ARTICLES

17 Jul 2025

Will Vietnam’s Tariff Deal with the US Make Its Exports More Competitive?

Juthathip Jongwanich|Archanun Kohpaiboon

On the surface, it appears that Vietnam’s securing of lower tariffs from the US could make it more competitive than its regional rivals. A deeper examination shows that this might not be the case.

14 Jul 2025

Caught in the Crossfire: Vietnam and the Chinese Transshipment Dilemma

Le Hong Hiep

Vietnam is caught in the middle as the US seeks to clamp down on China using it as a backdoor into the American market.

China China-Vietnam Relations Trade U.S. U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

3 Jun 2025

Vietnam’s Trump Card: Navigating Growth, Politics, and US Relations

Hoang Thi Ha|Dien Nguyen An Luong

Vietnam’s fast-tracking of a Trump-branded project is a high-stake diplomatic gambit to curry favour with the US president to ameliorate the extent of US tariffs. But the Trump project should also be viewed in the context of Hanoi’s relentless drive to do away with red tape and pro-business strategy.

U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

16 May 2025

Economic Anxiety, Nationalist Pride: How Vietnam Navigates the Trump Storm

Dien Nguyen An Luong

Hanoi is orchestrating a media campaign to project resilience amid Trump’s tariffs and other setbacks in US–Vietnam ties while trying to prevent simmering anti-American sentiments from hurting those ties.

Tariffs U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam Vietnamese Economy

22 Apr 2025

Vietnam Navigates Trump’s Trade Headwinds: Making Virtue Out of Necessity

Hoang Thi Ha

Vietnam has been navigating the potential trade headwinds from the second Trump administration with pragmatism and opportunism, aligning with Trump’s transactional approach. The focus has been on fostering corporate partnerships, framing Vietnam-US economic ties as win-win instead of virtue-signalling on free trade.

U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam Vietnamese Economy Vietnamese Politics

4 Apr 2025

How Will Vietnam Deal With President Trump’s Shocking Tariffs?

Le Hong Hiep

Faced with 46 per cent US tariffs, Vietnam is unlikely to retaliate in kind. It is likely that Hanoi would avoid confrontation and lean on diplomacy instead.

Tariffs U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

25 Mar 2025

Can Vietnam Dodge the US Tariff Bullet?

Nguyen Hong Thach

Vietnam has done almost everything necessary to preclude the possibility of the US slapping tariffs on its exports. The question is whether this would be enough.

International Trade Trade U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

21 Feb 2025

Trump’s Aid Freeze Could Disrupt Progress in US-Vietnam Reconciliation

Phan Xuan Dung

Suspending USAID programmes risks undermining years of work building trust between the former enemies and helping victims of the Vietnam War.

U.S.-Vietnam Relations US Vietnam Vietnamese Politics

23 Aug 2024

Russian President Putin’s Visit to Hanoi: Vietnam’s ‘Bamboo Diplomacy’ In Action

Ian Storey

President Putin’s visit to Vietnam was a qualified success for both countries. The Putin regime was able to show that despite Western efforts to isolate it, Russia is not without friends. By hosting the Russian leader, Vietnam was able to honour an old friend and highlight the merits of its bamboo diplomacy.

China-Vietnam Relations U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam Vietnam-Russia relations