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Abstract

The main objective of this chapter is to analyze Vietnam’s difficult position in the growing competition between China and the US. The biggest concern of Vietnam, like other Southeast Asian countries, is to be caught between big power struggles. Based on historical lessons it has learned from the Vietnam War, as it could successfully engage both the Soviet Union and China and managed to secure support from both of them notwithstanding serious problems between them, the chapter concludes that Vietnam should not take sides in the big power competition but maintain a balance between them while strengthening itself.

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Notes

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© 2015 Pham Quang Minh

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Minh, P.Q. (2015). In the Crossfire: Vietnam and Great Powers in the Emerging East Asian Security Architecture. In: Togo, K., Naidu, G.V.C. (eds) Building Confidence in East Asia: Maritime Conflicts, Interdependence and Asian Identity Thinking. Palgrave Pivot, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137504654_2

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