi has aligned itself with Beijing’s vision.

In December, Vietnam expressed its support for China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative, saying these programmes were aimed at protecting common interests of all mankind, promoting peace and creating a better world. Hanoi has now agreed to step up cooperation within these frameworks, which could be seen as a diplomatic win for China.