Vietnam and a U.S.–China War: Strategic Autonomy Under Pressure

How would Vietnam respond if tensions between the United States and China escalated into conflict? In this conversation, Asia Society Australia Senior Policy Fellow and Verve Research Executive Director Dr Natalie Sambhi speaks with Ms Minh Phuong Vu, a PhD scholar in the Department of International Relations at the Coral Bell School, Australian National University, about how Vietnam's leaders are thinking about the strategic and economic consequences of a potential US–China conflict. They explore domestic political leadership and legitimacy, Hanoi's relations with fellow ASEAN states, and the enduring importance of Vietnam's strategic autonomy. Despite fighting a costly border war with China in 1979, how would Vietnam confront a far more militarily capable China today? The discussion also examines how ASEAN partners can support Vietnam's middle-power diplomacy and contribute to conflict prevention in an increasingly contested strategic environment. (30 min., 14 sec.) This interview is part of a broader series accompanying the Maritime Southeast Asia Amidst an Armed Conflict Between the US and China report, which examines how Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam would approach a potential conflict between the United States and China. For a broader regional perspective, watch our Melbourne report launch panel discussion, where leading experts explore the report's key findings and discuss how Southeast Asian states may respond to a potential US–China conflict. Subscribe for more videos like this: http://AsiaSociety.org/YouTube --- Support Asia Society today: http://AsiaSociety.org/Donate --- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected: https://asiasociety.org/email-subscri... --- Facebook:   / asiasociety   Instagram:   / asiasociety   Twitter:   / asiasociety   LinkedIn:   / asia-society   #asiasociety #asiasocietyaustralia #uschinarelations #vietnam