The development of relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and Vietnam comes at a time of great change in the international system, say Dr Bill Hayton and Dr John Hemmings.
In this Policy Paper for the Council on Geostrategy, the authors look at the last decade of deepening relations between Britain and Vietnam before looking to the future, exploring how and why Britain should continue to pursue closer ties.
Using the DIME framework (Diplomacy, Information, Military and Economy), Bill and John lay out a series of suggestions in each category that would benefit both nations. Set against the backdrop of increasing competition in the Indo-Pacific, and Britain’s tilt towards the region in recognition of the challenge posed by China, this is a timely and insightful report.
The UK-Vietnam relationship must therefore be approached with care and consideration. Policymakers on both sides should eschew an overly defence-led relationship and approach the bilateral with a larger sense of the overall strategic context, encompassing trade, diplomacy, technology, and people-to-people exchanges. It is clear, for example, that Vietnam’s ambition to diversify trade and investment is an opportunity for the UK.
Bill Hayton and John Hemmings