Hanoi’s Beijing Syndrome

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print
Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

The “Vietnamese street” and especially the activist community is known to be anti-China, but the Vietnamese Communist Party is keen to cultivate closer ties.

 

Published on The Diplomat
November 4, 2022

Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong had the distinction of being the first foreign leader to visit China after Xi Jinping secured a third term as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

While the two countries have had a long, conflicted relationship, the Hanoi leadership may be gambling that they can have it both ways. The diversification from China by Western firms has resulted in Vietnam receiving new investment flows. Amid China-U.S. tensions, factories based in China have now moved to Vietnam. This has created a tailwind for Vietnam’s economic prospects.

At the same time, Vietnam’s communist leaders seem to view Beijing as a bulwark for maintaining their autocratic system. In an editorial published Thursday, the Global Times, a Chinese state-owned media outlet, noted that there is an “upper limit” to U.S.-Vietnam relations despite how hard Washington tries to pull Hanoi into its orbit. While this nationalistic tabloid is often known for its shrill tone, it’s probably not far from the truth when it notes “Hanoi is unlikely to get too close to Washington due to differences in ideology.”

It’s precisely because of ideology – nostalgia for the Soviet Union and an odd solidarity with Beijing – that the Hanoi government has been largely silent on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Vietnamese government has abstained on every vote this year in the United Nations General Assembly affirming Ukraine’s sovereignty despite Vietnam’s clear interest to align with an international system where countries respect the U.N. Charter and bigger nations don’t bully smaller neighbors.

Out of deference to Beijing, Nguyen Phu Trong reportedly vowed to reject all military alliances and not allow any foreign bases on Vietnamese soil. To be sure, this has long been Vietnam’s default position. But for the time being Trong has gone further than any other communist Vietnam leader in prioritizing relations with China. The latest joint statement, unlike previous iterations, pledges to “defend the party and the socialist regime in each country in the new situation.”

It was probably because of these sentiments that Xi awarded Trong with the Friendship Medal. Trong became just the tenth person to receive this highest award from the People’s Republic of China.

The response on Vietnamese social media has been scathing. One Facebook user remarked: “We thought Trong would go over there to demand our islands back” – a reference to contentious maritime disputes in the South China Sea – “but no he went there to receive a medal.” Others commented on Trong’s apparent obsequiousness as seen by his two-handed handshake with Xi – which in Vietnamese culture is usually behavior by a junior official when greeting a more senior person.

The “Vietnamese street” and especially the activist community is known to be anti-China. They tend to view China as a dire threat to Vietnamese sovereignty and an impediment to the country’s political opening. In the several surveys on popular views toward China, conducted by outside entities such as the Pew Research Center and the BBC, the share of Vietnamese respondents with a favorable view of China has been 10 percent or less.

But the Vietnamese Communist Party apparently feels differently. Interestingly when Nguyen Phu Trong departed Vietnam for China on October 30, almost the entire Politburo came to the airport to wish him a successful trip. Both the state president and prime minister presented Trong with a large bouquet to signify their support. For Vietnam’s communist leadership, closer ties with Xi Jinping’s China is a good thing.

About Duy Hoang
Duy Hoang is the executive director of Viet Tan, an unsanctioned pro-democracy political party in Vietnam.

Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on print

LATEST ARTICLES

2023 Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award Presented to HRD Truong Van Dung

Viet Tan is proud to announce that the 2023 Le Dinh Luong Human Rights Award goes to Human Rights Defender Truong Van Dung. The theme of this year’s award is: “75 Years of International Human Rights — Freedom, Equality & Justice for Vietnam.”

Established in 2018, this annual human rights award is named after activist Le Dinh Luong, who made significant efforts to fight for the rights of the people and the sovereignty of the country. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Vietnamese government in August 2018.

Vietnam and Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Discussed on Parliament Hill

On October 30th, the Honorable Judy Sgro in cooperation with Viet Tan hosted a luncheon “Vietnam and Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy” in the Wellington Building in Ottawa attended by parliamentarians and their teams. The event focused on how Canada can engage Vietnam to advance human rights and security in the Indo-Pacific. From addressing climate change to transnational repression to military capacity building. 

How Canada can engage Vietnam while furthering its democratic values

As Canada pursues this long-term, multi-faceted strategy, it will undoubtedly prioritize certain relationships. Japan, South Korea and Australia certainly. These are all democracies and important economies. But perhaps Vietnam will be considered a strategic partner as well. The question is how Canada can engage Vietnam while furthering its democratic values?

Vietnam’s Prisoners of Conscience – 2023 Report

On January 1, 2023, Vietnam joined the United Nations Human Rights Council after an intense lobbying effort within the international community. Some hoped that this would lead to greater respect for human rights by the Vietnamese government, while others raised alarm about the contradicting nature of the situation. In particular, a country notorious for human rights violations is now tasked in the UN with promoting these rights internationally.