Is Vietnam Drifting Closer Toward China?

Ties between China and Vietnam appear to be improving across every front. Vietnam is selling more to China, while China is investing more in its southern neighbor. Even on thorny territorial issues in the South China Sea, the two sides said they're talking through their differences. And last month, Vietnamese leader To Lam traveled to China in his capacity as both General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the country, a model many say was inspired by the Chinese political structure. All of this has prompted discussion among some Vietnamese analysts that Hanoi is swinging in Beijing's direction. But Khang Vu, a visiting scholar in Vietnamese political science at Boston College, strongly disagrees. Khang joins Eric to discuss why Hanoi's longstanding commitment to non-alignment among the major powers remains the bedrock of Vietnamese foreign policy. Show Notes: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: • Why Vietnam Is Swinging in China's Direction • by Nguyen Khac Giang The Diplomat: • The Myth of Vietnam's Tilt Toward China • by Khang Vu The Diplomat: • Interpreting the Future of Vietnam-China Relations Through the 2026 Joint Statemen • t by Hai Hong Nguyen and Vu Quy Son 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode • Vietnam–China relations: perception vs. reality • The "Four No's" and non-aligned foreign policy • Tho Lam's Beijing visit and key takeaways • South China Sea tensions and regional dynamics • Tech, trade, and Huawei: strategic hedging • Navigating U.S.–China rivalry and global pressure Join the Discussion: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social Follow CGSP in French and Spanish: • French: www.projetafriquechine.com • | @AfrikChine • Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com • | @ChinaAmericas Join us on Patreon! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth