Vietnam: Increasing influence in South East Asian affairs

Abstract

Vietnam is an intriguing country. Its long history has been complicated by the rise and fall of different political formations and the vicissitudes of modern politics. After the Vietnam War ended in April 1975, the country was torn apart. The human, environmental and economic costs of the war had been overwhelming. Around 2.4 million people had died, mostly Vietnamese civilians, and thousands of Vietnamese had fled to new countries as refugees in search of a better life. The war caused a huge refugee crisis, with thousands of deaths at sea. Vietnam’s infrastructure – from roads to railways, buildings to bridges, and ports to power stations – was severely disrupted. However, Vietnam has changed significantly with the economic reform “Doi Moi” which was introduced in 1986. After the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991, Vietnam lost its main supporter and the country faced a tough new challenge. Despite its difficulties, Vietnam has changed and grown as a political geographic centre in Asia, and its economy is growing significantly. Vietnam is a resilient country with over 97 million people, enjoying a rich cultural heritage. It has recently seen dramatic changes regarding climate change, the landscape, population, ruling powers, and politics. It is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change, and has adopted solutions to deal with this. This article will examine Vietnam’s foreign policy, and show how the country has played a key role in complex international events in Asia since its political and economic reforms. It will examine what has happened in Vietnam in recent years, how its climate attracts foreigners both as tourists and as investors, and the challenges and issues affecting the country.