DECEMBER 17, 2019 / 12:42 PM
FILE PHOTO: An oil rig (C) which China calls Haiyang Shiyou 981, and Vietnam refers to as Hai Duong 981, is seen in the South China Sea, off the shore of Vietnam in this May 14, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Minh Nguyen/File Photo
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Vietnam said it hoped China would show restraint in the South China Sea next year after a Chinese oil survey vessel and its escorts spent months within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone in what Hanoi called a blatant violation of its sovereignty.
As chair of ASEAN and with a seat on the UN Security Council, Hanoi has a chance to turn regional attention its way.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc raises the gavel as ASEAN chair for 2020 after a handover from Thailand’s Prayut Chan-O-Cha (Photo: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images)
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s raising of the ASEAN gavel last month signalled not only Vietnam’s commencement as chair of the regional grouping, but also the start of a critically definitive period for its foreign policy in the South China Sea.
2020 is set to be a busy year for Vietnam, with several force multipliers for its foreign policy. Beyond its chairmanship of ASEAN’s Vision 2020 goals – predominantly stability in the region – Hanoi will also balance a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and potential international legal action against Beijing. While such diplomatic responsibilities come with significant pressure, the opportune timing provides Hanoi a chance to engage the international community in its maritime security interests. Tiếp tục đọc “Vietnam’s 2020 strategy: a year of diplomatic force-multipliers”→
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