Vietnam’s position in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy: Challenges and implications

Abstract

Since it was rejuvenated by then - U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017, the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) has been in the spotlight and received attention from many countries within and without the Indo-Pacific region. Due to its geopolitical and geostrategic value, Vietnam has been considered an important factor assisting the U.S. to accomplish two main goals of IPS: reaffirming the U.S. presence and influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and constraining the emergence and expansion of China. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have been paying more attention to Vietnam and granted it a crucial position in the IPS in particular and the U.S foreign policy in general. This paper aims to clarify the significant role of Vietnam in the IPS. It also attempts to examine Vietnam’s current policy on how to exploit the IPS advantages, promote a better national image on the international stage and engage in more multilateral cooperations.