How Asean anchors Vietnam’s diplomatic dance between China and the West

Hanoi’s deft diplomatic balancing act sees it leverage the regional bloc to resist geopolitical pressures arising from US-China competition

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An honour guard raises an Asean flag outside the foreign ministry in Hanoi on August 8 to mark the 29th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to the bloc. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:30pm, 25 Aug 2024Updated: 2:41pm, 25 Aug 2024

When Vietnam’s newly-elected leader To Lam jetted off to Beijing last week, the political theatre was impossible to miss. As the cameras rolled, he deftly navigated the delicate dance between Hanoi and its economic juggernaut to the north, all while trying to advance his nation’s strategic interests across Southeast Asia.

It’s a high-wire act that Vietnam has perfected over decades – safeguarding robust trade ties with largest trading partner China while carving out valuable diplomatic space within the Asean regional bloc. And as tensions simmer in the South China Sea, Lam’s diplomatic juggling is more critical than ever.

“Asean has, to some extent, increased Vietnam’s diplomatic room for manoeuvring when dealing with China,” said Huong Le Thu, deputy director of the International Crisis Group’s Asia programme. “Vietnam’s initial hope was to set its territorial disputes with China in the context of a multilateral dispute” between Beijing and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, she said.

That strategy was on full display earlier this month, as Vietnam’s coastguard conducted joint exercises with their Philippine counterparts for the first time in the contested waters. Analysts say the move was carefully calibrated to deepen ties with a fellow Asean claimant state, without crossing Beijing’s red lines.

“The drills were primarily focused on humanitarian efforts rather than military manoeuvres,” said academic Tran Thi Mong Tuyen, a foreign policy specialist at National Cheng Kung University. It was a diplomatic dance that allowed Hanoi to strengthen regional partnerships while adhering to its non-aligned “four nos” principle, Tran said.

A member of the Philippines’ coastguard and a Vietnamese coastguard vessel both fire water cannons during joint drills near Manila Bay, the Philippines, on August 9. Photo: EPA-EFE

“Vietnam’s policy remains uninfluenced by external forces, and it carefully balances diverse interests under this framework. While Vietnam is cautious in its approach, this should not be mistaken for weakness.”