THE IMPACTS OF U.S. “FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC” STRATEGY ON VIETNAM’S PRACTICE OF FOREIGN POLICY AMIDST THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTES (2017-2020)

Abstract

The South China Sea disputes have long been an entangled issue for Vietnam national security due to China’s expansionism in the SCS. In response, Vietnam has been pursuing its multilateral and multidirectional foreign policy in which it seeks for bargaining position vis-à-vis China by strengthening cooperation with various partners at all levels to obtain international supports. U.S., China’s long-lasting competitor, has always been one of the most active partners who expressed great interests in the SCS issues. Under the Trump’s administration, the opposition and competition with China was further intensified under the adoption of the Free and Open Indo Pacific strategy in which U.S. elites highly express their concerns and commitment to enact regarding the SCS issues. This is an opportunity, yet, a challenge for Vietnam’s leadership to adjust its policy to obtain more benefits from strengthening cooperation with U.S. to hedge against China while ensuring its independent stance in the midst of great powers competition. Henceforth, with the basis of Neoclassical Realism theory, this thesis aims to explain and analyze the adjustment of Vietnam’s foreign policy towards the SCS issues under the influence of U.S. FOIP. By understanding the external effect of geopolitical changes due to U.S.-China heightening competition along with the internal cause of Vietnam’s strategic culture in approaching security issues, the unchangeable nature of Vietnam’s foreign policy of non-alignment due to historical experiences with China will be unveiled as the greatest barrier for Vietnam to rely on U.S. Simultaneously, the on-going China’s aggressive behaviors in the SCS has forced Vietnam to strengthen its power by flexibly practice “soft-alignment” in which it obtains to U.S. assistance and actively participates in building a stronger ties with U.S. in all three aspects of diplomatic, military, and economic.