Vietnam’s growing agency in the twenty-first century

Abstract

The world is witnessing a dual process of power shift from West to East and power diffusion from the major states to the lower layers of the global power structure. However, inadequate scholarly endeavour is devoted to exploring the foreign policy thinking and practices of weaker states amid these dynamics. This paper analyses the changing patterns of Vietnam’s post-Cold War worldview, its engagement with the regional security order, particularly its current threat perception and strategic response to regional challenges such as China’s rise and the South China Sea disputes. It will trace how Vietnam, previously perceived as a small to medium country, has increased its agency in the twenty first century to the extent that an emerging middle power can maneuver in a multifaceted and fluid world. It argues from the case of Vietnam that weaker states are not merely dictated by structural developments but may now have greater agency in contributing to shaping regional or world orders. Such investigation will help enrich both the existing Western-dominated and structure-oriented accounts on small and middle powers.

Keywords:

• Vietnam
• agency
• middle power
• multiplex world
• Global IR

Acknowledgements

The author would like to express appreciation to the Korean foundation and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam for providing financial support for the research projects from which this paper develops. Special thanks also go to Eun Yong-Soo, Chanintira Na Thalang, Amitav Acharya and the editors and reviewers of the Pacific Review Journal for helpful and constructive comments on the earlier drafts of this paper. The author bears the sole responsibility for any errors contained herein.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author would like to express appreciation to the Korean foundation and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam for providing financial support for the research projects from which this paper develops. Special thanks also go to Eun Yong-Soo, Chanintira Na Thalang, Amitav Acharya and the editors and reviewers of the Pacific Review Journal for helpful and constructive comments on the earlier drafts of this paper. The author bears the sole responsibility for any errors contained herein.

Notes on contributors

Thuy T. Do

Thuy T. Do is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Her previous affiliations include the Department of International Relations (Australian National University), the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (Nanyang Technological University), the East – West Center, and Japan’s Institute of International Affairs. Her research and teaching interests focus on non-Western IR Theory, multilateralism, East Asian studies, and Vietnam’s foreign policy.