By Khang Vu

January 16, 2015

"Vietnam's diplomacy in 2014 was a complicated mess, primarily due to tensions with China in the South China Sea. Since the HD 981 incident last year, Vietnam has very clearly understood the importance of pursuing more diverse relationships with countries in the region and around the world, especially Japan, the Philippines, and the United States. With a powerful China claiming sovereignty over most of the South China Sea and a strong-willed United States fostering ambitions to pivot to Asia, 2015 opens with Vietnam facing both diplomatic opportunities and challenges.

Most likely, the United States will strengthen its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam due to common interests and threats from China. Since the United States announced an easing of the lethal weapons embargo against Vietnam last October, Vietnam has successfully diversified its arsenal after depending solely on weapons from its longtime ally, Russia. Vietna's task in 2015 is to figure out what kind of weapons are suitable for the dispute and how to effectively integrate them with Russian arms. With American weapons in storage, Vietnam and the United States can easily conduct joint military exercises, helping the United States gain access to strategic naval bases and building trust between the two navies. Additionally, the victory of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan and the renewal of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States and the Philippines has laid a strong foundation for further cooperation among Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam, while also ensuring a smooth American pivot to the region.“

Read more:

http://thediplomat.com/2015/01/what-awaits-vietnam-in-2015/ 

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