FULCRUM

APLN member Hoang Thi Ha pointed out that Putin’s visit to Vietnam underscores that pragmatism is not the sole or primary guiding principle in Vietnam’s foreign policy; factors such as risk aversion, path dependency, and sentimental attachments to a foreign power also influence the Vietnamese elite’s decisions.

Indeed, Putin’s war against Ukraine blatantly violates fundamental international legal principles — respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity — which Vietnam considers sacrosanct. Big powers often apply double standards in international law because they can, often with minimal penalty. However, for small states like Vietnam, consistency in upholding international law serves not only as a matter of principle but also as a crucial defence against the arbitrary actions of more powerful nations.

Kyiv will also feel the chill from Putin’s presence in Hanoi. Enduring a tumultuous history marked by repeated aggressions from larger powers and currently grappling with China’s looming threat in the SCS, Vietnam could arguably have shown greater empathy for Ukraine, a fellow small state facing aggression from a larger power. Yet, while engaging in summit-level talks with Russia, Vietnam has so far interacted with Ukraine only at the foreign minister level at the sidelines of ASEAN gatherings.

Vietnam’s foreign policy for the past two decades has been lauded for its pragmatism. However, Putin’s visit to Hanoi underscores that pragmatism is not the sole or primary guiding principle. Factors such as risk aversion, path dependency, and sentimental attachments to a foreign power also influence the Vietnamese elite’s decisions, which are not always based on a rational cost-benefit calculus. While Russia’s value to Vietnam lies more in the past than in the present and future, Putin’s “memory diplomacy” still has some mileage in Vietnam.

The full article can be accessed here.

Image: Vladimir Putin in Vietnam in 2006. Wikimedia Commons