ARTICLES

5 Jun 2026

Beyond Bamboo Diplomacy: Vietnam’s Shrinking Room for Manoeuvre

Nguyen Phuong Linh

Vietnam’s foreign policy has typically been described as bamboo diplomacy. This still holds true, but decision-making is increasingly being constrained by domestic considerations.

US President Donald Trump (R) receives General Secretary To Lam (L) at the White House following the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace for Gaza. (Photo Việt Nam News / Facebook)

4 Mar 2026

Vietnam’s Gaza Board of Peace Gambit: To Lam’s Confident New Foreign Policy

Hoang Thi Ha

Vietnam’s decision to join the Trump-led Gaza Board of Peace speaks less about its Middle East policy and more about its evolving foreign policy.

Foreign Policy U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

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.

Southeast Asia Tariffs U.S.-Vietnam Relations US Vietnam

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.-Vietnam Relations US 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