| This Thesis examines the different strategies a small state can employ for coping with the threat of large and aggressive states, and concludes that Vietnam has abandoned its traditional realpolitik strategies in favor of one based on multilateralism and economic interdependence.; Throughout the imperial era, Vietnam tried to deter Chinese aggression through internal balancing: the amassing of a large military while building up the size and power of the state. Vietnam, however, was unable to prevent colonial and neo-colonial aggression by France and the United States through internal means, and thus had to balance externally with the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, placing it firmly in the socialist camp. Despite having over 600,000 men under arms, 30 years of war left Vietnam poor and under-developed, forcing Hanoi to ally with the Soviet Union when relations with China and Beijing's ally the Khmer Rouge, deteriorated in 1978. Yet balancing was a failed policy that left Vietnam, diplomatically isolated, bankrupt, and vulnerable to the alliance partner's changing security needs.; The question for Hanoi remains how to cope with an increasingly powerful China when its internal capabilities remain so weak. Neo-realism predicts that Vietnam will balance again, but I argue that Hanoi has "learnt" from its mistakes and has rejected such a policy. This Thesis goes on to reject a policy based on accommodation or bandwagoning, as negative perceptions and mistrust of Chinese intentions remain uniformally high. Moreover, as most states tend to bandwagon for "profit," they seek to gain from a great power challenging the status quo, which is what Hanoi does not want China to do.; It is the hypothesis of this thesis that Hanoi has adopted a new strategy based on multilateralism, economic interdependence, regionalism, and sufficient military capabilities. This strategy will enhance Vietnam's security in two ways: first, it will help to develop Vietnam's economy, and thus its internal capabilities as a poor state cannot be a strong state. Second, by joining ASEAN and other regimes Hanoi is hoping to be able to enmesh China in an interdependent relationship, as Vietnam is too small to do this alone. Only through multilateral engagement and an economically interdependent relationship will Vietnam and ASEAN be able to convince China that any challenge to the regional status quo will be detrimental to its own security interests. |
