Vietnam-China relations

What Hanoi needs from its relationship with Washington depends overwhelmingly on the state of China-Vietnam relations.

Despite auspicious diplomatic recent developments, an upgrade of the bilateral relationship remains unlikely, at least for now.

No matter how many international friends it has, Hanoi's international freedom of maneuver will be tightly constrained by China.

Washington wants to raise relations to the level of a "strategic relationship," but Vietnamese leaders are moving cautiously, in light of the likely reaction from China.

Despite limited past operations in littoral waters, the country's strategic attention has been overwhelmingly directed at land-based threats.

Vietnam’s proximity to China and lack of strategic depth limit its options in forming security partnerships with other great powers.

As has been the case for much of history, stable, manageable relations with China form the foundation of the country's foreign policy.

Despite some superficial similarities, the moral and humanitarian calculus of the two invasions are vastly different.

In matters of national security and national interests, Vietnamese leaders are pragmatists.

The elaborate ceremonials of Nguyen Phu Trong's state visit are a reminder of the alternating attraction and resistance that underpin Sino-Vietnamese relations.

The country's hedging strategy has proved quite successful in recent decades but is under pressure from the growing strategic tensions in the region.