Bamboo in a storm
The Russia-Ukraine war and Vietnam’s foreign policy (2022–2024)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6458048 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alexander L Vuving (0000-0001-8191-7512, Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, HI, USA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 90-118 |
| Publication date | 2024-05-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Pacific Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0951-2748 • E-ISSN: 1470-1332 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09512748.2024.2354673 |
| OpenAlex | W4396937498 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 6 |
This article examines the strategic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Vietnam's foreign policy and Vietnam's responses to the war. It argues that although the war has triggered diverse, even opposing, responses from Vietnam's ruling elite, it has not changed the general direction of Vietnam's foreign policy because it has not directly and fundamentally affected Vietnam's quest for security, resources, and identity. However, the war posed moral and strategic dilemmas for Hanoi, tore the web of geopolitical partnerships upon which Vietnam relied to secure its place in the world, and threatened to shake Russia's unique and critical role in Vietnam's foreign relations. Hanoi responded by reinforcing the current paradigm of its foreign policy, performing a delicate balancing act between the great powers, and deepening ties with the major powerhouses in its surrounding region. By taking 'one step backward, then two steps forward' in its relations with the United States, Hanoi succeeded in keeping both Moscow and Washington close to itself despite their mutual hostility. Its loyalty to Moscow helped to keep Russia on its side rather than on Beijing's side in the South China Sea. In the long term, however, the costs of this 'bamboo diplomacy' may outweigh its benefits
Beijing · China · Development economics · Diplomacy · Economics · Economy · Elite · Foreign policy · Geopolitics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Vietnam War · European and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies · International Relations and Foreign Policy · Law · Nuclear Issues and Defense
Do States Act Rationally and How Do We Know What They Think
Is China losing its soft power in the Ukraine war? Evidence from the Indo-Pacific
Walking a Tightrope Once More
Negotiating middle-power politics
Vietnamese Foreign Policy in the Post-Doi Moi Era
China First, America Later
The struggle for influence
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 7 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |