Vietnam minister credits ‘bamboo diplomacy’ for balancing nation’s relations with China and US
- In Washington, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son says Hanoi ‘can have good relations with all major powers’ and that Vietnam president’s ouster will not be destabilising
- Son has met this week with senior US officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan
Vietnam’s foreign minister credited his Communist-ruled nation’s “bamboo diplomacy” for successfully balancing its relations with the rival global powers of China and the US, and said that the recent resignation of President Vo Van Thuong would not be destabilising.
“In 2023, Vietnam hosted both US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping – which means Vietnam wishes and can have good relations with all major powers, thanks to Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy”, Bui Thanh Son said at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
In September, Biden visited Hanoi and the US and Vietnam – two former long-time foes – upgraded their diplomatic ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Three months later, Xi travelled to Hanoi on a state visit. With 37 bilateral deals, including on railways and telecommunications, Beijing and Hanoi ushered in what they described as a “golden era” of bilateral ties.
“Competition among major powers is natural, but conflict is not inevitable,” Son said, welcoming efforts to stabilise US-China relations after Biden and Xi held talks in November.
On Monday, Son had meetings with senior Biden administration officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, the first ministerial-level talks since the upgrading of ties.